Sony - PS-LX3BT Full Auto Playback Turntable with Bluetooth® Connectivity - Black

I am really excited about this Sony turntable. I am from the era of the turntable. I have quite a few records from my original collection, and I have added some recently. Before this new turntable I just had a speaker + turntable unit from ahem, another large website store. I am no audiophile, this review comes from a regular person who enjoys music. This Sony PS-LX3BT turntable arrived and I had to assemble some of it, which was fine, but I was a bit worried about my ability to put it together without breaking something. The included printed instructions walked me through the light assembly required and it turned out to be a non-issue. Sony is well known as a brand that seems to think of everything, and that seems to be the case here as well. Included in the box is the 45 rpm record adaptor of course, but they have a little storage hole for it on the left side of the turntable base. This unit connects to Bluetooth speakers, headphones, etc. and wired speakers. It was very easy to pair my Bluetooth speaker to the turntable, and much easier than dealing with wired speakers with my limited experience. If I still had a stereo unit this could connect to it, but I gave that away years ago. The power button for this unit is on the back, which would not be my first choice, but once I finally found it, it’s fine. There are three buttons on the top right of the turntable, and those have to do with up/ down, stop and start of the turntable and arm, not to turn the unit itself on. The clear plastic dust cover is nice, and a full sized 33-1/3 rpm record doesn’t stick out the side of it like my other little unit. This turntable is light in weight, but definitely not flimsy. I weighed it out of curiosity and it weighs 7.2 lbs. Dimensions of the unit: 17”W x 4-¾”H x 13-½”D. Playing a record: I had to decide which record would be the first one played on this. I just chose one of my original records from the 1980s. It sounded really good! I guess this is the reason we are all fascinated by turntables again. I heard depths within the music that I don’t recall hearing before, or at least in 40 years. Also, my other little turntable unit had pretty awful speakers on it, it was more for the novelty of playing my records than for actual listening. Once a record is done on one side, the turntable automatically lifts the arm and puts the arm away and the platter stops rotating automatically. It doesn’t just keep playing and runs onto the paper part of the record like in the olden days. That is definitely worth noting. Overall I am really enjoying my new Sony turntable, and my old records that I used to just like to look at. I’m now able to hear all of the benefits of the vinyl format. Don’t get it twisted though, I still very much appreciate streaming music and not having to think about flipping over my record. But if I’m going to have my vinyl records anyway, I might as well enjoy them.

This Sony Turntable has found a happy home sitting by my collection of vinyl records. Not only does it have a nice and sleek design, it’s made for modern times with Bluetooth capability. This model only includes the turntable, no speakers, so you’ll need plug-in (RCA) speakers or a Bluetooth device to enjoy your tunes. This turntable sounds great and is easy to use. Assembly is pretty standard, and even if you’re a first-timer, the instructions should be easy to follow. The audio coming out of my wired speakers is lovely which is probably attributed to the moving magnet cartridge which allows for the crisp, warm sound. The Bluetooth range is plenty wide so I can essentially enjoy my music from anywhere in my small home. This is an automatic turntable which means that the arm will start and set itself at the touch of a button and will automatically return the arm to its resting position at the end of a side or at the push of the stop button. That being said, you could still manually lift the arm to place it where you desire. I tested the RPMs right out of the box which came out to an average of 33.56RPM (target goal: 33.3) and 45.17RPM (target goal: 45.0). Most of my records are LPs meant to be played at 33.3RPM and I found that the slight difference isn’t all that noticeable unless you are actively testing for it, and even less noticeable on the 45RPM setting. I’d say that overall, I’m satisfied with this. If you’re not satisfied with those differentials, there is a way to tweak the rotation speed, but this is something you’d have to research how to do because the knobs for this adjustment are tiny and the smallest tweak goes a long way. On the subject of RPMs, this turntable comes with a 45RPM adapter and it has a storage compartment which is underneath on the side, out of sight. Moving on to other features, there’s a USB-B output in the case that you want to digitize your records, and I definitely appreciate the hinged dust cover to protect the turntable while it’s not in use. My gripes with this table are not significant enough to dock any stars but here they are. The power button is on the back of the unit and I would like it better if it was more obvious/visible. I’d like the power cable to be a little longer. The audio cable is built-in (does not unplug from the table). Overall, I’m happy with my new turntable and will continue to use it to play through my collection of vinyl records.

I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to review this Sony turntable. I have an older version that I purchased about 10 years ago. I tried to replace it late last year, but they were sold out at the time. I had memories of a traumatic assembly experience with the old model and it took a bit to get up the courage to start putting this one together. The written instructions (which are hard to come by these days) were excellent. I didn’t run into any problems and had everything put together and ready to go in less than 10 minutes. Everything worked perfectly when I turned it on. I don’t use the turntable to play records. I use it to record using the Audacity software and then transfer the files to CDs or USBs to play in my husband’s truck. The older version of the turntable did not have Bluetooth and I did not have speakers hooked up. I had to guess when the record began and ended and use the editing function to fine tune the start and stop. It was almost impossible to record individual songs. I had to record the entire record and edit out what I didn’t want. I’ve been longing for a Bluetooth turntable. Connecting the turntable to my temperamental soundbar with Bluetooth went much better than expected. It connected with the Bose phone app on only the second try. I also use the soundbar for my computer sound and I’m able to switch between the two. The turntable maintained the Bluetooth connection when the power was turned off via the power button. There was no USB cable for recording in the box, but the one from the older version worked fine. I don’t remember if the old one came with the cable or if I purchased it separately. There are a few minor things I would change. The power button is in the back. That’s OK when I have the turntable next to me as I record, but it will be very inconvenient when I have it on the shelf of the entertainment center tower. It will be impossible to reach the button without pulling out the turntable - unless it’s OK to leave it on all the time. I liked the position of the controls on the 2015 model better. They are in the front and can be accessed with the lid down. Now I have to raise the lid to start and stop. I also like the needle protector better on the old model. It is permanently attached and flips up and down. The protector on the new version is removable and I have to remember where it is. Same with the 45 rpm adaptor. The old version had storage in the case. Those are the only things I would change. The sound is awesome and makes me think about re-recording some of those I did with the old model. You can’t go wrong with this Sony turntable.

First off I shall do my best to establish my credentials as a "vinyl enthusiast". From Best Buy I have purchased with my own money several Turntables that I have in rotation in two rooms of my home. They are: Pro-Ject The Beatles SGT. Pepper Essential III Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Espirit DC SB "Beatles Concert Tickets Edition" Pro-Ject DEBUT III S SHAPE SB "THE BEATLES Singles" Pro-Ject X2 Series I am as serious as I can comfortably afford with my purchases and I have been a loyal customer of Best Buy for years now and with good reason. Which brings us to the subject of this review, the Sony LX 3BT. The Sony LX 3BT is a fully automatic turntable that plays 33 1/3 and 45 rpm records in the traditional manner via a Receiver or Integrated amplifier and speakers. I hooked the Sony up in the normal way albeit using the line out to hook it into my Denon Home Amp which I purchased at my local Best Buy. It easily integrated into the Home Amp via the Line Input and I began to play the Original Soundtrack to the musical "Oklahoma!" via a pair of Martin Logan Monitor 15 Two-Way Bookshelf speakers coupled to a Martin Logan 10" powered subwoofer, all which were again purchased myself with my own money at Best Buy. The best part of this turntable might well be its fully automatic function. I am a senior with physical handicaps and the other 'tables that I mentioned are all manual. I don't mind that at all as 3 of them are collectable Beatles Editions and the 4th one is without a doubt the most expensive and well built turntable I have ever owned. But... The Sony, like many other affordable turntables holds its own. It is a great deal lighter than the other players I listed but with care in avoiding my usual clumsiness, there were zero problems with the tracking of the stylus and the few times I experienced the "popping" sounds associated with vinyl playback were all on records 50 to 60+ years old and are to be both expected and in my case, enjoyed for the memories associated with them! But the Sony LX 3BT has something up its musical sleeve and that being the inclusion of Bluetooth! I easily paired it with Sony's own excellent WH-1000XM6 Headphones and this allowed me to play my music well into the night without disturbing my wife. Superb? You betcha'!! The Sony LX 3BT makes listening in my recliner with their WH-1000XM6 'phones quickly and easily paired to the 'table a real pleasure. Lock & load, it is definitely fully automatic listening pleasure made very comfortable! The 'table also paired easily to my Bose QC Ultra 2 headphones and my Sennheiser Momentum 4 Headphones. Next up I paired the Sony LX 3 BT to my HEOS Home 250 which is both Bluetooth and Wifi capable. Via Bluetooth the music was as crisp and clean as it was through the Sony XM6 'phones and when I chose to turn off Bluetooth on the 'table and utilize the Denon Home 100 Amp's Wifi to transmit to the HEOS 250 downstairs at a far greater range than is possible with Bluetooth the music was loud and clear. Simply wonderful and convenient to boot! Personally I thought that the Bluetooth sounded better than did the Wifi and I think that is most likely the choice of the majority of people interested in this excellent turntable but as I am an audio/video enthusiast I thought it wise to test that aspect and report on it for the benefit of potential customers. The build quality is good but light in wieght, the benefit of that being it is easy to move around if the need arises. My Pro-Ject X2 weighs over 20+ pounds but then it cost me nearly $2,000. This Sony reproduces the comfort that is the experience of listening to vinyl nearly as good and the fully automatic function in NO WAY detracts from the joy of that experience. It sounds like a record should. Engaging not just your ears but your memories, your heart and your soul if you will. I cannot recommend it enough because it is more than enough and in truth, it might just be all that you need. Music and memories for those that were there and for new converts to vinyl, an introduction to not just "listening" but being engaged in doing so. Never fixate on the equipment but what it does for you. A record is just that. A piece of the past made for the present as a present to all. The Sony LX 3BT delivers on all counts! Highly recommend? Indeed!

I spent many hours growing up listening to my parents vinyl records on their huge console radio/turntable speaker system. I've been curious to try out a new turntable and get back into vinyl for a while now. This Bluetooth Sony turntable was the perfect reintroduction to records. It is very compact and sleek. I use the Bluetooth function only, due to my receiver setup being in a cabinet. I love the sound that comes through my speakers- has that just pure music sound just like I remembered. It has direct line-out connection available if that works for your setup. I can't speak for how that works, but I'm sure it's at least as good as the Bluetooth. It has incredibly easy operation. Just literally press the start button and the arm will automatically lift and move and start playing. You can just let the record play through and it will automatically stop at the end and return the arm to the rest and spinning will stop without you having to worry about turning it off. You also can just push the stop button at any time you want and it will do the same thing. It also has an up/down button to allow you to safely move the arm to different areas without worrying about scratching the record or damaging the stylus. It spins 7 and 12 inch and runs speeds of 33 and 45. I just love the way this thing sounds and looks. I can't wait to continue to add to my record collection.