Sony PS-LX310BT: Two-minute review

I'd heard of the Sony PS-LX310BT by reputation, before I'd heard it with my own ears: TechRadar’s own esteemed audio editor, consider it one of the best turntables for entry-level vinyl fans. And that’s how it ended up in the living room currently being lived in by me, a person who thought a ‘B-Side’ was just a track designed for insects.

Let's get something abundantly clear: the big selling point of the Sony PS-LX310BT is chiefly its price; this is an affordable turntable that may not offer the same sonic dexterity as pricier options, but also doesn’t cost you the same as a mid-level car to purchase it. And it's got a great rep – not just at TechRadar but among those who know about these things.

For me, the price isn’t the only factor that makes this a great entry-level position. Once you’ve set the thing up – which may take one or two missteps compared to the easiest options I’ve tested, but is still fairly simple – it’s a dream to use.

Press button to play. Press button to stop. If you love vinyl audio for its hands-on approach, you might feel redundant when it comes to this Sony deck, but turntable newbies will find it a lot less scary to operate because you'll never actually need to touch the tonearm, or lower a headshell and needle onto a delicate sliver of vinyl and potentially hear it scratch.

It’s easy to like the look of the PS-LX310BT too. Sure, it’s understated in the exact same way that almost every other turntable is, but a design like that screams ‘sonic excellence’ irrespective of price.

It goes without saying that deep-pocketed audiophiles should skip over this option; it doesn’t offer the audio nuance (or the five-figure price point) that top-end vinyl aficionados will be looking for. And some novice buyers will find that it doesn’t offer the connectivity options required for them, with Bluetooth and RCA but no simple 3.5mm out. But for most newbies, it’s a dream.

Sony PS-LX310BT review: Price and release date

• Released in April 2019
• Typically sells for $449 / £179 / AU$399
• Now available for around $199 / £179 / AU$395

The Sony PS-LX310BT was released in April 2019, so it’s not exactly one of the newest turntables on the market – although six years in analog audio isn't a long time at all. And perhaps because of this, it’s still officially ranged by Sony, as one of only two turntables on its store.

The recommended retail price of the deck is $449 / £179 / AU$399 – that’s not a typo, it’s a lot pricier in the US – although at the time of writing, it’s hard to find it for full price. Instead, I’ve found the PX-LX310BT going for roughly $199 / £179 / AU$395 in sales, which seem to happen very frequently.

It goes without saying that you should try to pick this turntable up in said sales if you can. But either way, the price marks this as a fairly entry-level turntable; it’s not the cheapest I’ve ever seen, but it’s still a more affordable option for people who don’t need audiophile-grade kit, and it still looks the business.

Sony PS-LX310BT review: Specs

Sony PS-LX310BT review: Features

• Not the easiest set-up (but also not the hardest)
• Simple and easy to operate, though a tiny bit slow
• Some connection options, but not 3.5mm

Newbies setting up the Sony PS-LX310BT might find it a little fiddly during the set-up process; you only have to attach the platter and mat and set the pulley belt, but I somehow managed to unknowingly twist the belt during placement which took a tiny amount of deconstruction to fix. I also religiously forget to remove the stylus cover every time I want to listen, but I can’t mark Sony down for that.

At least Sony doesn’t require you to do anything to the cartridge or counterweight or anything like that, and the entire set-up process took me under 15 minutes. And once you’ve done the initial set-up, it’s really easy to listen thanks to Sony's use of an automatic system in the PS-LX310BT. Press ‘play’ to play, or ‘stop’ to stop, and the tone arm will move all on its own.

I do find the turntable a little slow to react to these button presses, and if I wanted music on quickly I’d place the arm myself – because I'm experienced in such things. Thankfully this is a valid option too, with the platter spinning automatically if the tonearm is raised.

Connections wise, there are wired or wireless options. Wirelessly, you can connect devices such as headphones via Bluetooth, and I found it a quick and reliable connection. You can connect up to eight devices this way, but I don’t know anyone who isn’t a tech journalist who owns this many wireless gadgets. Wired, you can use the built-in RCA cable which plugs into the left and right jacks of an amplifier or stereo speaker. There’s no 3.5mm jack in the turntable for you to plug in your wired headphones. In this way, it slightly limits who can use the wired connection – you need compatible tech, or at least an adaptor.

• Features score: 4/5

Sony PS-LX310BT review: Sound quality

• Energetic audio
• Some detail missing
• Avoid Bluetooth if you can

Not wanting to upset audiophiles (and being indecisive), I tested the Sony PS-LX310BT alongside multiple devices, including wired and Bluetooth.

There’s a lot of energy in music played through the turntable; evidently the understated design contrasts the music played out. The Police’s Zenyatta Mondatta felt playful and fun, and Al Stevens’ ode to the feline annum reveals the singer’s vocal range and zest well, with glissandos and harmonies far more audible than if you just listened on Spotify.

You’re sadly not getting quite the level of clarity that you would on a… well, a non entry-level setup, with some detail lost, especially in the mids. But it’s still decent for the money, and there’s a reason that cut-price music-lovers have been turning to the PS-LX310BT for over half a decade.

Note to Bluetooth users: I did find that the speaker peaked Bluetooth-connected devices on occasion, which isn’t something I’ve found as much from other Bluetooth turntables I’ve tested.

• Sound quality score: 4/5

Sony PS-LX310BT review: Design

• Minimal, understated look
• Buttons hidden on front edge
• Dust cover could open further

The Sony PS-LX310BT has a minimalist look, going for the black on black (on silver) look, small unadorned dials and buttons and a businesslike tonearm. I like ornamentation as much as the next guy, but this product hits that ‘audio equipment’ serious aesthetic pretty square-on.

The turntable measures 43 x 36.7 x 10.8cm, and weighs 3.5kg; it wasn’t too heavy to stop me toting it around my apartment when I wanted to connect it to various speakers and devices dotted in different rooms. That height includes the dust cover, which you don’t have to use (TechRadar's audio editor never fits them, and removes them if they're pre-fitted), but I’d recommend. My ‘tiniest-violin-in-the-world’ opinion is that it would have been nice if the dust cover would open a little wider, to make getting vinyl records onto the mat a little easier.

The almost-straight, no-nonsense tonearm was light and easy to manipulate, though some audio purists might take chagrin at the lack of a counterweight.

Sony has hidden most of the PS-LX310BT’s buttons on the front edge. This is where you’ll find the buttons to play, to stop and to move the tone arm up and down. On the top there’s only the Bluetooth pairing button,, a dial to set the vinyl speed and the speed rotary knob. There is also a little hidey-hole on the right edge for the 45RPM adaptor, something I only noticed after 10 days of the adaptor being plonked awkwardly on the turntable’s body.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Sony PS-LX310BT review: Value

While the Sony PS-LX310BT is priced as an entry-level device, and has a feature set to match, there are a few areas in which it stands out from the budget crowd.

The ease of use and svelte design are two such departments, but these are hardly small perks, with the aluminum platter, bespoke (though un-removable) cartridge and lightweight tonearm keeping better care of your records than some super-cheap options might.

My only small value concern is this: you either need to connect it to a Bluetooth device, or something which accepts RCA-in, so your wired headphones will need an adaptor to work. But that's hardly a deal-breaker.

• Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the Sony PS-LX310BT?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Sony PS-LX310BT review: Also consider

How I tested the Sony PS-LX310BT

• Tested for ten days
• Inputs included a series of vinyl records
• Outputs include headphones and a speaker via Bluetooth, and speakers via cable

The Sony PS-LX310BT review process covered ten days, not including the time it took to write the review itself. I have a decent-sized collection of vinyl which I used for this testing.

As mentioned, after running it in for 48 hours, I listened on multiple devices including a pair of speakers via the RCA connection, a smaller speaker via Bluetooth and a pair of headphones, also via Bluetooth.

I've been tested tech for TechRadar for nearly seven years, which has included many audio players and another turntable; I've also used turntables and other Hi-Fi kit outside of reviewing.

• First reviewed November 2025

Sony PS-LX310BT: Two-minute review

I'd heard of the Sony PS-LX310BT by reputation, before I'd heard it with my own ears: TechRadar’s own esteemed audio editor, consider it one of the best turntables for entry-level vinyl fans. And that’s how it ended up in the living room currently being lived in by me, a person who thought a ‘B-Side’ was just a track designed for insects.

Let's get something abundantly clear: the big selling point of the Sony PS-LX310BT is chiefly its price; this is an affordable turntable that may not offer the same sonic dexterity as pricier options, but also doesn’t cost you the same as a mid-level car to purchase it. And it's got a great rep – not just at TechRadar but among those who know about these things.

For me, the price isn’t the only factor that makes this a great entry-level position. Once you’ve set the thing up – which may take one or two missteps compared to the easiest options I’ve tested, but is still fairly simple – it’s a dream to use.

Press button to play. Press button to stop. If you love vinyl audio for its hands-on approach, you might feel redundant when it comes to this Sony deck, but turntable newbies will find it a lot less scary to operate because you'll never actually need to touch the tonearm, or lower a headshell and needle onto a delicate sliver of vinyl and potentially hear it scratch.

It’s easy to like the look of the PS-LX310BT too. Sure, it’s understated in the exact same way that almost every other turntable is, but a design like that screams ‘sonic excellence’ irrespective of price.

It goes without saying that deep-pocketed audiophiles should skip over this option; it doesn’t offer the audio nuance (or the five-figure price point) that top-end vinyl aficionados will be looking for. And some novice buyers will find that it doesn’t offer the connectivity options required for them, with Bluetooth and RCA but no simple 3.5mm out. But for most newbies, it’s a dream.

Sony PS-LX310BT review: Price and release date

• Released in April 2019
• Typically sells for $449 / £179 / AU$399
• Now available for around $199 / £179 / AU$395

The Sony PS-LX310BT was released in April 2019, so it’s not exactly one of the newest turntables on the market – although six years in analog audio isn't a long time at all. And perhaps because of this, it’s still officially ranged by Sony, as one of only two turntables on its store.

The recommended retail price of the deck is $449 / £179 / AU$399 – that’s not a typo, it’s a lot pricier in the US – although at the time of writing, it’s hard to find it for full price. Instead, I’ve found the PX-LX310BT going for roughly $199 / £179 / AU$395 in sales, which seem to happen very frequently.

It goes without saying that you should try to pick this turntable up in said sales if you can. But either way, the price marks this as a fairly entry-level turntable; it’s not the cheapest I’ve ever seen, but it’s still a more affordable option for people who don’t need audiophile-grade kit, and it still looks the business.

Sony PS-LX310BT review: Specs

Sony PS-LX310BT review: Features

• Not the easiest set-up (but also not the hardest)
• Simple and easy to operate, though a tiny bit slow
• Some connection options, but not 3.5mm

Newbies setting up the Sony PS-LX310BT might find it a little fiddly during the set-up process; you only have to attach the platter and mat and set the pulley belt, but I somehow managed to unknowingly twist the belt during placement which took a tiny amount of deconstruction to fix. I also religiously forget to remove the stylus cover every time I want to listen, but I can’t mark Sony down for that.

At least Sony doesn’t require you to do anything to the cartridge or counterweight or anything like that, and the entire set-up process took me under 15 minutes. And once you’ve done the initial set-up, it’s really easy to listen thanks to Sony's use of an automatic system in the PS-LX310BT. Press ‘play’ to play, or ‘stop’ to stop, and the tone arm will move all on its own.

I do find the turntable a little slow to react to these button presses, and if I wanted music on quickly I’d place the arm myself – because I'm experienced in such things. Thankfully this is a valid option too, with the platter spinning automatically if the tonearm is raised.

Connections wise, there are wired or wireless options. Wirelessly, you can connect devices such as headphones via Bluetooth, and I found it a quick and reliable connection. You can connect up to eight devices this way, but I don’t know anyone who isn’t a tech journalist who owns this many wireless gadgets. Wired, you can use the built-in RCA cable which plugs into the left and right jacks of an amplifier or stereo speaker. There’s no 3.5mm jack in the turntable for you to plug in your wired headphones. In this way, it slightly limits who can use the wired connection – you need compatible tech, or at least an adaptor.

• Features score: 4/5

Sony PS-LX310BT review: Sound quality

• Energetic audio
• Some detail missing
• Avoid Bluetooth if you can

Not wanting to upset audiophiles (and being indecisive), I tested the Sony PS-LX310BT alongside multiple devices, including wired and Bluetooth.

There’s a lot of energy in music played through the turntable; evidently the understated design contrasts the music played out. The Police’s Zenyatta Mondatta felt playful and fun, and Al Stevens’ ode to the feline annum reveals the singer’s vocal range and zest well, with glissandos and harmonies far more audible than if you just listened on Spotify.

You’re sadly not getting quite the level of clarity that you would on a… well, a non entry-level setup, with some detail lost, especially in the mids. But it’s still decent for the money, and there’s a reason that cut-price music-lovers have been turning to the PS-LX310BT for over half a decade.

Note to Bluetooth users: I did find that the speaker peaked Bluetooth-connected devices on occasion, which isn’t something I’ve found as much from other Bluetooth turntables I’ve tested.

• Sound quality score: 4/5

Sony PS-LX310BT review: Design

• Minimal, understated look
• Buttons hidden on front edge
• Dust cover could open further

The Sony PS-LX310BT has a minimalist look, going for the black on black (on silver) look, small unadorned dials and buttons and a businesslike tonearm. I like ornamentation as much as the next guy, but this product hits that ‘audio equipment’ serious aesthetic pretty square-on.

The turntable measures 43 x 36.7 x 10.8cm, and weighs 3.5kg; it wasn’t too heavy to stop me toting it around my apartment when I wanted to connect it to various speakers and devices dotted in different rooms. That height includes the dust cover, which you don’t have to use (TechRadar's audio editor never fits them, and removes them if they're pre-fitted), but I’d recommend. My ‘tiniest-violin-in-the-world’ opinion is that it would have been nice if the dust cover would open a little wider, to make getting vinyl records onto the mat a little easier.

The almost-straight, no-nonsense tonearm was light and easy to manipulate, though some audio purists might take chagrin at the lack of a counterweight.

Sony has hidden most of the PS-LX310BT’s buttons on the front edge. This is where you’ll find the buttons to play, to stop and to move the tone arm up and down. On the top there’s only the Bluetooth pairing button,, a dial to set the vinyl speed and the speed rotary knob. There is also a little hidey-hole on the right edge for the 45RPM adaptor, something I only noticed after 10 days of the adaptor being plonked awkwardly on the turntable’s body.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Sony PS-LX310BT review: Value

While the Sony PS-LX310BT is priced as an entry-level device, and has a feature set to match, there are a few areas in which it stands out from the budget crowd.

The ease of use and svelte design are two such departments, but these are hardly small perks, with the aluminum platter, bespoke (though un-removable) cartridge and lightweight tonearm keeping better care of your records than some super-cheap options might.

My only small value concern is this: you either need to connect it to a Bluetooth device, or something which accepts RCA-in, so your wired headphones will need an adaptor to work. But that's hardly a deal-breaker.

• Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the Sony PS-LX310BT?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Sony PS-LX310BT review: Also consider

How I tested the Sony PS-LX310BT

• Tested for ten days
• Inputs included a series of vinyl records
• Outputs include headphones and a speaker via Bluetooth, and speakers via cable

The Sony PS-LX310BT review process covered ten days, not including the time it took to write the review itself. I have a decent-sized collection of vinyl which I used for this testing.

As mentioned, after running it in for 48 hours, I listened on multiple devices including a pair of speakers via the RCA connection, a smaller speaker via Bluetooth and a pair of headphones, also via Bluetooth.

I've been tested tech for TechRadar for nearly seven years, which has included many audio players and another turntable; I've also used turntables and other Hi-Fi kit outside of reviewing.

• First reviewed November 2025

Technics SL-1300G turntable: two-minute review

Technics has a new direct-drive turntable, and because it’s part of the company’s upmarket ‘Grand Class’, it’s engineered to within an inch of its life and has a price-tag that will make you swallow hard.

Mind you, it’s not as if the company doesn’t feel like it’s offering value for money with the Technics SL-1300G. Between the twin-rotor ‘cogless’ motor, transformerless power supply, elaborate tonearm arrangement and overall sensation of bank-vault build quality (the platter alone weighs almost 4kg), the SL-1300G is a substantial proposition in every respect. Apart from the small matter of a cartridge, that is – Technics doesn’t provide one and you should probably budget another $500 or so on one of the many reputable brands who will sell you something appropriate.

Once you’ve swallowed this particular pill, there’s a great deal to enjoy about the SL-1300G. It sounds an absolute treat in the right system – its ability to analyze, contextualize and generally peer deep into the grooves of your records in a hunt for information is remarkable. And it balances this attitude with a sort of thrillingly musical, thoroughly absorbing and effortless naturalistic stance that makes every listen as entertaining and engrossing as can be.

In fact, as long as you take a moment to ensure your system isn’t going to goad the Technics into overdoing the high frequencies – it’s right on the edge where treble sounds are concerned, and won’t take much of a push to tip it over – there’s really nothing of any significance to complain about.

One of the best turntables on the market? It's definitely in the conversation.

Technics SL-1300G turntable review: price and release date

• $3,299 / £2,799 / AU$4,999
• Launched in September 2024

The Technics SL-1300G direct-drive turntable is on sale now, and in the United States it's priced at $3,299. In the United Kingdom it’s more like £2,799, while in Australia it costs AU$4,999.

Not cheap, is it? And it’s not the end of your spending, either – Technics doesn’t supply a cartridge. So what is it offering for what is quite a lot of money (with the need to spend a fair bit more)?

After all, it’s not as if you’re short of high-quality alternatives…

Technics SL-1300G turntable review: features

• 230mm S-shaped aluminum tonearm
• Twin-rotor ‘coreless’ direct drive motor
• Low-noise, high-speed switching power supply

For the feature-set of the SL-1300G, Technics has allowed itself to be influenced by a couple of the more widely acclaimed turntables of the last couple of years: its own SL-1200G and SL-1200GR2. After all, if it ain’t broke etc and so on…

The motor that turns the SL-1300G’s platter is a variation on the one fitted to the SL-1200G, a model that launched in 2018 with a $4,000-plus price-tag attached. It’s based on the ‘coreless’ direct drive principles Technics first introduced in 2016: by removing the motor’s iron core, rotational instability (‘cogging’, as it’s colloquially known) can be reduced to vanishing point. In this implementation, a twin-rotor design reduces rotational vibration and minimizes the load on the bearings too.

The SL-1300G uses the Delta Sigma (ΔΣ) motor control software and drive system from last year’s SL-1200GR2, finessed and optimized for this application. The company’s prowess where PWM (pulse width modulation) is brought to bear in an effort to minimize even minor rotational inaccuracies along with errors in the drive signal. Because if you can deliver smooth, consistent rotation, argues Technics, you deliver smooth, consistent sound.

Further measures have been taken to ensure mechanical and, by extension, sonic accuracy. The SL-1300G uses a low-noise switching circuit that makes the more common transformer power supply redundant, which in turns makes the requirement for vibration-suppressing technologies that transformers tend to require redundant, too. Any residual noise in this transformerless power supply is identified by ‘current injection’ technology that applies inverse phase current to eliminate it. This, suggests Technics, is more effective than the common or garden ‘regulator’ alternative.

On the outside, the SL-1300G uses a rigid and lightweight aluminum pipe tonearm – it’s your classic static-balance S-shape and is 230mm long before the headshell is fitted. Technics supplies a headshell, of course, but what is conspicuous by its absence is a cartridge. The company is prepared to go on, at length, about how this omission allows you to select your preferred cartridge free from its interference, but it seems to me that a sum of money like this spent on a turntable ought to buy you the cartridge the manufacturer thinks is most appropriate. And, what’s more, to find it pre-fitted to the headshell.

The tonearm is connected to the surface of the turntable via gimbal suspension with a high-precision bearing. There’s anti-skate adjustment, a multi-part counterweight, tonearm lock and tonearm lift all incorporated. Getting the signal from the tonearm and out to an amplifier occurs via a pair of gold-plated stereo RCA outputs recessed deep beneath the main body of the SL-1300G. Technics supplies a pair of absolutely bog-standard RCA cables more commonly associated with turntables costing about 10 per cent of the price of this one.

• Features score: 5/5

Technics SL-1300G turntable review: Sound quality

• Notable clarity, detail and low-frequency presence
• Energetic and dynamic attitude
• As confident at the top end as it dares to be

Some record players have a very specific character or attitude, or a comfort zone out of which they are unwilling to tread. The Technics SL-1300G, it’s safe to say, is not one of those record players. There isn’t a style of music it sounds uncomfortable with – as far as attitude is concerned, “it’s all good” seems to cover it.

During the course of this review I listen to everything from a heavyweight reissue of Ladies and Gentlemen We are Floating in Space by Spiritualized to a ‘pre-loved’ (for which read ‘second-hand’) copy of The Strip Goes On by Orchester Werner Müller and many points in between, and at every turn the Technics covers every base. It’s a vibrant, energetic and engrossing performer, but it’s capable of forensic levels of analysis and insight at the same time.

Its frequency response, from the top of the range to the bottom, is smooth and even. Its overall tonality (with the mild exception of the top of the frequency range, which I’ll come to shortly) is neutral and natural. And its ability to allow music to just flow in the most confident and convincing manner is, even by the vaunted standards of the vinyl format, impressive in the extreme.

It digs deep and hits hard at the bottom of the frequency range, but both where control and insight are concerned it’s a spectacular performer. Bass sounds are solid and varied, with ample detail regarding tone and texture made available, while the SL-1300G controls the attack or decay of individual notes or hits with such purpose that rhythms are expressed in compelling fashion. It’s similarly accomplished in the midrange; there’s no fleeting detail that evades it, no secret of a singer’s technique or emotional state to which it’s not party. It communicates in absolute torrents, and in the most unforced and vivid manner – the balance it strikes between ‘analysis’ and ‘entertainment’ is outstanding.

Despite the significant levels of drive and attack it can summon, it never sounds stressed or uncontrolled. Though it can create a large and spacious soundstage, it presents music as a tightly unified whole, a singular event – the impression of performers operating in symphony, as opposed to a collection of individuals, is palpable.

Really, it’s only at the top of the frequency range that there are any noteworthy issues, and they can be mitigated without too much difficulty. The SL-1300G is a forthright and assertive performer where treble response is concerned, demonstrating as much confidence as is practical. Unlike the rest of the frequency range, though, the top end here is provokable – inserted into a system that’s similarly uninhibited where treble sounds are concerned, it’s possible that high frequencies could become a little edgy or strident.

So, a degree of system-matching is in order. The Technics won’t thank you for pairing it with speakers and/or amplification that share its high-end enthusiasm. Once you get over that particular hurdle, though, there’s nothing much else you need to do except sit back and revel in the sound this turntable produces.

• Sound quality score: 4.5/5

Technics SL-1300G turntable review: Design

• Black or silver finish
• 173 x 453 x 372mm (HxWxD)
• 13kg

Broadly speaking, the SL-1300G looks like a record player. More specifically, it looks like a Technics turntable. Whether or not you think that’s a good thing is a matter of taste, but there’s no denying that the company’s turntables have a reasonably strong visual identity.

From top to bottom, there’s no mistaking the SL-1300G as the product of any other company. Its 173 x 453 x 372mm (HxWxD) includes a sturdy Perspex dust cover, and its two-part chassis stands on four equally sturdy, extremely pliant and frankly over-engineered silicone rubber insulators – because Technics deals in nothing as straightforward as ‘feet’, of course.

The chassis itself is a rigid and profoundly vibration-resistant construction. The base is made of bulk molding compound and is topped by a die-cast aluminum plate, and further vibration damping is achieved by reinforcing ribs deployed between the tonearm assembly and the motor.

As is usual with Technics turntables, the SL-1300G features a ‘power on/off’ button above a ‘start/stop’ button on the bottom left of the top plate. There are also a pair of speed-selection buttons for ‘33.3’ or ‘45’ – press them at the same time and your turntable will be able to turn at 78rpm.

All in, the SL-1300G weighs a chunky 13kg - and a full 3.6kg of this is accounted for by the platter. It’s a three-layer item, with an aluminum main body, a 2mm layer of brass across the top and a hefty quantity of deadening rubber covering the whole of the rear surface. It offers considerable vibration damping, impressive resonance rejection, smooth rotational stability and significant inertial mass. In essence, it’s the same as the platter fitted to the (appreciably more expensive) SL-1200G.

Every SL-1300G is balanced after it’s assembled – because if the weight distribution of the turntable is uneven, the rotation of the platter can cause noise and vibration. How do you know your SL-1300G has been balanced in the Technics factory before it’s packaged up? By the little ‘BALANCED’ sticker on the underside of the platter.

• Design score: 5/5

Technics SL-1300G turntable review: usability and set-up

• Source and fit a cartridge
• Bin the supplied RCA cables in favor of something more appropriate
• Do the usual stuff regarding counterweight, anti-skate and so on

Unusually for the ‘usability and setup’ section, I’m going to have to talk about the need for you to spend yet more money. Because if you don’t, the SL-1300G is nothing more than an elaborate (and good-looking) doorstop.

If you want to get a sound out of your SL-1300G, you’ll need to research, source, purchase and fit an appropriate cartridge. I’d suggest something in the region of $500 will buy you something that will do this record player some justice. Cartridge fitting and setup are among the most fiddly things you can do (in life, let alone in the context of your audio system), so try to be patient. And then when you’ve done that, you really should consider binning the freebie RCA interconnects Technics so graciously supplies in favor of something that’s actually up to the job.

Once that’s done, though, usability is a doddle. The direct drive motor gets the platter up to speed in well under a second, and the tonearm lift operates with precision. ‘Putting a record on’ has never been any less painful than it is here.

• Usability and setup score: 4/5

Technics SL-1300G review: Value

• Superb build quality and materials
• Real longevity
• But you have to spend even more money to get it working

It depends how you look at it, I suppose. In terms of engineering prowess, the quality of materials and the way they’re put together, in terms of longevity and simple pride of ownership, the Technics SL-1300G represents very good value indeed. And that’s before you factor in the many admirable aspects of the way it sounds.

But given that this record player doesn’t actually function until you’ve spent quite a lot more money on a cartridge, plus a fair few bucks upgrading the cables connecting it to your amplifier, it’s perhaps not the cast-iron value for money it at first appears…

• Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the Technics SL-1300G?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Technics SL-1300G review: also consider

How I tested the Technics SL-1300G

• Tested over the course of one week
• Listening to various types of music

I connected the Technics SL-1300G up to my home system using the supplied RGA cables. Then, I spent well over a working week listening to as many different types of music as I could, of many different genres, and varying qualities of pressing to give the SL-1300G as much of a workout as I could. And, to be honest, I enjoyed doing it.

• First reviewed: November 2025
• Read more about how we test