Sony PS-LX3BT review: Still the best record player for beginners

table of contents

After seven years – a metric eternity in technological time – Sony has finally returned to the world of Bluetooth turntables. This spring, the company released the Sony PS-LX3BT ($399.99) and The Sony PS-LX5BT ($499.99), a pair of replacements for its original PS-LX310BT record player.

These newcomers have to shoulder a big responsibility. Long considered one of the best beginner-friendly turntables, the PS-LX310BT was a popular, perennial favorite for its easy setup, fully automatic operation, and minimalist look. It also helped that in later years it was easy to find it on sale for less than $200.

Admittedly, I never rode the PS-LX310BT hype train. The record player I’ve used for the last 10-odd years is an entry-level wired, manual turntable that has served me well for the most part, except for occasional needle problems. I love it… or at least, I thought I did this until I used the new PS-LX3BT (the cheaper option) for a month. It made me feel so bad that I was actually disappointed to have to send it back at the end of my trial period. If you’re a vinyl newbie in the market for a solid plug-and-play turntable, your search still ends at Sony.

Sony PS-LX3BT review: Setup and practicality

The PS-LX3BT comes in a few parts and looks a little intimidating out of the box, but assembly becomes tricky. You simply open its aluminum plate, put a rubber belt around its motor pulley, place a slip mat on top, and put a few hinges on its plastic dust cover. (You can also use it without the cover.) Sony’s instructions are easy enough to follow, but there are plenty of setup tutorials on YouTube if you need additional guidance.

PS-LX3BT is one belt drive The turntable, meaning its motor is separate from its plate, the plate-shaped thing at the bottom of your record. (They’re attached to the belt above.) This creates less vibration when the motor is running, maintaining audio quality, although the belt can stretch over time and eventually need to be replaced. The second type of turntable you will encounter is direct drive Variety, which has a motor attached to the platter. These are more durable and have more consistent speed, but they can be noisy. Professional DJs generally prefer direct-drive turntables, but belt-driven turntables, which are cheaper, are fine for the rest of us.

I noticed that the PS-LX3BT is made of a mechanical dizzy There was sound when it was on, but once the record started playing it was impossible to hear. This will upset only the pickiest audiophiles.

Using the PS-LX3BT is extremely simple. Press the “Bluetooth” button on the left side of its base or plinth to connect it to a wireless speaker, soundbar or wireless headphones. An indicator light next to the button glows blue when paired.

You can also connect the PS-LX3BT to wired speakers if you’re really concerned about latency or sound quality. (Bluetooth compresses the audio for the trade-off of portability, which, for vinyl purists, defeats the point of listening to analog vinyl.) It has an attached audio cable and a built-in phono preamp, so all you have to do is plug in your speakers of choice.

Once the PS-LX3BT is connected to some sort of audio output device, all you need to do is press the green “Start” button on the opposite side of its plinth. Your record will start spinning, and the tonearm will automatically move up, drop down, and start playing it from the beginning. When it reaches the end of the record side, the tonearm lifts up and returns to its cradle. It does make some mechanical rattling noises along the way, which may bother some people, but that’s great because it’s completely fuss-free.

mashable light speed

The PS-LX3BT supports standard 12-inch albums or 7-inch singles, and you can play either of them at 33 1/3 or 45 revolutions per minute (rpm). On the right side of its plinth are knobs that let you switch between two sizes and speeds. Sony brings an adapter for 7-inchers, which you can hide in a slot within the plinth.

Rear connectivity on the PS-LX3BT includes a USB-B port that lets you rip vinyl tracks to your laptop. I didn’t have a USB-B cable when I was testing the turntable, so I couldn’t try it myself (it’s sold separately). But it’s a cool feature that I’ll definitely use to digitize physical-exclusive bonus tracks, B-sides, and vinyl releases that differ from the streaming versions. I can’t be the only one who misses Beyoncé’s “Milkshake” sample renaissance.

For $100 more, the premium PS-LX5BT model gets you a detachable audio cable, a slightly thicker slip mat, and a gold-plated audio jack that “supports high-grade wired connections,” according to Sony. (From what I’ve read, this is mainly a durability thing.) Its plinth is black, while the PS-LX3BT is dark gray.

The more expensive PS-LX5BT also has a lighter, removable cartridge (the part that holds the needle on the end of its tonearm). The tracking force of its cartridge is two grams, while the tracking force of the cheaper PS-LX3BT cartridge is 3.5 grams. I think this is the biggest advantage of spending on the PS-LX5BT: lighter cartridges equal less wear and tear on your vinyl.

One to three grams of tracking force is generally ideal, which makes the PS-LX3BT’s cartridge a bit heavy. Unfortunately, it’s not adjustable, although you may be able to jerry-rig the counterweight yourself if you’re concerned about long-term vinyl damage. Someone on Reddit lightened the tracking power of their PS-LX310BT (Sony’s old turntable) by placing a kneaded eraser on the back end of the tonearm.

Sony PS-LX3BT vs Sony PS-LX310BT: What’s new?

My sister, who lives nearby, owns the original PS-LX310BT, so I stopped by her apartment to check it out. There are some small differences between it and the new PS-LX3BT, but overall, the latter is a pretty iterative update. (My coworkers have said similar things about Sony’s latest XM6 headphones and earbuds. That’s modern consumer tech for you.)

Here’s what sets them apart:

• The PS-LX3BT adds support for AptX and AptX Adaptive Bluetooth codecs.

• The PS-LX310BT’s start, stop, and up/down buttons are flush with the edge of its plinth. The same buttons are embossed on the surface of the PS-LX3BT.

• The PS-LX310BT’s record speed and size dials are knobs on the PS-LX3BT.

• The dust cover of the PS-LX310BT has a smoky gray color. The cover of the PS-LX3BT is clear.

The PS-LX310BT was priced at $449.99 at launch, although it has often been on sale for half that price in recent years. I think it’s still worth buying if you can get it at a very cheap price, but it’s becoming harder to find it in stock these days.

If you already have a PS-LX310BT, there’s no world in which you’ll need to upgrade to the PS-LX3BT. Changes to its design are minimal, and its tonearm-moving mechanism remains exactly the same. In theory, its AptX and AptX Adaptive support translates to better wireless audio quality, but the records I made on my sister’s PS-LX310BT sounded no worse.

Sony PS-LX3BT review: final thoughts

The PS-LX3BT is a stylish turntable with idiotproof plug-and-play functionality. Its Bluetooth connectivity and automatic operation will put off vinyl purists, but they’re a boon for newcomers.

As someone who came to the PS-LX3BT from a wired, manual record player, I can’t deny the appeal of this feature – and if mine ever becomes useless, I’ll seriously consider ditching the Sony. I’m precious about my vinyl collection, so I’d go with the nice PS-LX5BT model for its lightweight cartridge.

Both the PS-LX3BT and PS-LX5BT are expensive compared to other top-rated turntables, so try to buy them on sale. (I assume you’re mostly paying a premium for the Sony name, though I’d rather trust its build quality than other random brands you find at Best Buy or Amazon.) At the time of writing, both models were up to $30 off at major retailers.