Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT Turntable

Vinyl can be a listening habit or a small engineering department. The Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT is aimed firmly at the former. Fully automatic operation, Bluetooth and a built-in phono preamp make its central argument straightforward: you can enjoy the record without becoming quite so involved in the machinery playing it.

Automation is the defining feature, not an incidental extra. This is a belt-drive turntable that plays at 33⅓ and 45 RPM, with a tonearm that returns to its rest when the record finishes. That suits someone who enjoys choosing an album and turning it over, but has little desire to supervise every other movement. There is still enough ritual here to distinguish it from tapping a playlist. You simply needn't apply for the position of tonearm attendant.

There is a practical caveat: Audio-Technica cautions that automatic operation may not work well at the start or end of some records, and the arm may not always return. Treat the automation as a convenience rather than a promise that every pressing will behave identically. An unusually awkward record can still demand your attention.

Bluetooth gives this model its other useful angle. Version 5.2 supports aptX Adaptive, aptX and SBC, allowing wireless connection to compatible audio equipment. That opens a route for people whose existing listening setup is built around Bluetooth rather than a conventional amplifier. It doesn't remove the need to power the turntable, nor does it magically improve a record; it changes how the sound reaches your listening equipment. The stated range is approximately 10 metres in line of sight, so think nearby listening setup rather than whole-house broadcasting.

Wired connections haven't been sacrificed to the wireless idea. PHONO and LINE output levels let you use an appropriate phono input or feed a suitable line-level input through the built-in preamp. An RCA cable is included. This flexibility matters if you start with one arrangement and later change your amplifier or speakers: Bluetooth is an option, not a lifetime commitment.

The supplied AT-VM95C cartridge uses a 0.6 mil bonded conical stylus. The important buying distinction is that the cartridge itself is fixed and cannot be removed, although the stylus can be replaced. That is a substantial boundary for anyone who sees cartridge swapping as part of the attraction. For a listener seeking a defined, ready-made playback system, it is less troubling. Decide which person you are before imagining an elaborate future upgrade programme.

A die-cast aluminium platter, felt mat, dust cover and 45 RPM adapter round out the package. At 400 mm wide and 330 mm deep, the deck still needs a proper place in the room; wireless audio does not make a turntable shelf disappear.

Our view is that the AT-LP70XBT earns its place by making vinyl approachable without forcing one particular connection method. Choose it for records and convenient playback. Choose something else if the machinery, and the freedom to alter it, is half the fun.