U-Turn Audio Orbit Basic turntable
Budget turntables · 2013–present In production
$249 US reference price
U-Turn Audio Orbit Basic is a current belt-drive, manual operation, 33/45 rpm playback budget turntable. The US reference price is $249.
Decision snapshot
The five things to check first
- Plays
- 33/45 rpm
- System hookup
- Phono input or preamp needed
- Cueing
- Manual cueing
- Stylus path
- Mapped: AT-VMN95E
- Buying status
- Current model
Setup bottom line: Budget for a phono input or separate phono preamp as well as amplification and speakers. Check model-specific stylus evidence →
The Boston startup's Kickstarter-born deck: honest manual belt-drive with a gimbal arm and genuine hi-fi cartridge. UK buyers import direct.
One of crowdfunding's great hi-fi success stories.
Model history: This is the second-generation Orbit Basic from U-Turn's 2024 lineup refresh, which brought the OA3 magnesium tonearm (previously exclusive to the pricier Theory table), an all-sides-machined acrylic platter, and a new liquid-silicone-rubber drive belt to the whole Orbit range.
Checked against the manufacturer’s site: 2026-07
Who it suits
Best suited to: a first turntable for casual, low-effort listening. Less ideal for: an existing hi-fi system where you want to hear more detail — the fixed cartridge and light tonearm are the limiting factors there.
Compatibility and setup
- Manual operation: you cue and lift the tonearm by hand at the start and end of each side — there’s no auto-return or auto-lift.
Good to know
- No built-in phono stage — use an amplifier with a phono input or add a separate phono preamplifier.
Specifications
| Drive | belt drive |
|---|---|
| Speeds | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | manual |
| Cartridge included | Audio-Technica AT-VM95E |
| Built-in phono stage | No |
| USB output | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Platter | MDF |
| Tonearm | OA3 gimbal |
| Wow & flutter | <0.125% |
| Dimensions | 16.75 x 12.5 x 4.25 in |
| Finishes | Powder-coated MDF: Black, White, Red, Blue, Green; Solid wood: Black Walnut, White Oak |
| Warranty | 3-year limited warranty |
| Years | 2013–present |
How it sits in the catalogue
Its belt-drive mechanism is the majority choice in the database (151 of 183). On price it sits toward the affordable end of its category — 18% of priced budget decks cost less.
Cartridge and replacement stylus
Factory cartridge: Audio-Technica AT-VM95E · replacement stylus: AT-VMN95E · around $49.
Keep the evidence layers separate
Buying evidence for this model
- US reference price
- $249. A dated guide value for comparison, not an offer or availability claim.
- Live retailer offers
- No live offer feed is enabled for this model.
- Retailer links
- Brand or product routes to relevant US retailers; a search link is not a stock claim.
An internally verified exact identifier may improve offer matching, but it is not published as a catalogue fact unless independently corroborated. Always confirm the exact model, final price, delivery and returns with the retailer.
Where to buy the U-Turn Audio Orbit Basic
3 US retailers stock U-Turn Audio — each outbound link searches the deck on that retailer’s site.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | marketplace | Free shipping on $35+ orders (free on most items with Prime, often same/next day). | Search at Amazon ↗ |
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at eBay ↗ |
| World Wide Stereo | hifi independent | Free shipping on all orders. | Search at World Wide Stereo ↗ |