I Love Sony's New Bluetooth Turntable, So Why Do I Feel So Conflicted Using It

pros and cons

Pros

• Impressive sound
• Versatile setup
• Sturdy creation and build

Cons

• Expensive for what it is
• No adjustable anti-skate aliases search force

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In a world of Spotify and Apple Music, vinyl records are still going beardown arsenic an audio medium. Last year, vinyl grounds income reached complete $1 billion for nan first clip this century, proving that euphony lovers are still drawn to nan creation of listening to and collecting records. 

Also: I listened to Sony, Bose, and Apple's flagship headphones - and this pair's up of nan pack

With each these grounds sales, you person to person a measurement to play them, and turntables person now entered nan 21st period pinch features for illustration Bluetooth and USB outputs to grounds vinyl to digital. I've tested rather a fewer turntables complete nan years, truthful I was excited to effort nan caller Sony PS-LX5BT to spot really it held up to my sound standards -- and if it would beryllium a bully bargain for anyone looking to upgrade.

Sony says nan PS-LX5BT is an "upgrade to your vinyl journey," meant for those who are not caller to vinyl, but besides not seasoned collectors and audiophiles. The turntable has a really bully value build and is designed pinch a one-piece assemblage and an aluminum reside arm, which reduces vibrations and skips successful your music. It besides has hi-res wireless audio pinch Qualcomm's aptX Adaptive, which has a wave of ～96kHz/24bit. 

Setting it up is ace easy -- possibly nan easiest turntable I've ever assembled -- particularly erstwhile it came to installing nan belt, which tin beryllium daunting for immoderate people. Purists won't for illustration nan autoplay, but I appreciated hitting nan commencement button, having nan reside limb spell up connected its own, and auto-queueing to nan first track. 

Also: Everything you request for a vinyl setup

The PS-LX5BT has some a phono output and Bluetooth, truthful you tin usage it successful nan accepted measurement by hooking it up to value speakers, aliases nan modern measurement by casting it to your Sonos speaker aliases headphones. 

Listening experience

Whenever I trial a turntable, I ever put connected a vintage vinyl that has seen tons and tons of plays, arsenic good arsenic a newer vinyl to comparison nan sound. On nan vintage vinyl (the Beatles' White Album), nan grounds almost sounded new. I did miss a small spot of nan crackling and popping sounds that older records have, but overall, I can't kick astir nan sound quality. 

Newer albums sounded conscionable arsenic good, too: Bob Moses' "Days Gone By" sounded crisp, bubbly even, connected nan electronic-based tracks. On Taylor Swift's "Evermore" (yes, I'm a Swiftie, writer me), nan vocals were cleanable and crisp and gave a newer sound to 1 of my favourite albums. 

Allison Murray/ZDNET

A very cool characteristic of this turntable is that you tin link nan USB output to your machine to digitize your vinyl. While this isn't a usage lawsuit nan mean personification would need, for DJs wanting to propulsion retired samples for songs aliases for those looking to digitize their vintage postulation to perceive to connected nan go, this is simply a awesome measurement to do so. 

Now here's what knowledgeable vinyl listeners and purists will not like: location is nary adjustable anti-skate and nary adjustable search force, meaning you are constricted successful your cartridge replacement. The turntable comes pinch an MM cartridge successful nan AT-3600 variant, truthful it's not a unspeakable cartridge by immoderate means, but customizing nan cartridge is thing galore group look for successful a turntable. If that's nan case, this isn't nan turntable for you. 

I besides americium hesitant astir nan price: while nan audio sounds awesome and nan build is of awesome value (no vibrations aliases skips were heard whatsoever), I deliberation this turntable would beryllium amended priced astatine $350, alternatively than its $500 value tag. 

ZDNET's buying advice

That isn't to opportunity this isn't a worthy turntable, it is -- particularly for those looking for an easy upgrade from their cheap, first turntable that won't require overmuch knowledge of mounting up aliases customizing. The sound is really awesome and packs a punch connected some vintage and newer records. The Sony PS-LX5BT is versatile for some accepted and modern setups and is built to last.

Also: The champion speakers for vinyl records successful 2026: Expert recommended

However, not having adjustable anti-skate aliases search unit doesn't warrant nan $500 value tag successful my opinion, moreover though it's presently discounted to $475 connected Sony's website. 

If you want to walk a small little for a turntable that's conscionable arsenic impressive, I urge nan Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT, which is $348.