The classic vinyl record may well feel like the medium of the last century, but you only need glance at the sheer number of records returning to shops to see that vinyl is alive and well, and having more than a moment as listeners flock to the classic sound.
Digital is great, and high-resolution sound really delivers, but vinyl brings a warmth to listening and the ability to uncover gems that might never have made their way to CD or streaming. You simply need the record and the player, and you’re good to go.
Typically, the player is connected to a speaker or amplifier, and cords are the name of the game. While you might find the odd cord-free model able to connect to a Sonos overseas for sharing records across the home, Australians haven’t quite been so lucky.
It could be what makes Sony’s latest record players so appealing.
This year, Sony is launching the PX-LX3BT and LX5BT players, models that will both get support for 7 and 12 inch records, and work over Bluetooth and USB, as well as a standard RCA cable out.
Neither is technically compatible with a service like Sonos, though you could plug either into a USB input to the Era models, or even the standard 3.5mm jack on the old Sonos Five speakers. However, folks living outside the Sonos world might not care, because these record players support Bluetooth, which means compatibility to practically every wireless speaker.
One button will launch the tonearm and play the record, and while both models are similar, the LX5BT will come with a gold-plated jack for the plugs, an aluminium tonearm, and a slightly better cartridge.
There’s a difference in price, too, with the LX3BT fetching $469 in Australia and the LX5 for $599, but both will be available the same time, set to launch something in the middle of February.
