U-Turn Audio Orbit Basic
Budget turntables · 2013–present In production
£249 UK RRP
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 (130 of 159). On price it sits mid-pack of its category — 48% of priced budget decks cost less.
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