Review: Sony PS-LX310BT

When the CDs were released in the market, most people still continued to play their vinyl records. They never really disappeared, even though the CDs eventually supplanted LPs on store shelves.

Several formats have come and gone (anyone remember DCC?), But the vinyl records have passed.

Even in these streaming times, where both CDs and LPs are still sold, vinyl has become more visible in stores, and record players can be found almost everywhere.

The rising generation has drawn vinyl to the chest, but they have slightly different requirements than they had before. Many of them have wireless speakers and wireless headphones, instead of the traditional stereo system with a turntable stacked on top. It is not entirely compatible with the newfound enthusiasm for vinyl records.

For how to connect a turntable to a pair of wireless headphones?

The answer is that you buy a wireless turntable where Bluetooth is built-in. Then you can stream the vinyl wirelessly to Bluetooth speakers and headphones.

It’s not expensive either. Sony’s compact turntable has everything you need built-in. The small player is fully automatic for easy operation, requires no adjustments – just put on the disc and wood on the strap – and can be connected to both stereo systems with cables, or wirelessly to headphones and speakers with Bluetooth.

Ease of use

It almost does not get easier. Put on the disc, press start and the music starts. Playback stops automatically when the pin reaches the end of the disc.

The Sony player has a built-in phono stage so that it can be connected to a standard amplifier. It can be switched off with a small switch on the player, if the amplifier has a built-in phono stage that is better.

The Sony PS-LX310BT is among the cheapest Bluetooth players, and costs less than players in roughly the same price range from Pro-Ject and Rega. It is not only noticeable on the quality, most of the player is made of molded plastic, you also notice it on the sound.

The music is well enough balanced, there is enough bass to be engaged. When connected by cable, the player is at his best. Then the tame and colorless sound you get with Bluetooth disappears. Then you also get far more details in the sound picture, but it is still a bit tame, the sound is unfocused without being woolly, and the bass precision is absent.

It’s far from the Sony player to a Rega Planar 1 or an Audio-Technica AT-LP5. The Sony PS-HX500 sounds better, but it and the other two lack Bluetooth.

Thus, it boils down to what is most important, the sound or the convenience. If the latter weighs heaviest, the Sony player is actually the best choice in this price range. Despite its shortcomings on the audio side.

Conclusion

The Sony PS-LX310BT is first and foremost an affordable entry ticket for vinyl records. It is so easy to use that everyone can do it, and Bluetooth is exactly what many people need. It will not be easier to play records than this, but one should not have too high expectations for the sound. It is approved, and the music flows well from the records, but it does not win any awards for the sound.