With the possible exception of avant-garde jazz, listening to music isn't meant to be difficult. Turntables that look and sound great are all well and good, but if you need a masters in engineering to set them up and get the most out of them, it can be a real pain.
Thankfully, the audio masters at Sony have taken this fully on board and delivered the goods in the shape of the budget-friendly PS-LX310BT record player - a super-simple, fully automatic, Bluetooth enabled, belt-drive turntable that's designed from the ground up for instant gratification.
How good is it, well it features in our guide to the best Bluetooth turntables thanks to its balanced audio and all-round excellent performance. Read on for more details.
Sony PS-LX310BT review: Design
As seems to be the case with the majority of modern turntables, the Sony PS-LX310BT's design can best be described as minimalist. Remove the dust cover and it's little more than a black, plastic plinth with a platter, a tonearm and a few simple controls. Those include, on the left, a button for activating Bluetooth - along with a light to indicate that the turntable is paired, and, on the right, dials for choosing the size of the record and the speed, either 33⅓ or 45rpm.
The buttons for starting and stopping the turntable and for lifting the tonearm up and down are positioned on the front of the plinth. These are a little on the chunky side, but they do the job effectively.
The Sony PS-LX310BT is a lightweight device and weighs around 3.5kg but it feels reasonably sturdy. That said, I found the stylus cover to be a little on the fragile side, and it came off unexpectedly more than once during my initial examination of the turntable. It's attached to a straight aluminium tonearm that, according to Sony, “boosts traceability for stable playback" with "rich, clear sound and powerful bass."
As for the platter, it's a robust, aluminium die-cast number that's easy to fit and remains assuredly stable when playing records.
Sony PS-LX310BT review: Features
Of all the turntables I've reviewed, the Sony PS-LX310BT is one of the simplest to set up and use. To get up and running, all you need to do is place the platter on the spindle and position the belt. You'll also notice that before placing the platter that there's a micro-USB port tucked away in the cavity underneath. This is for connecting the turntable to your PC or Macbook when you want to install updates. With nothing to calibrate, and a Sony-branded Audio-Technica AT3600 cartridge already installed, you'll be ready to rock out with your new purchase in less than 10 minutes.
Being a fully automatic turntable, the Sony PS-LX310BT requires next to no effort to play records. With a swift press of the start button on the front, the tonearm will smoothly and swiftly find the groove and get the party started. Then, once your single or album has finished, it'll return silently to its home.
One of the key features of this Sony turntable is its Bluetooth capability. The PS-LX310BT will pair with up to eight devices at once, enabling you to hear your beloved vinyl via your wireless headphones, speakers or soundbar. During testing, I found the range to be around 10-15 metres which isn't too bad, although that will obviously depend on your audio setup and room dimensions.
It's also worth noting that the Sony PS-LX310BT has a phono preamp pre-installed, but if you'd like to use your own, there's also a line output round the back for added flexibility.
Just along from that, you'll notice there's a switch that lets you to choose low, middle or high gain. The idea is that you can calibrate the output depending on the music you have on to minimise distortion. However, I found this feature a little gimmicky.
Sony PS-LX310BT review: Sound
I wasn't expecting miracles from this turntable in terms of sound quality. Yes, Sony has a great pedigree, but the P3-LX310BT just seemed to be too simple to deliver a truly authentic listening experience.
However, I was pleasantly surprised when I dropped my vinyl copy of Van Halen's classic 1984 album on to the platter and hit that start button. Yes, there were moments when the detail got lost in the mix, but this is something that could be said about many turntables in this particular price range. I was also occasionally underwhelmed by the dynamic punch from the unit. But on the whole the Sony P3-LX310BT delivered a lively, entertaining listen, and it performed competently across all ranges.
Sony PS-LX310BT review: The alternatives
If you're looking for an automatic turntable that's currently around the same price as the Sony PS-LX310BT, the Audio-Technica AT-LP3 is a solid choice. This belt-driven deck is easy to use and offers a balanced, natural sound – though bear in mind that there's no Bluetooth compatibility.
More expensive than the Sony PS-LX310BT is the Denon DP-300F. Again, you'll have to do without Bluetooth and make do with a wired speaker set-up, but what you will get is a fully automatic belt-drive turntable that sounds great and looks stunning to boot.
Related guides
- Best headphones for vinyl: Top headphone choices for your turntable
- Best record players: Treat your vinyl collection to a top turntable
- Best budget turntables: Make your vinyl sing without breaking the bank
- How to properly set up a record player: Get the most from your system
- 7 ways to make your vinyl sound better: Get the perfect set-up
- 9 cheap upgrades you can make to improve your vinyl setup
