How to Connect a Record Player via Bluetooth
Bireka
Connecting a record player via Bluetooth becomes easy once you know whether the player transmits audio or receives it.
Transmission and reception
A Bluetooth transmitter sends the sound of a record to a wireless speaker, soundbar or headphones. A receiver does the opposite: it plays music from your phone through the record player’s built-in speakers. Check the specification before pairing, because a receiver-only model cannot send record audio to another speaker.
Pairing a player with a wireless speaker
Put the speaker into pairing mode first. Switch on the record player and hold its Bluetooth button until the indicator flashes. Keep the devices close together and temporarily disconnect nearby phones that may reconnect to the speaker automatically. The indicator should become steady once pairing is complete.
If there is no built-in transmitter
An external Bluetooth transmitter can connect to a line-level RCA or headphone output. A raw phono signal is too quiet, so an older player may also need a phono pre-amplifier. Players with built-in speakers normally already provide a suitable line-level output.
Sound quality and delay
Bluetooth is convenient and flexible, although a cable still offers the most direct signal. A small delay is normal and does not affect ordinary music listening. Browse our Bluetooth record players or compare models in our record player buying guide.
