Unknowndivide may earn a commission from purchases made through links in this post.
A Bluetooth turntable plays your records the old way, with a stylus in a groove, then sends the sound wirelessly to a speaker or a pair of headphones. For anyone who already owns a good wireless speaker, it is the shortest route from a crate of records to music in the room. You skip the separate amplifier, the speaker wire and most of the setup questions.
Wireless is a convenience, not a magic upgrade. The signal is converted to digital and compressed before it travels, so a wired connection to a proper amplifier will always be the purist choice. The good news is that every turntable below also has standard wired outputs, so you can start wireless and add a traditional system later. If you are still deciding whether to go wireless at all, our guide to the best turntables for beginners covers wired options too.
What to look for
Codec support. Bluetooth audio quality depends on the codec both devices share. aptX, aptX Adaptive and aptX HD are higher quality codecs from Qualcomm. They only help if your speaker or headphones support the same codec, so check both ends before paying extra for it.
A built-in phono preamplifier. A turntable signal is very quiet and needs a phono stage to reach normal line level. Every model here has one built in, and most let you switch it off if you later buy a better external unit.
Automatic or manual. An automatic turntable lowers the tonearm at the press of a button and returns it at the end of the side. That protects records and styli from clumsy hands. A manual deck asks you to cue the arm yourself but usually offers more room to upgrade.
A replaceable stylus. The stylus wears out. Being able to swap it, or upgrade the whole cartridge, keeps the turntable useful for years.
Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT: the simple starter
The AT-LP60XBT is a fully automatic belt drive turntable with Bluetooth that supports aptX, plus wired RCA (Radio Corporation of America) outputs. It plays at 33-1/3 and 45 revolutions per minute (RPM) and comes with a 45 adapter and a hinged dust cover. The Dual Magnet cartridge is built into the headshell, but the stylus is replaceable, and Audio-Technica offers an elliptical upgrade stylus for a little more detail. It is the right pick for someone who wants to press a button and listen.
Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT: the beginner deck with room to grow
The AT-LP70XBT is also automatic, but it steps up to aptX Adaptive Bluetooth and a separate AT-VM95C cartridge from the respected VM95 family, which means you can later fit any stylus from that range. The built-in phono preamplifier is switchable, so it can feed a wireless speaker today and a hi-fi amplifier tomorrow. Audio-Technica pitches it at beginners, and it is the model we would suggest to most people starting out.
Audio-Technica AT-LP120XBT-USB: the manual all-rounder
The AT-LP120XBT-USB is a fully manual direct drive turntable with a DC (direct current) servo motor and three speeds, including 78. Alongside Bluetooth with aptX, it offers analog outputs and a USB (Universal Serial Bus) output for recording records to a computer with free software such as Audacity. It has an S-shaped tonearm, a removable AT-HS6 headshell and an AT-VM95E cartridge. If you want one deck that does wireless listening, digitizing and serious wired playback, this is it. We compared its wired sibling in AT-LP120XUSB vs Fluance RT82.
Pro-Ject E1 BT: European build, plug and play
The Pro-Ject E1 BT is handmade in Europe and arrives with tracking force and anti-skate set at the factory, so setup is mostly a matter of plugging it in. It uses Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX HD and aptX Adaptive, has a built-in phono preamplifier, an 8.6 inch aluminium tonearm and an Audio-Technica AT 3600 L cartridge. Speed changes between 33 and 45 are electronic. It comes in black, white or walnut, and it looks the most like furniture of anything here.
Victrola Wave: broadcast to several speakers
The Victrola Wave adds Auracast, a newer Bluetooth feature that can broadcast to multiple compatible speakers at once. It has a medium density fiberboard plinth, an aluminum platter, a removable headshell and an AT-VM95E cartridge on most versions. It can also receive Bluetooth, so the speakers it feeds can play your phone too.
Victrola Automatic: hands off
The Victrola Automatic is the brand's first fully automatic turntable, with a Repeat function for playing a side again, an ATN3600L cartridge, a switchable preamplifier and Victrola's VinylStream Bluetooth output. It suits a living room where several people will be dropping the needle.
Victrola Stream Onyx: for Sonos homes
If your speakers are Sonos, Bluetooth is the wrong link. The Victrola Stream Onyx streams over your home network to Sonos, with Roon and UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) support, sending 24-bit/48kHz lossless audio. It uses an AT-VM95E cartridge and is controlled through the Victrola Stream app.
How to choose
For a single wireless speaker and minimal fuss, pick the AT-LP60XBT or the Victrola Automatic. For a beginner who might build a full system later, the AT-LP70XBT or the Pro-Ject E1 BT. For digitizing and manual control, the AT-LP120XBT-USB. For multiroom, the Wave with Auracast or the Stream Onyx with Sonos.
Whatever you choose, a good speaker matters more than the codec. See our picks for the best powered speakers for turntables if you plan to go wired, and keep the records and stylus clean with the best record cleaning and care gear. More guides live in our vinyl section.
