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Sound Advice: Bluetooth turntable a great record player for under $500

Don Lindich, Tribune News Service on

Published in Tech Advice

Q. Who makes that $349 Bluetooth turntable you mentioned in the article about the Q Acoustics M40 wireless speakers? Where can I buy it?

—A.P., Milwaukee

A. One of last year's most popular holiday recommendations was a $499 Bluetooth turntable, and this year's recommendation might become even more popular. The $349 TEAC TN-280BT-A3 Bluetooth Wireless Turntable is one of the nicest turntables under $500. From storied Japanese manufacturer TEAC, it has a built-in phono preamp and Bluetooth. It is well-made and pleasant to work with and this applies especially to the tonearm, which has a removable headshell, feels substantial and has very smooth cuing action. The TN-280BT-A3 makes a great record player for a traditional stereo with an amplifier and wired speakers, as well as a good match to high-end wireless speakers like the Q Acoustics M40. It will also work well with headphones, earphones and Bluetooth speakers in a bedroom, dorm or office. It can be used wired with your main stereo and also play on a Bluetooth speaker in another room, providing even more flexibility and value from your purchase.

The secret sauce to my recommendation is a dramatic, no-charge upgrade offered by LP Gear. The Audio-Technica AT3600L that comes premounted on the TEAC turntable is the world's most popular phono cartridge, but the sound rates as average. As mentioned in past columns, the stylus has a huge impact on the way a cartridge sounds and sometimes the only difference between an entry-level and expensive cartridge is the stylus. Upgrading the AT3600L with the LP Gear CFN3600LE carbon fiber stylus transforms the cartridge from average to a superstar, with a prominent stereo magazine once rating it in the same class as cartridges selling for up to $700. I was very skeptical of this reputation, but when I heard it I was a believer. The CFN3600LE gets much more music out of the grooves and the sound is satisfying, detailed and engaging, producing very agreeable sound that makes you want to listen more and more. I cannot overstate how dramatic of an improvement the stylus makes and if you have an AT3600L on your turntable now, upgrading with a $39.98 CFN3600LE stylus is a great investment. Your ears will thank you, as will your wallet because it is quite the upgrade for under $40.

LP Gear now offers the TEAC TN-280BT-A3 in a "Carbon Upgrade" version with a preinstalled CFN3600LE stylus for the $349 list price, with free shipping. Providing this transformative stylus upgrade at no additional cost makes it of the best turntable values I have seen. It provides quality, high performance, and the flexibility of Bluetooth and wired operation all at a bargain price. Learn more at lpgear.com and teacusa.com

 

Q. You mentioned recurring holiday deals last week. Do you know if the Oclean toothbrush package will sell for $59.99 again? I purchased one for myself last summer, and want to give a few as gifts.

—J.M., Trenton, New Jersey

A. That toothbrush received more positive reader feedback than anything else I wrote about this year. The micro-vibration action and high-tech brush head bristles are comfortable and clean exceptionally well, and when you are finished the built-in display shows a pictogram of your teeth with places you missed, along with a score rating your brushing performance. There is an optional phone app you can pair with the toothbrush, but it I do not use it. I checked and the old code is currently active. Using the code SAVE50 on oclean.com reduces the price of the Oclean X Pro Elite Premium Set from $109.99 to $59.99 with free shipping.

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