Проигрыватели виниловых дисков — TEAC TN-180BT-A3

The TN-180BT-A3 is a three-speed belt-drive turntable from TEAC, the Japanese company founded in 1953, that integrates an RIAA equaliser and a Bluetooth transmitter. It is designed as a complete entry into vinyl for listeners who do not own a separate amplifier, since it can send its output wirelessly to a Bluetooth speaker or headphones, as well as to a conventional hi-fi system over cable.

Key specs that matter

Speeds 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 platter is plastic, belt driven by a DC motor. The static-balance straight tonearm has an effective length of 200 mm and a tracking force range of 0 to 5 g. An Audio-Technica AT3600L VM cartridge is fitted at the factory. Outputs are switchable between phono and line level on RCA, plus Bluetooth 4.0 with a range of about 10 m. The deck 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 a belt, which isolates motor vibration 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 its output matches the built-in phono equaliser or any MM phono input. A switch selects whether the RCA outputs carry the raw phono signal or the equalised line signal. The Bluetooth pairing button sits at the tonearm base and lights up when a connection is made. The arm returns to its rest automatically at the end of a side, and a manual lifter handles cueing. TEAC notes that 78 rpm records have grooves three to four times wider than LPs, so the standard stylus should only be used occasionally on them. A hinged dust cover is supplied, and finishes are black, white and cherry. Rubber feet under the plinth give basic isolation from the shelf.

Pairing

With the line output selected, the TN-180BT-A3 connects to any amplifier input, powered speaker or active monitor. With the phono output selected, it feeds an amplifier that has its own MM phono stage. The Bluetooth path suits wireless speakers and headphones in rooms without a hi-fi system.

Alternatives

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