Price Paid:  $50.00 from Sony outlet

Summary:
This turntable leaves me with mixed feelings. At the $80-$100 price range there is so little you should expect out of a turntable - keeping in mind that it includes a popular Audio Technica AT3600 cartridge and a phono preamplifier in the deal. Note that this product is also sold as a Pioneer (gains pitch control and strobe) as well as a more compact size Audio Technica and Denon. All essencially the same product, I have had experience with the AT branded version that was very positive, and my initial impression of this unit was positive. Let me cover the pros and cons right now, and you'll likely understand my mixed opinion.

Pros: Sound is surprisingly good - "better than the sum of the parts" as the old phrase goes. Bass is robust with good "punch" at the bottom, and the treble is pleasingly good - especially for a conical stylus... which is likely why surface noise is also low on older LPs. Nice open midrange image as well.

Operaton is also smooth and easy. Just tap the soft touch start buttom and you're up and running. Stop, cue and speed switches are also on the front - only the size select switch is under the dust cover. Just the ticket for those who aren't audiophiles, yet want something better than one of those dreadful nostalgia stereos.

The stylus is very affordable (as an ATN3600) and there are upgrades on the market including elliptical.

Cons: In terms of audio quality, the down-side of the conical stylus shows through on good LPs as you head toward the end of the LP where audible distortion is significant. Quality control seems to be the biggest issue. While the unit has adjustments for pitch for each speed, setdown position, end of play lift position and even when the power switch clicks on during manual operation - the arm is absolutely non-adjustable. Tracking force is set by a simple spring within the arm pivot which has no counter balance weight, and there actually is NO anti-skate function. No, not "adjustment" - there simply is no anti-skate. Trust me, I've had the arm apart, I've had the unit apart. Still shaking my head. The BSR changers back in the 1970s had a far more complex arm.

The result? Imperfections in the record often causes inward groove jumping that anti-skate would help stabilize. The AT branded ones I used never did this, this Sony does, which leads to a QC issue for tracking force or stylus compliance. IOW you might get a "good one", or you might get a "dud". Mine rides the fence, as it skips only on significant scratches.

So now you see why I am mixed on this unit. For the money, it's a great starter to play those old LPs again, on a received that lacks a phono input. I'd stronglly recommend one of these over a lesser record player as found in one of those nostalgia systems. Just don't expect $300 entry level audiophile performance out of a $100 or less unit. Also buy it from a store where you can exchange it should you end up with a dud.

Strengths:
Uses a common Audio Technica cartridge - stylus is very affordable and easy to locate.

Fully automatic operation for the fumble-fingered.

Most controls operate with the dust cover down.

Significantly better than other low cost solutions for playing LPs, such as nostalgia systems.

Sound quality is surprisingly good.

Internal preamplifier allows connection to any line-level input.

Weaknesses:
Surprisingly poor tonearm - even at this price point. No anti-skate, no ability to tweak tracking force.

Groove jumping / skipping may be an issue.

QC is questionable.

Short cables - many people will need an extension.

No repeat option.

Similar Products Used:
Mechanically identical Audio Technica, Technics SL-1200 (audiophile setup), Thorens TD318, Yamaha PF-800, Dual 1229Q, Dual 701, Music Hall MMF 2.0, 2.1 and 5 and a miserable SOTA that I'd like to forget.

Price Paid:  $98.00 from JB

Summary:
I bought the Sony model ps-lx250h turntable about a year ago, (2006). Got about 1 month's use out of it due the failure of the stylus. My fault; Ileft it running while unattended, due to bumping the buttons that extend from the front of the case.
These "convenient" buttons are a problem.

When I checked with the must buy Sony replacement stylus Sony store found they wanted about $50.00! I'll never never buy Sony again; don't you.

Strengths:
none

Weaknesses:
Cheap 100% plastic construction. Poor design. Exploitive cost of replacement parts.

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Price Paid:  $90.00 from Sony Shop

Summary:
I bought this turntable about 3 months ago now, so far I have had no trouble with it apart from the platter turning a bit slow for a while, but I took it back to my local dealer and they soon had up and running. Excellent features on this turntable are : the automatic operation of it and the just general ease of use. I would recommend this turntable just for a casual listener - like myself and NOT a Dj or such-like.

Strengths:
ease of use.

Weaknesses:
none so far

Similar Products Used:
None

Price Paid:  $85.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
Purchased 1st one 4 years ago.
Finally decided to copy some old LP's to PC. After 1st album, the motor failed. Probably from non-use for so long. I found an "Open-Box" special for 109.00 - 25% Open-Box discount that was going on that day. The Best-Buy Yellow tag label said "Complete" so I bought it. When I got it home, there was no Stylus.
Apparently the needles are so hard to find, that someone resorted to thievery and bought one, removed the Stylus, and returned it. Fortunatly, the Stylus on my old one was good and had minimal wear.

Warning to anyone buying "Open" item. Be sure all parts are there, especially the White Stylus. Best Buy should really have a parts check list for returned items and use it. It looks like the Stylus is only Available from sony.com for $55.00.

Strengths:
Good sound, easy to use. Speed adjustment.

Weaknesses:
Initial speed setting for 33 was too fast.
Speed adjustment screws are hard to use.
1st they are on the bottom and hard to find. 2nd, they are covered by rubber seal that protects the motor area. Good protection, but you can't see the screw to figure out if it is regular or phillips or something else. Found nothing in manual for use of any of the adjustment screws. I tore apart my old units motor to see what the adjustment screws looked like. You need a small regular jewelers screwdriver. The adjustment is hard to get right. The slightest change makes a big difference. I'm still trying to get it set right.

Price Paid:  $100.00 from Best Buy; Tulsa, OK

Summary:
I bought this turntable in 99 at Best Buy for about 100 bucks. It has functioned quite well ever since then, and it has performed accurately on a consistant basis, so I'll give it props for that. The turntable has adjustments on the underside which are hard to adjust while a record is playing, but I've done so in order for my LPs to play at the exact same pitch as my CDs. You can make the adjustment for both 45s and 33s independently of one another, it's quite helpful if you think the pitch is off. Secondly, you can adjust where the needle drops onto the acetate. I didn't like the way the needle would plop down immediately into the tracks instead of the buffer grooves. It's got good sound for a magnetic stylus. It will hit about 20 hz, so if you've got the speakers and range, it really does the job. One last feature you can adjust from underneat his the motor-short placement. If you want the platter to shut off/turn on only when you've got the cartridge over the edge of the vinyl, you can set it that way. I have mine calibrated to perfection and it will come on as soon as you move the arm away from the holder. I'm quite happy with the value and performance of this model. You'd be hard pressed to find another model that you can tune/calibrate to your liking as easily as this one.

Strengths:
Semi-automatic with adjustable Line in and motor-short features. Durable, lasting sylus that's magnetic, so even with degrading needle wear, the signal isn't reduced or marred. Soft cue up and cue down lets you lower the needle on as gently as you plesae without recessing the groves or adding "pits" to the vinyl.

Weaknesses:
Very very very crappy plastic dust cover hinges. I had to return 3 NIB turntables till I found one where the hinges weren't broken. And even then, after very very cautious and gentle use, one of them still broke. Just expect that to happen when you buy it, there's no getting around it. And the other thing that sucks about this turntable is that you can not adjust the weight of the tone arm. I find the needle is much more heavy than it needs to be lying on the surface. This speeds up the wear of your record collection and degrades audio quality over time. I tried rigging it to where you could lighten the tone arm, but there's no conceivable way, you're stuck with an overcompensation. "Balanced tone arm" my ass.

Similar Products Used:
I started out with my Dad's 1970 era BIC 900 series turntable. That cost him roughtly around 400 dollars at the time. Double it accounting for inflation for today's value. Worked like a dream until th