Sony Announces Its First Vinyl Record Player In Seven Years
Credit: Sony
Japanese corporation Sony announced the release of two vinyl record players, the PS-LX3BT and PS-LX5BT. These are the company’s first models in this category since 2019.
Both new turntables feature automatic record playback at the touch of a button. The turntable automatically starts, raises and lowers the tonearm onto the record, and returns the tonearm to its original position after playback has finished. The design features a transparent dust cover, allowing the vibrant color prints on the records to be visible during playback.
The design features a built-in switchable equalizer for selecting between a phono preamp and a line-level output. For digitizing vinyl records, there’s a USB output and a three-level switch for boosting the output signal. Both models can wirelessly stream Hi-Res audio at 96 kHz and 24 bits via Bluetooth using the aptX Adaptive codec.
The LX3BT uses a magneto-electric cartridge with a tracking force of 3.5g, while the more expensive LX5BT uses a high-precision cartridge with a tracking force of 2g. Sony has not disclosed the manufacturer of the cartridges, and replacements are only available through the company’s support team. Another difference between the two turntables is that the more expensive LX5BT has detachable RCA cables, while the LX3BT’s are non-detachable.
The PS-LX3BT is available for pre-order at €299 and will be available in February. The PS-LX5BT is priced at €399 and will be available in April 2026.
