A $300 vintage turntable just beat models that cost sixteen times more in these tests!
Turntables that cost thousands of dollars are supposed to be the best. But now, vinyl fans are using simple tools like smartphone apps and Bluetooth sensors to test that claim. And in many cases, older models are beating new ones that cost much more.
Smartphone Apps Expose Turntable Flaws
The shift toward easier turntable testing started with users like Luca Sorrentino, who shared his findings on the Audio Science Review forum.
Instead of relying on traditional test records or quartz-lock indicators, Sorrentino used a Vernier Bluetooth force and acceleration sensor to take a closer look at what’s really happening under the platter.
Over five minutes, he gathered 300,000 data points with a resolution of 0.003 Hz, revealing subtle changes in rotation speed that most methods would miss. And, he visualized the results using polar plots and FFT graphs, A.K.A. tools normally used in engineering labs, not living rooms.
He’s not the only one trying these unique measuring devices out, though. In fact, others have taken a simpler route.
Balle Clorin, for instance, placed an iPhone directly on a spinning record and used the Wow Flutter app, created by developer Philip Broder.
The app uses the phone’s internal sensors to track rotation speed, making it possible for just about anyone to check wow, flutter, and RPM drift with a few taps. While it’s not as sensitive as dedicated lab gear, the app’s results often match the patterns seen in test tone recordings analyzed through software like Audacity.
Surprising Results: Vintage Beats Luxury
Sorrentino’s tests brought some surprising results—especially if you’re someone who thinks newer always means better.
He measured four different turntables:
| Turntable | Wow & Flutter (RMS) | Peak Wow | Peak Flutter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenco L75 | 0.045% | ±0.15% | ±0.08% |
| Sansui XP-99 | 0.05% | ±0.13% | ±0.07% |
| Sony PS-X555ES | 0.08% | ±0.18% | ±0.09% |
| Revox B790 | 0.12% | ±0.22% | ±0.12% |
- Lenco L75 (idler drive, vintage): This unassuming classic came out on top. With a bit of care and maintenance, it posted incredibly low wow and flutter and delivered a dynamic range of 110 dB.
- Sansui XP-99 (direct drive): A solid performer, the Sansui showed off a clean, symmetrical speed profile. Not bad at all for a decades-old machine.
- Sony PS-X555ES (unserviced): This one had a slight case of the “ticks”—subtle motor jitter that showed up in the measurements. But here’s the twist: with proper servicing, Sorrentino believes it could easily outperform many direct drives.
- Revox B790 (serviced): Despite its high-end rep and quartz lock status, the Revox struggled. Measurements revealed motor cogging and imbalances likely due to aging circuits and a design that doesn’t leave much room for fine-tuning.
Other users chimed in with comparisons too.
One tested a Michell Gyro SE and a Technics SL-1500—turntables from very different schools of thought. Yet both had almost identical peak speed variation, hovering around 0.05–0.06%, even though the Michell costs a lot more.
It’s a bit of a reality check for gearheads: just because something costs a fortune doesn’t mean it’s built—or maintained—to perform like one. In fact, the quiet charm of smart engineering and a little hands-on care can go a lot further than a spec sheet filled with buzzwords and a price tag that makes your wallet flinch.
Rethinking the Vinyl Hierarchy
The rise of objective testing is starting to shift how we think about vinyl playback, and it’s not just about what sounds good to the ear anymore.
Thanks to smartphone apps, Bluetooth sensors, and a few clever tools, testing that used to require lab equipment is now in reach for regular vinyl fans. Suddenly, anyone can dig into wow, flutter, and speed stability, and start holding high-end gear to its promises.
Of course, not everyone’s convinced. Some listeners still prefer to trust their ears and avoid digging too deep into the data, especially if it risks breaking the spell.
But one thing keeps showing up in the results: maintenance matters. More than most people want to admit.
That’s where things get interesting. Many of these older turntables, when properly maintained, aren’t just holding their own. In a lot of cases, they’re leaving their modern, high-priced cousins in the dust.
And now that we’ve got tools that make those differences visible, the gap between myth and measurable reality is getting harder to ignore.
That said, many modern high-end turntables still deliver outstanding results when properly engineered and maintained—especially when regular upkeep is part of the equation.
The point isn’t that expensive gear is always worse, but that price alone no longer tells the full story.
What does? Actual data.
The tools are out there. They’re easy to use, surprisingly precise, and getting better every day. Whether the industry leans into this shift or resists it entirely… well, that’s going to be interesting to watch.