A Bluetooth turntable is a record player that has a Bluetooth feature for wireless connectivity to speakers, headphones, or other devices. These will look just like a regular turntable but have a Bluetooth pairing button or other features.
I’m Donovan, and I love everything about listening to and making music. I’m an avid musician and home studio enthusiast with an extensive record collection. I’ve used a few Bluetooth turntables and know about them through first-hand experience.
This post will explore what a Bluetooth turntable is. I’ll break down some of the features you can expect from this type of turntable. I’ll also give you some pros and cons to help you decide if it’s an option you want to use.
Let’s get after it.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- A Bluetooth turntable is simply any turntable that has Bluetooth capabilities.
- Bluetooth turntables can be good for anyone who wants a simple setup or wireless connection to speakers or headphones.
- Bluetooth turntables are pretty easy to find and buy if you want one.
- Using Bluetooth when listening to records defeats the purpose of analog music listening, and most audiophiles prefer a wired connection for better audio quality.
- Using a Bluetooth turntable is very simple, and it will function much like any other Bluetooth device you are already familiar with.
What is a Bluetooth Turntable?
A Bluetooth turntable is simply any turntable that has Bluetooth capabilities. These are becoming more popular and available and offer an easy way to start listening to vinyl without a large and expensive stereo setup.
Bluetooth is a wireless connection that many people use every day. I’m typing this post on a Bluetooth keyboard right now. This same technology can work with music to send a digital signal from one device to another.
Bluetooth turntables look just like any other turntable, except they have an extra button or two that is specific to their Bluetooth connectivity. But often, you’ll just see one extra button that helps you pair to another Bluetooth device.
How Does a Bluetooth Record Player Work?
A Bluetooth record player will work like any other turntable or Bluetooth device. The process of putting a record on and listening to it is the same as any other turntable. Place a record on the player, turn on the turntable, drop the needle, and you can listen to music.
But a Bluetooth record player or turntable can send the audio signal wirelessly to another Bluetooth device. Most people who get this type of turntable want to pair it with wireless speakers or headphones.
Nearly every Bluetooth turntable I’ve seen so far allows you to use Bluetooth or wired connections. That means you can still use the turntable with regular speakers if you want to for improved audio quality.
Pairing the Bluetooth turntable with your Bluetooth speakers or headphones is like any other type of device. As long as you have the turntable and another device within range of each other, you just need to press the pair button, and they should easily connect.
Once the Bluetooth turntable is paired to another Bluetooth device, the sound output will go through that device. This makes it an easy way to get started with listening to vinyl for many people.
Bluetooth Turntable with Speakers
If you purchase a Bluetooth turntable, it most likely won’t come with speakers. I highly recommend getting a model that has both Bluetooth and wired connection options.
This will allow you to connect the turntable to both wireless Bluetooth speakers and hard-wired speakers. That will give you the best of both worlds when it comes to listening for superior audio quality or convenience.
It doesn’t matter what type of Bluetooth speakers you use with your turntable. As long as it has Bluetooth capabilities, you can pair it to your record player and listen to music wirelessly.
But I do recommend getting a decent-sounding Bluetooth speaker so you don’t lose too much audio quality. If you go with a really cheap speaker, it kind of defeats the purpose of listening to records in the first place.
You can easily incorporate a Bluetooth turntable into an existing stereo system. Then you can listen to your records through a wired connection but turn on the Bluetooth function and pair it to headphones or whatever when you want to listen that way.
Are Bluetooth Turntables Any Good?
Bluetooth turntables are a bit of a conundrum in the world of audio. If you ask any audiophile or true vinyl enthusiast (myself included), they will tell you that listening to vinyl via Bluetooth is silly and not worth it.
This is because digital music doesn’t stack up to analog when it comes to audio quality. And when you turn that digital signal into a wireless signal, the quality gets even worse. That’s why I don’t currently own a Bluetooth turntable.
That doesn’t mean that every Bluetooth turntable is bad. There are plenty of options out there that you can still plug into speakers with a wire and get the authentic audio quality that many vinyl enthusiasts love.
But anytime you listen to a record over a Bluetooth connection, you aren’t hearing the audio as it’s truly intended. There is no way around this. Even though Bluetooth continues to improve, it will never be as good as analog audio.
On the other side of the equation is a casual music listener who might not be able to hear the difference between digital and analog music. Or they might not even care. Despite the lower sound quality, Bluetooth turntables offer a quick and easy way to listen to records.
With all that in mind, Bluetooth turntables are good for some people and bad for others. It really just depends on what you are looking for with your music-listening experience.
I personally don’t have any need for a Bluetooth turntable. But I do see a possible advantage of being able to listen to your records with headphones on when you can’t play music at a loud volume.
FAQs
Here are a few quick answers to some of the most frequently asked questions related to what a Bluetooth turntable is.
Does a Bluetooth record player defeat the purpose?
From an audiophile perspective, a Bluetooth record player does defeat the purpose of listening to vinyl in the first place. Digital signals, and wireless digital signals like Bluetooth, don’t have nearly the same audio quality as when listening to a wired turntable setup.
What is the point of a Bluetooth record player?
The main reason that people get a Bluetooth record player is for ease of use. Since you don’t need to connect any wires, the setup is much simpler with a Bluetooth connection. You do lose audio quality, but some people don’t care or can’t hear the difference.
Should you use a Bluetooth turntable?
If you are looking for the best audio quality possible and enjoy listening to vinyl as intended, you shouldn’t use a Bluetooth turntable. If you just want an easy-to-use and set up option, then a Bluetooth turntable can work out just fine.
What can you do with a Bluetooth turntable?
The main advantage of a Bluetooth turntable is that you can wirelessly connect to any other Bluetooth-enabled device. This means you don’t need to run cables or have as much equipment to listen to vinyl. These turntables also often come with other modern features.
Are Bluetooth record players better?
If you talk to any audiophile or serious vinyl fan, they will prefer standard turntables because of their improved audio quality compared to Bluetooth options. But Bluetooth record players are sometimes better for people who don’t care as much about sound quality.
Final Thoughts
Bluetooth turntables are any record player with Bluetooth capabilities. These are becoming more and more common as vinyl continues to see increased popularity among average music listeners. These will work with any Bluetooth speakers or headphones.
Remember that a Bluetooth connection will never give you as good of audio quality as listening to vinyl the old-fashioned way – with wires and speakers. Bluetooth might be convenient and easy, but it does not sound as good.
Have you ever listened to records on a Bluetooth turntable? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.
