It sounds a touch cleaner and clearer than before, but without losing any of its composure or dynamically pleasing presentation. Those improvements aside, the LP5x's sonics mirror its predecessor closely. There's a new cartridge that's easier to fit, the built-in phono stage can now cope with both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges and Audio Technica has added a 78rpm speed option. So it’s no surprise to find that Audio-Technica hasn’t changed its winning formula for this new AT-LP5x model (available for £379 / $449, around AU$690). Launched in 2016, its combination of solid engineering, useful features (including USB output) and fine sound was enough to make it one of our go-to recommendations for anyone wanting a sensibly priced, fuss-free record player with the added bonus of a USB output. As always, performance is king, though, and in this instance that only furthers the Sony’s likeability while it’s not the classiest-looking turntable on the market, it has all the class in the sound suite instead.Īudio-Technica’s original AT-LP5 turntable was a winner. The presentation favours a crisp consistency over the full-bodied solidity of some of its rivals – something to bear in mind when it comes to system pairing.Īnything that keeps vinyl fresh and appealing is gold in our eyes, and the PS-HX500 is a good example of that. The Sony is articulate with any track’s offbeat rhythmic pattern, tying the multiple strands together for a coherent and layered delivery, and has the dynamic dexterity to bring fairly tenuous sonic shifts to our attention. Price? £299 (around $365 / AU$544) - and although availability is patchy now, it's worth hunting down if you're dead set on a USB deck.Īnd it sounds big, clear, insightful and snappy. If you belong to the second group, however, you’ll be interested to know that elsewhere the PS-HX500 behaves, looks and sounds very much like a typical turntable. Invariably, some will jump at the chance to digitise their collection while others will be less bothered.
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