What do the designers of your favourite turntable love listening to? What are the vinyl records that they cherish or recommend for their great-quality pressing?
For Vinyl Week, we spoke to some of today's most respected turntable designers and manufacturers to find out their favourite vinyl discs for testing and pure enjoyment, and why they have chosen each pick.
We are also treated to some wonderful personal stories of how a specific album or a track had a huge impact on their lives – from kickstarting a "lifelong affair with vinyl" to leading them to "look into record player design" in the first place.
Best of all, we now have an armful of new vinyl recommendations to go hunt for on Discogs – so we can enjoy exactly what the makers of some of the best turntables in the world are listening to.
Heinz Lichtenegger – CEO, Pro-Ject Audio Systems
Throughout my life I have listened to many, many types of music. My audiophile career began with the unbelievably good (and expensive) UHQR version of The Dark Side of the Moon, then later I got into jazz, including artists like Oscar Peterson, Stan Getz, Dave Brubeck, and then of course Miles Davis and Archie Shepp.
Today my life is more focused on classical music and operas, and less focused on absolute audiophile records. Instead, I care more about the individual interpretation of a piece of music – though I of course still want it to be a good recording. I especially love old, true analogue records that may have some noise, but that also hold more warmth and colour.
Tosca – Puccini, Leontyne Price, Di Stefano, Taddei / Vienna Philharmonic with Herbert von Karajan (Decca, 1963)
My favourite opera record. This recording is unbelievably dramatic and super powerful, yet there is also incredible timbre in the voices. This one is only for bigger systems, so you can really experience the big dynamic shifts that show how amazing Tosca is.
Don Juan – Richard Strauss, Tod und Verklaerung, Also Sprach Zarathustra / Vienna Philharmonic with Herbert von Karajan (Decca, 1960)
My favourite classical record. This record is from a series I created with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Universal Music, which included some favourite VPO recordings from the past. This performance combines the very best composition with the very best interpretation by a conductor, recorded in the legendary Sofiensaal in Vienna.
The record is taken directly from the original mastertape and, while it has some noise, the tone and the sweetness of the music are without comparison. It is proof that we were already capable of great recordings even over 60 years ago.
Robert Suchy – CEO, Clearaudio
I’m going to choose three special pieces of vinyl. My personal favourite is Jeff Buckley’s version of Hallelujah, from his studio album, Grace (Columbia, 1994). This is music emotionally performed at its best; profoundly moving when a cartridge, tonearm and turntable are singing as they should.
My second choice is the perfect track to kick off a turntable demo session: The Curse from Agnes Obel’s album, Aventine (PIAS, 2013). It is a haunting, layered track that both relaxes you, yet focuses your mind on the music and what you’re hearing.
Finally, a current all-round favourite album is The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra’s Music of Game of Thrones. Ramin Djawadi’s awesome music is brilliantly performed and recorded. This is a vinyl record that connects you to the genius of the composer and the skill of the musicians – and it evokes key moments from the TV series, too. Music in 3D!
Jonathan Nye – managing director, Michell Audio
Legend – Bob Marley and the Wailers (Island Records, 1984)
Back in 1995, at just 15 years old, I found a Technics turntable abandoned in a skip. To me, it was a treasure waiting to be revived. After giving it a thorough clean and a new stylus, I was eager to test it out. I hooked it up to my Kenwood amplifier and Mission speakers, but there was just one problem – I had no records to play.
My mum didn’t have any vinyl, but she asked around on my behalf. Before long, a friend kindly donated a copy of Legend by Bob Marley. Excited, I rushed to my bedroom, ready for my first proper vinyl experience. Having already heard the tracks on cassette, I thought I knew exactly what I was in for. But as soon as the stylus touched the groove, I realised I couldn’t have been more wrong.
The music felt different – more alive. There was an openness and warmth I had never heard before. The bass was fuller, the vocals richer – it was as if Bob Marley himself had stepped into the room. I sat there, mesmerized, playing the entire album twice without a break. The experience was so powerful that I ran to the lounge, urging my parents to come and listen. I had to share this incredible discovery.
That moment changed everything. Music wasn’t just something I listened to any more – it became something I felt. It was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with vinyl, a passion that, at the time, I had no idea would shape my future. Years later, fate had one more surprise in store for me. I married the granddaughter of a turntable manufacturer and eventually found myself running a company so deeply connected to my love of vinyl.
Sometimes, life has a way of bringing things full circle. And for me, it all started with an old turntable from a skip and a copy of Legend.
From a Room: Volume 1 – Chris Stapleton (Mercury Nashville, 2017)
Chris Stapleton’s From A Room: Volume 1 is more than just a great album—it’s a masterclass in pure, unfiltered sound. Produced by Stapleton and Dave Cobb, the album embraces a minimalist approach, stripping away excess production to focus on raw musicianship, heartfelt songwriting, and the unmistakable warmth of a live performance. Every note, every breath, and every subtle nuance is laid bare, giving the listener the feeling of being right there in the room with the band.
The album's sparse yet powerful production not only makes it one of my favourite albums, it also makes it ideal for developing new products, such as the Apollo phono stage. I love authenticity, emotion, and a connection to the artist's original vision; that excites me and drives us all at Michell.
Tetsuya Itani – technical expert, Technics
Some of my collection is only available in Japan, so I will exclude them and list two copies that are available worldwide.
For Sentimental Reasons – Linda Ronstadt, Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra (Asylum, 1986)
This record has a realistic and vivid live sound, and Linda Ronstadt's vocals in her prime are also highly appealing.
Symphony No. 9 – Anton Dvorák / London Symphony Orchestra with István Kertész (Decca)
I think it's a good idea for every vinyl fan to have a copy of this album. The VPO version is more famous and popular than Kertesz's from The New World, but I prefer the LSO version because it is more energetic.
Mat Weisfeld – president, VPI
Blood Sugar Sex Magik – Red Hot Chili Peppers (Warner Bros., 1991)
It was a rough week at VPI – one of those moments that left me questioning why I continued pushing forward as a manufacturing business owner. I couldn’t sleep. It was late, and the weight of it all lingered. So I put a record on the turntable and a pair of headphones over my ears.
The night before, my girlfriend – now my wife, Jane – and I had been listening to Blood Sugar Sex Magik by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, my brother's favourite album. That night, though, I was alone with my thoughts, struggling with the question that haunted me: What would my older brother Jon do? After all, he was always meant to run VPI.
It's 2 am and I'm half-asleep; the first track Power of Equality played, and a lyric hit me hard: “Little brother, do you hear me? / Have a heart, oh, come get near me / Misery is not my friend / But I'll break before I bend / What I see is insanityWhatever happened to humanity?”
That moment grounded me and gave me my answer. The very next day, I designed the VPI Prime turntable – and changed the entire direction of the company.
Touraj Moghaddam – CEO, Vertere Acoustics
Thelonious Monk / Sonny Rollins (Prestige, Hi-Fi LP 7075)
Specially, the track Work by the Thelonious Monk Trio. Monk’s playing, ‘phrasing’ and construction were just unbelievable – almost like drumming a tune with exceptional timing and delicacy.
The recording and production is not bad at all, but this track was what led me to look into record player design!
I'll never forget hearing Monk on the TV, around 1983-84, and being able to relate to his timing, playing style and key changes so much better than I could when listening to his albums on my turntable at the time. It was an eye-opener and made me want to understand what the reason was, and whether a turntable could be designed to achieve this.
The Wall – Pink Floyd (Harvest/EMI, 1979)
I was an undergraduate when The Wall first came out in 1979 and I remember like it was yesterday when I first put it on, and WOW! It was an opera and so exhilarating – a proper roller-coaster ride. I sat through four sides and at the end was just gobsmacked.
The recording came across as great at the time and quickly became a ‘reference’ and joined The Dark Side Of The Moon. Even today, it is often used at our demos and events. The album was only surpassed by the first live concert of it, which I saw at Earl’s Court in 1980.
Cantate Domino – Oscars Motettkör choir, Torsten Nilsson, Alf Linder, Marianne Mellnäs (Proprius, PROP 7762)
It was in the early 80s when I first heard this album at The Sound Organisation in London. Roger Macer (RIP) was not just a sterling retailer, he was also a friend. We shared lots of music listening sessions and a good few late night/early mornings at Ronnie Scott's...
The sound quality of this vinyl is exceptional – it's a great pressing. But more importantly, the whole album is like a ‘haunting’ – so emotional, in harmony, with an almost life-like presence. It's so good that I got my copy within a day or so. And don’t forget, in those days there was no online or Amazon...
Roy Gandy – co-founder & owner, Rega Research
Willow – Joan Armatrading (Show Some Emotion, A&M, 1977)
At Rega, we don’t listen to the “sound” of our equipment, but rather listen for the intricacies of an artist’s performance, or the discernibility of complex musical arrangements. If we can correct any issues here, any issue with the sound is automatically corrected.
One of the earliest [vinyl] test tracks I can recall using for this, which we still use today, is Willow by Joan Armatrading from the 1977 album, Show Some Emotion. It’s a beautiful performance, arrangement and recording, which makes it easy to spot any issues in the sound reproduction.
I Want To Break Free – Queen (Greatest Hits 2, EMI/Parlophone, 1991)
If you’re looking for something more upbeat to test your system, this is a great one, and needs little introduction. However, if you're looking for this on vinyl, be careful to only choose the 1991 pressing of the Greatest Hits 2 – many other versions of this song are less well pressed.
Yosuke Koizumi – head of analogue audio engineering division, Audio-Technica
Basket of Light - The Pentangle (Transatlantic, 1969)
One of my favourite music genres is British folk music. The band Pentangle was formed in the late 60s and they are a mixture of jazz and folk musicians. Their debut album is incredible already, but I personally prefer to listen to this third album.
Page One – Joe Henderson (Blue Note Records, 1963)
This is Joe Henderson’s first album from Blue Note Records in 1963. All of his five titles in Blue Note are amazing, but you can enjoy his artistic expression with Latin rhythm from the first track on side A. All of the other tracks are unbelievably nice. We cannot expect to get the original pressing at an affordable price, but later issues from the 70s to early 80s with ‘VAN GELDER’ engraving around the centre label are still very enjoyable.
MORE:
10 of the world's top music journalists reveal their most cherished records
Old is gold: why I massively prefer buying old vinyl to new
Best high-end record players: ultimate premium turntables from Linn, Michell, SME and more
Read all our Vinyl Week 2025 features, advice and reviews
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