The Best Turntables in all Categories: From Experienced Record Collectors To Beginners 2023

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All Hail the Return of the Turntable.

Although some people thought the return of the turntable was no more than a passing fad, we’re proud to present our own carefully vetted list of the best turntables for 2023, 11 different models in all, culled by price, features and performance.

Premier audio brands all over the world have stepped up their turntable game, offering turntable product lines for every budget. And, regardless of price point, all of the turntables we carry are high quality - because we're serious vinyl lovers at heart. From manufacturers like Rega, Audio-Technica, McIntosh, Denon, and more, our pros weighed in on the features you should focus on at every tier.

The good news for newbies: if you’re not sure you’ll fall in love with playing records, you can opt for a turntable as low as $100. That way, you get the same tactile experience so many others rave about (and surprisingly good sound) without a major $ commitment. Then, if you do fall in love vinyl, you can drop serious bucks on a serious set-up and start enjoying the kind of goosebumps only vinyl can make happen.

However, if you’re a serious music lover who already appreciates the difference quality gear brings to the table, welcome to what many consider the industry’s finest repository of all-things music playing: World Wide Stereo.

Whether you are new to the world of turntables or a lifelong fan, we offer a standing invitation to any of our turntable clinics as well as complimentary time – as little or as much as you want – to consult with any of our World Wide Stereo audio technicians.

Here Are Our Picks for the Best Turntables of 2023:

  1. The Best Beginner Turntable:
  2. The Best Automatic Turntable: Denon DP-300F Fully Automatic Analog Turntable with MM Cartridge
  3. The Best Audiophile Turntable: McIntosh MT5 Precision Turntable with Sumiko Amethyst MM Cartridge (Black)
  4. The Best Turntable with Bluetooth: Cambridge Audio ALVA TT V2 Direct Drive Turntable with Bluetooth aptX HD
  5. The Best Turntable for Sonos: Victrola Stream Carbon Turntable - Works with Sonos
  6. The Best Turntable Under $500: AudioTechnica AT-LP60XBT-RD Fully Automatic Belt-Drive Stereo Turntable with Bluetooth (Red)
  7. The Best Turntable for the Money: Rega Planar 3 Turntable with Elys 2 MM Cartridge (Gloss White)
  8. The Best Turntable Under $200: AudioTechnica AT-LP60X-GM Fully Automatic Belt-Drive Stereo Turntable (Gunmetal/Black)
  9. The Best Turntable Under $400: AudioTechnica AT-LP3xBT Fully Automatic Wireless Belt-Drive Turntable with Bluetooth (White)
  10. The Best Turntable Under $500: AudioTechnica AT-LP60XBT-RD Fully Automatic Belt-Drive Stereo Turntable with Bluetooth (Red)
  11. The Best Turntable Under $1,000: Rega Planar 1 Turntable with Premounted Carbon MM Cartridge (Matte White)

The Best Beginner Turntable

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Regular price $19.99
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The Best Automatic Turntable

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Denon DP-300F Fully Automatic Analog Turntable with MM Cartridge

Regular price $429.00
Sale price $429.00 Regular price
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  • Drive: Belt Drive
  • Automatic or Manual: Fully Automatic
  • RPM Speeds: 33 1/3, 45
  • Cartridge: Denon MM cartridge; compatible with a variety of cartridges weighing between 5.0 and 10.0 g
  • Built-In Phono Pre-amp: Yes
  • USB Output: No
  • Other Outputs: RCA
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Denon’s DP-300F picks up where turntables left off after CDs took over in the 1980s. At the time, most consumer turntables were fully automatic. People listening to would put a record on the platter, push a button, and they were done. From there, the turntable picks up the tonearm, places it over the beginning of the record, gently puts it down, and voilà, music. At the end of the record, the turntable automatically lifts the tonearm, gently puts it back in its holder, and then turns itself off. Convenient, yes, but fully automatic is more about not accidentally scratching your records.

What’s more, given the DP-300F’s preamp (included) can be turned on or off, you can plug it into almost any integrated amp or receiver – even those without a phono input port. This allows the DP-300F to work with almost every home music system. Switching out the cartridge is easy too, should you ever decide to upgrade for something with a bigger range. Do that, and the Denon DP-300F is easily on par with record players that cost two or three times as much. As for looks, the DP-300F is attractive yet unassuming, a classic look built on 4mm thick cabinet walls made of die-cast aluminum. (We love the gloss coating.)

So, good-looking, built like a tank, fully automatic, compatible with almost everything, easy to upgrade, made by Denon – an industry legend. What’s not to like?

The Best Audiophile Turntable

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McIntosh MT5 Precision Turntable with Sumiko Amethyst MM Cartridge (Black)

Regular price $7,500.00
Sale price $7,500.00 Regular price
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  • Drive: Belt Drive
  • Automatic or Manual: Manual
  • RPM Speeds: 33 1/3, 45, 78
  • Cartridge: Sumiko Blue Point No. 2 MC
  • Built-In Phono Pre-amp: No
  • USB Output: No
  • Other Outputs: RCA
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If turntables in the $2k price range and up are like high-end sports cars, then maybe turntables in the $5K and up range are like high-end jet aircraft. If that’s the case, then the semi-automatic MT5 from McIntosh – the world’s undisputed amplification champion – is a show-stopping F/A-18 Hornet. (The tonearm is made of Dural-Aluminum, often used in fighter jets, so the analogy fits.)The MT5 weighs in at 31.5 pounds, making it the heaviest turntable on our list. (Turn it up. It won’t vibrate.) It integrates with ease, especially when mated to a 2-channel McIntosh preamp. It comes with McIntosh’s precision tonearm and the much-loved Sumiko Blue Point No.2 MC cartridge, though some customers swapped-out the Sumiko for something they felt was better suited to the MT5. (Call to discuss.) The sub-platter, made from anodized aluminum, sits beneath the silicone acrylic outer platter. The combination rests on a ceramic bearing using magnetic suspension, so it literally floats on a cushion of air above a lit green platter, which is easily dimmable. There’s so much to talk about here – see our MT5 product page for the full story.The MT5 is a favorite among Grammy winners, audiophiles, and music lovers the world over, and our ears agree: this is the best turntable humans have ever created thus far. Very expensive, yes, but this is next-level awesome, or as Rolling Stone called it: “The McIntosh MT5 is the turntable of the Gods.”

The Best Turntable with Bluetooth

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Cambridge Audio ALVA TT V2 Direct Drive Turntable with Bluetooth aptX HD

Regular price $1,999.00
Sale price $1,999.00 Regular price
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  • Drive: Direct Drive
  • Automatic or Manual: Manual
  • RPM Speeds: 33 1/3, 45
  • Cartridge: MC
  • Built-In Phono Pre-amp: Yes
  • USB Output: No
  • Other Outputs: Bluetooth
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True audio snobs usually don’t bother with Bluetooth devices, especially turntables, as they traditionally don’t deliver the audio quality audiophiles seek. The Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2, however, is getting the full attention of home theater geeks with golden ears, and for several reasons. The big one: The Alva TT V2 streams using the aptX HD format, which encodes the warm sound of your vinyl at 24 bits / 48 kilohertz, which is true high-resolution audio that gives you all the headroom and air of your original recordings. With aptX-HD-compatible speakers or wireless cans, that full range of beautiful analog sound will envelop you, but the wires and cables won’t since you won’t be using any.

The Alva TT V2 has other high-end audio necessities, including the innovative moving coil cartridge that delivers remarkably high output levels and the built-in preamp that is designed expressly to handle the output of the cartridge. The direct drive motor ensures that your LPs will play at exactly 33-1/3 or 45 RPM, with no variation, and with no unwanted noise. The ALVA TT V2 beams vinyl playback into the modern world of high-resolution audio, satisfying the requirements of the most discerning audiophile or wireless user.

A similar turntable to consider is the Cambridge Audio Alva ST turntable. There are four notable differences between the two:

  • The cartridge on the ST is a Moving Magnet AT95E instead of the high output moving coil cartridge found on the TT
  • The platter on the ST is die-cast aluminum and the TT has a POM platter
  • The ST turntable is belt driven and the TT is direct drive
  • The price

The Best Turntable for Sonos

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Victrola Stream Carbon Turntable - Works with Sonos

Regular price $799.99
Sale price $799.99 Regular price
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  • Drive: Belt-Drive
  • Automatic or Manual: Manual
  • RPM Speeds: 33 1/3, 45
  • Cartridge: Ortofon 2M Red
  • Built-In Phono Pre-amp: Yes
  • USB Output: No
  • Other Outputs: RCA
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The Victrola Stream Carbon turntable is the first ever turntable certified by Sonos and the first turntable with Sonos streaming capability built-in. This means that you can stream directly from your turntable to your Sonos system over Wi-Fi without needing any other components or wires. Just plug it in and connect it to your network. Easy peasy... right? We were skeptical at the thought of taking the most sacred of music rituals and the most analog of experiences and digitizing it. But that's exactly what Victrola did with the Stream Carbon turntable.

The Victrola Stream's built-in Wi-Fi lets you connect wirelessly right to the Sonos network or you can use the ethernet port on the back. By connecting to Wi-Fi, It also has a ground lug and a pair of gold-plated RCA outputs, so this turntable can be used easily and independently of the Sonos system by connecting to your existing hi-fi system. You'll want to download the Victrola App once you're ready to connect the turntable to your Sonos network and speakers.

When played on the highest quality setting, this turntable sounded wonderful. Rivalling, if not besting other turntables in the same price point. Retailing at $799 and shipping with everything you need to be listening to your record collection in under a half hour (for most, even sooner). Victrola recently announced an additional finish of the Stream turntable, the Stream Onyx. The Stream Onyx maintains all of the Sonos connectivity and streaming features as the Carbon, with only a few differences in construction and features an Ortofon OM 5E Cartridge. This is a turntable for everyone (with Sonos), for anywhere.

The Best Turntable Under $500

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AudioTechnica AT-LP60XBT-RD Fully Automatic Belt-Drive Stereo Turntable with Bluetooth (Red)

Regular price $219.00
Sale price $219.00 Regular price
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  • Drive: Belt Drive
  • Automatic or Manual: Automatic
  • RPM Speeds: 33 1/3, 45
  • Cartridge: Dual Moving Magnet™ cartridge
  • Built-In Phono Pre-amp: Yes
  • USB Output: No
  • Other Outputs: Bluetooth, 3.5mm
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Audio-Technica’s AT-LP60XBT is truly a jack-of-all-trades kind of turntable: connect it in the “traditional way” to an amplifier or through Bluetooth to a pair of compatible speakers or headphones. Sound interesting? Then read on!

This belt-driven fully automatic turntable from Audio-Technica allows anyone from novice to full-blown record enthusiast to enjoy its easy-to-use design. Simply drop in your record of choice and press the Start button on the front of the plinth. The tonearm will rise, swing over, and drop at the beginning of the record – it really doesn’t get any easier than that. You can then either hit the Stop button to end the session or, when the needle hits the end of the record, the tonearm will rise from the record and swing back to its resting location.

When it comes to connectivity, we wanted to describe in more detail what you can do. If the AT-LP60XBT is going to be hard-wired into your current sound system, the built-in phono pre-amp will connect to just about any amplifier (there is an included 3.5mm to RCA cable in the box, which plugs into the rear of the deck). You can also utilize your existing outboard phono pre-amp (assuming you have one) by flicking the output switch to PHONO on the rear of the turntable. If you’re planning on using a pair of Bluetooth speakers or Bluetooth headphones, pair that device to the Audio-Technica turntable and enjoy the tunes through the Bluetooth 5.0 chipset being utilized for rich sound quality.

From a looks perspective, the AT-LP60XBT is available in three colors: black, red, or white. Select the one that best matches your décor, relax, and enjoy the tunes!

The Best Turntable for the Money

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Rega Planar 3 Turntable with Elys 2 MM Cartridge (Gloss White)

Regular price $1,395.00
Sale price $1,395.00 Regular price
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  • Drive: Belt Drive
  • Automatic or Manual: Manual
  • RPM Speeds: 33 1/3, 45
  • Cartridge: Elys2 MM cartridge
  • Built-In Phono Pre-amp: No / Optional Rega Fono Moving Coil Phono Stage ($495)
  • USB Output: No
  • Other Outputs: RCA
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The Rega Planar 3 story begins in the UK in the late 70s and continues to this day. It’s about an ever evolving turntable conceived and built by two devoted lovers of music, Tony Relph and Roy Gandy, and how they keep finding ways to extract every bit of fidelity out of treasured LPs – essentially perfecting a much-beloved product over the course of 40+ years.

Highlights include: a high-gloss acrylic laminate plinth designed for low mass and high stiffness. A “floating-glass” flywheel platter with Optiwhite polished rim, topped with a felt mat, and a low-mass, low-friction tonearm with precision bearings and steel counterweight – the result of 40 years of research and experimentation. Rega’s own Elys 2 moving magnet cartridge will come factory fitted with this version of the Planar 3. The Planar 3 really sings with the Elys 2 MM cartridge onboard.

The Planar 3 is hailed the world over as the highest-value, entry-level, audiophile record player since its original introduction back in 1977, and it’s as much a conversation piece as it is a true high-fidelity component. Hi-Fi named its predecessor “Product of the Year” three years running. Herb Reichert of Stereophile magazine said,“I love the way it honors musicians.”

The Best Turntable Under $200

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AudioTechnica AT-LP60X-GM Fully Automatic Belt-Drive Stereo Turntable (Gunmetal/Black)

Regular price $149.00
Sale price $149.00 Regular price
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  • Drive: Belt Drive
  • Automatic or Manual: Automatic
  • RPM Speeds: 33 1/3, 45
  • Cartridge: Dual MM
  • Built-In Phono Pre-amp: Yes
  • USB Output: No
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AudioTechnica (AT) is legendary in the turntable world, and this is the most cost-effective way to add that AT tech to your audio system. With simple automatic operation and push-button control, playing your LPs on the AT-LP60X-GM is as easy as it could be. Bluetooth connectivity lets you pair your wireless speaker or headphones for instant playback, and line level and phono level outputs let you plug in to just about any kind of receiver or preamp. AT has taken extra care to reduce noise that can affect playback by providing an external power supply and updating the case and tone arm construction to minimize vibration. The die-cast aluminum platter also contributes to the kind of silent operation that will really make listening to your LP collection a pleasure. The moving magnet cartridge has a very low effective tip mass, which reduces the force applied to the delicate grooves of your LPs, reducing the possibility of damage. It also produces a fairly high output level, which works well with the phono inputs on a stereo amplifier or receiver. The stylus assembly is easily replaceable, too.

The Best Turntable Under $400

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AudioTechnica AT-LP3xBT Fully Automatic Wireless Belt-Drive Turntable with Bluetooth (White)

Regular price $299.00
Sale price $299.00 Regular price
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  • Drive: Belt Drive
  • Automatic or Manual: Automatic
  • RPM Speeds: 33 1/3, 45
  • Cartridge: AT-VM95C moving magnet cartridge
  • Built-In Phono Pre-amp: Yes
  • USB Output: No
  • Other Outputs: Bluetooth, RCA
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The AT-LP3xBT turntable from well-known Audio-Technica marries the old-school feel of music with the more modern convenience of Bluetooth music streaming. Designed for novice users all the way up to more experienced listeners, this Audio-Technica turntable has something for everyone.

The automatic design permits the listener to pop a record onto the platter and then press the start button to have the tonearm swing out and drop neatly at the beginning of the record. When you’re done listening, press the Stop button, and it lifts the tonearm from the record and swings it back to its resting location. If you would prefer to operate the tonearm manually, that’s also an option!

A phono pre-amp is built into the AT-LP3xBT deck, so that will allow you to connect it to virtually any amplifier. If wireless music streaming is more desired, the built-in Bluetooth 5.2 technology features aptX® encoding for high-quality sound. You’re able to stream your tunes to Bluetooth-enabled speakers or headphones. Pretty neat, huh?

Audio-Technica uses their own moving magnet cartridge, the AT-VM95C. They also employ a hinged dust cover to protect the delicate components from settling dust particles. The versatility of the AT-LP3xBT is something very much desired nowadays. Being able to dictate how you want to use the turntable at any given listening session is certainly something to consider if you’re a first-time buyer. You should also know that the turntable is available in a black finish as well as a white finish. Both are rather striking in-person – both in appearance as well as performance, of course!

The Best Turntable Under $500

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AudioTechnica AT-LP60XBT-RD Fully Automatic Belt-Drive Stereo Turntable with Bluetooth (Red)

Regular price $219.00
Sale price $219.00 Regular price
Save $-219.00 (%)
  • Drive: Belt Drive
  • Automatic or Manual: Automatic
  • RPM Speeds: 33 1/3, 45
  • Cartridge: Dual Moving Magnet™ cartridge
  • Built-In Phono Pre-amp: Yes
  • USB Output: No
  • Other Outputs: Bluetooth, 3.5mm
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Audio-Technica’s AT-LP60XBT is truly a jack-of-all-trades kind of turntable: connect it in the “traditional way” to an amplifier or through Bluetooth to a pair of compatible speakers or headphones. Sound interesting? Then read on!

This belt-driven fully automatic turntable from Audio-Technica allows anyone from novice to full-blown record enthusiast to enjoy its easy-to-use design. Simply drop in your record of choice and press the Start button on the front of the plinth. The tonearm will rise, swing over, and drop at the beginning of the record – it really doesn’t get any easier than that. You can then either hit the Stop button to end the session or, when the needle hits the end of the record, the tonearm will rise from the record and swing back to its resting location.

When it comes to connectivity, we wanted to describe in more detail what you can do. If the AT-LP60XBT is going to be hard-wired into your current sound system, the built-in phono pre-amp will connect to just about any amplifier (there is an included 3.5mm to RCA cable in the box, which plugs into the rear of the deck). You can also utilize your existing outboard phono pre-amp (assuming you have one) by flicking the output switch to PHONO on the rear of the turntable. If you’re planning on using a pair of Bluetooth speakers or Bluetooth headphones, pair that device to the Audio-Technica turntable and enjoy the tunes through the Bluetooth 5.0 chipset being utilized for rich sound quality.

From a looks perspective, the AT-LP60XBT is available in three colors: black, red, or white. Select the one that best matches your décor, relax, and enjoy the tunes!

The Best Turntable Under $1,000

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Rega Planar 1 Turntable with Premounted Carbon MM Cartridge (Matte White)

Regular price $595.00
Sale price $595.00 Regular price
Save $-595.00 (%)
  • Drive: Belt Drive
  • Automatic or Manual: Manual
  • RPM Speeds: 33 1/3, 45
  • Cartridge: Rega Carbon moving magnet cartridge
  • Built-In Phono Pre-amp: No
  • USB Output: No
  • Other Outputs: RCA
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While Rega’s Planar 1 turntable might look a bit retro (particularly in the Special Edition Walnut finish), the turntable is brimming with new technologies to help you get some incredible sound from your current (or future!) record collection.

Upon first glance, the Planar 1 is a cool mix of simplicity and elegance. A clear acrylic dust cover is hinged to the rear of the unit and swings down easily to protect the tonearm, cartridge, and potentially a record from dust settling on them and impeding performance. The handmade RB110 tonearm with precision bearing is already calibrated (and so silky smooth in movement!), so overall setup should be a breeze – less than 30 seconds in most cases.

A 24-volt synchronous motor is used for power and is whisper-quiet. Couple this with the EBLT belt drive system and the Rega Carbon moving magnet cartridge, and you’re stunned with the performance versus cost ratio of this Rega turntable. The one regret we will impart upon you is that the Planar 1 does not have a built-in phono stage, so you will need one of those if your current amplifier is not equipped with the proper inputs. We just want to mention that we do have an assortment of outboard phono stages available to complement your new turntable.

The on/off switch for the turntable is located underneath the front-left corner of the plinth. While some may gripe about it not being as accessible, we rather like it because it doesn’t interrupt the lines of the unit. To help mitigate vibration and improve stability, the Planar 1 is equipped with a phenolic resin plinth and vibration-reducing feet. In using these technologies, the perfect environment for a turntable is guaranteed.

At the end of the day, the Rega Planar 1 turntable is an absolutely incredible turntable that’s sure to please just about anyone. If the aforementioned walnut finish isn’t your speed or doesn’t match the décor, it’s also available in a matte black and a matte white finish.

Still not sure? We got this.

If you're still not sure which turntable is the best for you, give us a call or send us an email. Tell us about your system, what kind of music you like, and your budget. We’d be more than happy to help you pick the ideal turntable for you.

One more thing:

Once you pick out your turntable, a last word of advice: buy it from a trusted dealer, and the more experience / the longer the track record, the better. A good dealer will take care of you in the event anything happens. Until then, check out longer-form turntable reviews and videos in our “fun reads” blog, and if you’re ever in the neighborhood, come to one of our turntable clinics. They’re fun (we do a lot of laughing at ourselves), and some of the demonstrations are outrageous. The crowd is typically equal parts audiophiles / newbies.

Speaking of trusted dealers...

World Wide Stereo is home to some 90+ industry-leading audio/video professionals who love what they do, and talking about it, too. We opened our doors in 1979, gained a small yet diehard following, won a slew of national awards for everything from killer car audio installations to customer service, grew the business online… and today we enjoy a faithful following of like-minded TV-watching, music-listening, gear-loving defenders of fun for the whole family. Our only rule: no one leaves unhappy. We’re brutally honest when it comes to this stuff. Want to know if something is as good as advertised? Even if you're shopping somewhere else? Call us or stop by one of our showrooms — we’ll give it to you straight. We love what we do, and we love sharing that love.

With us, you get our guarantee, which includes perks like free shipping, 60-day returns, and support even years after the sale — always. Hence our rule: "no one leaves unhappy." Ever.

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Subject-turntables-. Music is a gift, the quality of the sound I produce and settle for is a personal choice. This article contains lots of real information that helps make decisions. Thanks for the work you’ve completed and shared with us. John

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