Many of us dream of a party weekend. And what better way to do this than with a turntable, right? The problem is that these things are expensive.
Besides, they are not like phones that work similarly. If you buy the wrong thing, you are stuck with that.
I sought out to find the best turntable I could find, and I came across Sony. Today, I want to share with you my take on it.
In this Sony PS-LX310BT Belt Drive Turntable review, I will share everything I know so far, and I hope this review can help you make a decision.
Sony PS-LX310BT Belt Drive Turntable Product Design
Let us take a look at its build. From the get-go, you will realize that this product is great. What I am trying to say is that it means business. It has a no-nonsense design and yet it is lightweight.
The casework is made of plastic, and at the back, you will see several extras. I can say that at first glance, the build and feel of it in my hands make it worth the price I am paying for.
It is also user-friendly. What I like about it is that you do not have to tinker around for a while to understand how it works. It is as straightforward as it can get, and there is no need to go to YouTube or Google for tutorials.
You also do not need to do any kind of preset. The tonearm is already calibrated, and the buttons that operate the arm are within reach. Sure, they feel a little clunky, but they work.
The buttons at the side are like a bonus. If you are an expert, you do not really need them. Many veteran spinners will tell you that they prefer to hold the vinyl on their hands before lowering it in the box. It is like preferring a manual car over an automatic one.
This, however, allows you to forget all that. If you want to spin a quick tune, just put the record on it and use the buttons.
Sony PS-LX310BT Belt Drive Turntable Sound Quality
Of course, you buy stuff like this for its sound. So, how does it perform on this aspect?
The first time I used it, I placed it on a flat support stand that has low resonance. This is an important step if you want to get the best out of your turntable. This makes it easier for the needle or stylus to do its job.
Since it has a built-in phono stage, I tried to use the turntable with my amplifier. I also had it connected with my loudspeakers.
Then, I put a record on and clicked start. Pretty much, I just let it do its job for the time being.
I was surprised by what I heard. The bass is clean and tight. I could actually hear the rhythm. Depending on the track, you will sometimes notice that some sounds get lost.
For classics, I have nothing to say but that the sound is amazing. You can put Mozart or Beethoven in there and you will hear everything—the percussion, strings, horns, and all that.
As far as the sound is concerned, there is no need to spend that much money to improve the sound of the turntable. A good-quality amplifier and loudspeaker should suffice.
Sony PS-LX310BT Belt Drive Turntable Product Features
So, what can you expect from this product? Let us take a look at the features and find out.
1. Play recordings wirelessly
This turntable has built-in Bluetooth. Do you know what that means? You can pair it with a Bluetooth speaker or headphones. As such, you can still listen to the songs that it plays at night without disturbing anyone.
2. Built-in phono preamp
This feature is for users who would connect speakers with a wire. You could also use high-powered stereo speakers if you want. The purpose of the built-in preamp is that you no longer have to buy a lot of accessories.
With it, you can just plug in your device and it will do the work. There is not a lot of calibration processes that you have to go through. It has a wide variety of automatic functions as far as connecting wires are concerned.
If you connect wired speakers, just select “phono” if you have a dedicated input. If not, you can set it to “line” for standard audio input.
Just remember, phono has weaker signal transmission than line. The bass of the phono is also weak, so you have to carefully choose what you want. You must also consider the speakers. If they are built for line, then use the line.
3. Digitize music
The turntable has a USB port. From here, you can connect your computer and then convert the record into digital format. The cable does not come with it, so you have to buy one separately. However, it does come with an attached audio RCA cable.
Yes, it is like ripping a CD. Once you have made digital copies, you can save that on your phone or storage device like a USB, and then listen to them no matter where you are.
By the way, you need a 3rd party software to do this. The turntable does not have built-in software that will convert the music into digital format. Good software that you can use is Audacity. It is free.
4. Automatic operation
I mentioned this earlier, but I just want to emphasize it. The turntable is a fully automatic one.
The recording will start and stop even without your interference. The tonearm will automatically return to its resting place once it is done with playing.
This happens as it can sense whether or not it has reached the final groove of the disc. However, you still need to set the size. You have to choose between 7 inches or 12 inches.
The tonearm will recognize this and will spin the disc. Once the tonearm “knows” that it has already spun 7 inches, it will stop.
Here are some more features that you need to know:
- Switchable phono preamp
- Three positions for adjustable gains; the settings are -4, 0, and +6 dB
- Compatible for both Mac and PC
- Has anti-resonance platter made of aluminum
I like the fact that it includes a magnet cartridge. This is already installed in the factory, so you do not have to buy one. You also get to enjoy electronic speed change control here you can choose between 33 and 1/3 and 45 RPMs.
Summary: Sony PS-LX310BT Belt Drive Turntable Review
I have to say that this product is worth it. I would highly recommend it to people who are just starting out in their musical journey. If you are looking for a decent turntable, then get this one.
What I like about this one is that it is one of the best beginner turntables out there that has a built-in phono stage.
Overall, it is a great turntable. And since Sony made it, you can expect good quality of sound from it. No, it is not at par with high-end devices out there, but it surely is not going to break the bank.