I’m kind of hoping that once I get through the return process for the Crosley the desire for owning a record player will pass, because it’s way more complicated than I thought. I naively thought: record player, plug-in, drop needle, hear music.

This is the one that a musicnerd friend suggested I get, which is not cute at all. But, apparently has the preamplifier (something much like Lemon Cucumbers, I didn’t know existed until I read your comment) and the replaceable stylus, but now counterbalance (that I read). Two out of three ain’t bad?

That seems to be the general consensus which totally bums me out, and makes me extra bratty. “I never get what I want!”

Also, it should have a replaceable stylus/cartridge because playing records with a worn-out or cheap needle will also ruin your records.

There are a lot of other bells and whistles, but those are the two most important, in my opinion.

The advice people usually give is that if you are on a budget, your best bet is to find a nice vintage turntable at an estate sale. These are highly prized finds.

Of course if you get a standalone unit, you’ll need a receiver/amplifier. Plus, turntables need a preamplfier in order to work. Old receivers have them built in, but new ones generally don’t. Some new turntables have them built in. You can also buy preamps as standalone units. The main thing is, you can’t just plug a turntable into a modern receiver like you can with your iPod or a CD player (unless of course it has a built in preamp).