- Sony has introduced two new Bluetooth turntables: PS-LX3BT and PS-LX5BT
- The new PS-LX3BT is a direct replacement for the fan-favorite PS-LX310BT.
- …although the price may make you think otherwise
Regular readers, and anyone looking for one of the best turntables, will know Sony’s way into the budget vinyl spin arena. Simply put, the Sony PS-LX310BT is one of the best Bluetooth turntables in its low price category and has been since its launch in 2019.
And after a long wait, Sony has released a model to upgrade it, plus an upgraded option for anyone looking to level up, or perhaps replace a traditional rig.
Names to note are PS-LX3BT and PS-LX5BT, and both models are belt-drive decks that offer fully automatic playback with a single button (there are “start,” “stop,” and “up/down” buttons on each, so you’ll never need to touch the delicate arm).
You also get Bluetooth with aptX and aptX Adaptive if you want to listen through your Bluetooth speaker or wireless headphones, instead of your wired speakers. Sony also includes a pre-installed “high-quality moving magnet cartridge,” three-level gain control, aluminum platter, and clear dust cover. Each also supports 33⅓ and 45 RPM (7″ and 12″) records.
Sony PS-LX3BT and PS-LX5BT: the key specs (…and surprising prices)
The PS-LX3BT (the model on the right of the main image, above) is advertised as a direct replacement for the older PS-LX310BT. It has an attached audio cable and a built-in phono equalizer, so you can connect it to an amplifier or powered speakers if you want to stick with a more traditional setup.
The cartridge pressure here is listed as 3.5g ± 0.5g and the solid die-cast aluminum platter should make it a solid and reliable platter for beginners to record and collect.
The PS-LX5BT introduces a few more premium enhancements to improve audio performance, including a gentler stylus pressure of 2.0g ± 0.5g, a thicker, premium rubber mat, and a slightly modified circuit design that Sony says has been carefully designed to suppress unwanted vibrations.
It also adds a dedicated gold-plated audio output port (something not present on the previous PS-LX310BT) with an in-box cable, plus a slightly fancier all-black finish.
Sounds good, right? So why am I a little reticent to show my pleasure? Well, the PS-LX3BT is available from today (January 22; mid-February in Australia) for a suggested retail price of £299 / €299 / AU$469 (around $401), and the PS-LX5BT will be available for £399 / €399 / AU$599 (around $536), or just a little cheaper than the excellent Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo, which was initially launched for $499/£499, but can often be found for closer to $449/£439.
And that turntable is the turntable we recommend as best for most people, not vinyl newbies; not those who want a cheap Bluetooth option to kick-start their vinyl hobby. The best, in general.
To clarify, the older Sony PS-LX310BT regularly sells for $199 / £179 / AU$395 and while I understand the incremental gains Sony has listed, I’m not sure a cult-favorite budget rig can be successfully replaced by a “drop-in replacement” that costs much more and an advanced model that is even more expensive and therefore competing against class leaders in the long term.
I loved the original PS-LX310BT when I helped test it (for TechRadar’s sister site What Hi-Fi? in 2019, shortly after its release), but the key selling point was its relative uniqueness at that budget level.
How unique and affordable will these new versions be in 2026? Will novice vinyl collectors pay the premium, rather than fight over the remaining stock of the previous model? That remains to be seen. What I can tell you is that I still can’t wait to try them. Watch this space.
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