The festive season presents the ideal opportunity to take stock of the many new products that have marked 2025. The editors of Son-Vidéo.com have therefore decided to take a closer look at some of their favorite products, highlighting those that impressed them the most over the course of their tests and discoveries at trade shows. Here’s a look back at the 2025 turntables that particularly impressed me, whether they were traditional manual models, uniquely designed or Bluetooth-compatible.
Technics SL-40CBT
Looking back at 2025, it’s impossible not to mention the Technics SL-40CBT, which I discovered in detail at the last Paris Audio Video Show (PAVS). This first Bluetooth model from the Japanese brand impressed me with its ability to break the manufacturer’s codes, while retaining the technical fundamentals that have made its reputation. This direct-drive manual turntable adopts a sleek, elegant design and an aptX Adaptive-compatible Bluetooth transmitter. With its detachable phono preamp and Audio-Techncia AT-VM95C cartridge, the Technics SL-40CBT is a truly upgradeable solution. It combines reliability and modernity with ease. I’m also partial to its bold terracotta and gray finishes, which give it even more character.
Rega Planar 3 RS Edition
This is without doubt the most beautiful turntable I’ve come across this year. The Rega Planar 3 RS Edition, with its superb brushed aluminum finish, is really impressive. Tested last spring, I appreciated the clarity of the sound it delivers. Equipped with a Rega Nd5 cartridge, a 12mm thick glass platter and a separate Rega Neo PSU MKII power supply, it reveals the quality and rigor of the British brand. This is a turntable with clean attacks, a well-defined midrange and a wide soundstage. Visually captivating and resolutely musical, the Rega Planar 3 RS Edition will remain a wonderful encounter from my year in 2025.
Pro-Ject AC/DC Limited Edition
Every year, I eagerly await the new turntable from the Austrian brand’s Artists Collection range. In 2025, I fell in love with this AC/DC version. Designed for fans of the band, this turntable combines a unique design with top-of-the-range components for a sound experience on a par with the greatest hard-rock riffs. Red LED lighting under the 10mm thick glass platter highlights the details of its rock’n’roll aesthetic. It also features a red acrylic tonearm and an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge, renowned for its warm, precise sound reproduction. There’s no doubt about it, this 2025 edition is a success.
Argon Audio TT Signature
In 2025, the Scandinavian brand unveiled its flagship turntable, the TT Signature, which I discovered at PAVS. With its vintage design and innovative technologies, it brings together all the manufacturer’s expertise. Indeed, its floating subchassis is reminiscent of turntables from the 1970s. A feeling reinforced by the real wood veneer, cherry or walnut depending on the version, and the brushed aluminum finsih. The quality of design is embodied in every component of this reliable and aesthetically pleasing turntable, as evidenced by the carbon fiber tonearm that limits vibrations and internal resonance. As belt-driven manual model, the TT Signature also features sophisticated electronic regulation to maximize playback speed stability.
Audio-Technica AT-LPA2
This belt-driven manual turntable adopts a superb transparent design thanks to its acrylic components, including its 30mm-thick chassis and 20mm-thick platter. This record player also features a straight carbon-fiber tonearm and metal mechanism, offering an elegant marriage of materials. The Audio-Technica AT-LPA2 is equipped with an AT-OC9XEN cartridge with double voice coils and bare elliptical stylus. With its combination of refinement and finesse, this turntable seduced many visitors to the brand’s stand at the 2025 Paris Audio Video Show. Its translucent structure is hypnotic, in stark contrast to most other turntables.
Here is a selection of my favorite vinyl records from 2025. Need even more inspiration for your Christmas gifts? Explore our wide selection of ideas to suit all tastes and budgets. Whether you’re looking to treat a music lover, a passionate film buff, or a discerning gamer, you’ll find original suggestions that are sure to please.
