Of all the turntables we tested, the Denon DP-400 offered the best combination of sound quality, ease of use, and convenient features—including a built-in phono preamp, a speed control dial, a cue lever, and automatic platter stopping with tonearm lift. Plus, it’s easy to upgrade the cartridge to get even better performance.

The DP-400’s sound quality is very good. Background noise ranged from very quiet to almost inaudible, and this model did a good job suppressing pops and other issues in records that some turntables had problems with. As much as I enjoy listening to vinyl, hearing fewer pops and crackles is always a good thing. Some of the other turntables offered slightly better bass detail, but that was due to the cartridge that came preinstalled. When I replaced the Denon DP-400’s stock cartridge with an Ortofon Red or Blue, it sounded as good as or better than any of the other turntables we tested.

The Denon’s cover does double-duty as a record presentation stand. Photo: Rozette Rago

The counterweight has adjustment markings to help you balance the DP-400’s tonearm. Photo: Rozette Rago

The speed-selection switch makes it easy to choose 33, 45, or even 78 rpm without having to lift up the platter. Photo: Rozette Rago

The DP-400 comes with a cue lever to easily raise and lower the tonearm. Photo: Rozette Rago

The Denon’s cover does double-duty as a record presentation stand. Photo: Rozette Rago

The counterweight has adjustment markings to help you balance the DP-400’s tonearm. Photo: Rozette Rago 1 of 4

Measuring the performance using the Platter Speed app, I found the belt-drive Denon DP-400 to be the most speed-accurate of all the turntables we tested at both 33 rpm and 45 rpm speeds. In tests, it had a bit more wow and flutter than some competitors, but that’s not something that I heard when listening.

Aside from the fully automatic turntables we tested, the Denon DP-400 was the easiest to use. Balancing the tonearm is simple, and speed selection is done with a dial, so playing back 33, 45, or even 78 rpm records doesn’t require lifting up the platter (as you must on some of the other turntables we tested). The included auto-stop function stops your record when you get to the end of a side and lifts up the turntable arm. This saves wear and tear on your stylus needle, which might only be rated for 300 to 400 hours of use, and lets you enjoy playing a record while you do other things without worrying that you aren’t there to stop it.

The integrated phono preamp performed well and is easy to disable if you’d prefer to use an external phono preamp. Unlike some of the other turntables we looked at, the Denon uses standard RCA phono jacks instead of an integrated cable, so you can select a cable of the appropriate length. Using an external phono preamp worked well, and this turntable includes a grounding wire connection that some others lacked to help eliminate any ground hum that could occur.

The DP-400 is also an attractive turntable. Finished in a gloss black, it lacks the cheaper, plastic feel of some other models, and it includes a stylish cover that does double-duty as a record presentation stand.

It’s easy to upgrade the DP-400 to a higher-quality cartridge down the road. With some of the turntables we tested, you are limited to using the company’s own cartridges. Others lack a counterweight that you can adjust to account for a new cartridge. The Denon accepts a standard SH-4 headshell, so it’s simple to install a pre-mounted Ortofon Red or Blue cartridge with no tiny screws. I upgraded to an Ortofon Blue, and the resulting sound was so good that I see no reason to ever upgrade past that.

If you want to digitize your record collection to save to a computer or hard drive, Denon offers the DP-450USB, which is otherwise identical to the DP-400 but adds a USB output for an additional $100. This is an easy way to make digital copies of your favorite albums but not as easy as just streaming those titles from a music service (although the sound quality may not be the same and certain records might not be available to stream).

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The DP-400’s turntable cover drew mixed reactions: While we liked the look, we missed the ability to put the cover down while listening to a record to keep dust out.