Turntables — TEAC TN-180BT-A3

The TEAC TN-180BT-A3 is a three-speed belt-driven turntable with a built-in RIAA phono equaliser and a Bluetooth transmitter. TEAC, the Japanese company founded in 1953, designed it as a complete way into vinyl for people without a separate amplifier, since it can stream to a Bluetooth speaker or headphones as well as connect to a conventional hi-fi system by cable.

Key specs that matter

Speed options are 33 1/3, 45 and 78 rpm. Wow and flutter is 0.25% and signal-to-noise is 64 dB or better (A-weighted). The 30 cm plastic platter is turned by a DC motor through a belt. The static-balance straight tonearm has an effective length of 200 mm and a tracking force range of 0 to 5 g, and an Audio-Technica AT3600L VM cartridge comes fitted from the factory. The RCA outputs switch between phono and line level, and the Bluetooth 4.0 link reaches about 10 m. The turntable measures 420 x 105 x 356 mm and weighs 4.9 kg.

Engineering and use context

The plinth is a single board of high-density MDF, chosen to damp vibration better than the plastic bases common at this price. The high-torque DC motor drives the platter through the belt, so motor vibration is isolated from the record, and a precision stainless steel spindle turns in a brass holder to keep rotation steady. The AT3600L is a VM type cartridge, electrically equivalent to a moving magnet, so it works with the built-in equaliser or any MM phono input. A switch decides whether the RCA sockets carry the raw phono signal or the equalised line signal. The Bluetooth pairing button sits at the base of the tonearm and lights up once a connection is made. When a side finishes, the arm returns to its rest automatically, and a manual lifter takes care of cueing. TEAC points out that 78 rpm records have grooves three to four times wider than LPs, so the standard stylus should only be used on them occasionally. A hinged dust cover is included, the finishes are black, white and cherry, and rubber feet under the plinth give basic isolation from the shelf.

Pairing

Set to line level, the TN-180BT-A3 connects to any amplifier input, powered speaker or active monitor. Set to phono, it goes to an amplifier that has a built-in MM phono section. The Bluetooth path serves wireless speakers and headphones in rooms with no hi-fi system at all.

Alternatives

TEAC's TN-280BT-A3 is the step-up belt-driven model with Bluetooth and heavier construction.