The vinyl revival, steadily growing year on year since around 2007, has generated a corresponding increase in record players and turntables available on the market. The best choice for the individual can be difficult but in general terms there are three types of player on which to spin your vinyl:
1) All-in-one Crosley suitcase-style with built in speakers
2) Budget turntable (some with built in mini speakers) at low to medium price (around £100)
3) ‘Hi Fi’ turntable (no built in speakers) at medium to high price (£100 to many thousands)
This Jam spun out belt driven bluetooth turntable sits comfortably in the budget category, and on first inspection looks to be a reasonable choice for playing all types of vinyl at 33 1/3, 45 and 78 speeds.
The bluetooth feature is good for streaming direct to speakers, and there is an output to connect to a PC for digital transfer. Phono outputs enable connection to an external amplifier or powered speakers, and there is a volume control and headphone input at the front of the player. The case is wood with an attractive matt finish and the hinged lid is smoked black plastic. Size is 38x30x12cm (WxDxH). That’s where the good points end.
A closer inspection reveals some slightly disappointing cost-cutting features. The turntable platter that the record sits on is plastic rather than metal, therefore more prone to vibration and there is a rather cheap and ineffective felt mat (rather than rubber) on top of the platter. The stylus (needle) is replaceable but is fixed to a ceramic cartridge rather than a MMC (moving magnetic coil) which would have increased the quality (better bass to treble), and the tone arm is fully manual which means it has to be lifted (with the small lever) and lowered onto the record and then lifted off again once the record ends.
Worst of all though is that the whole moving parts (platter and arm) are mounted together on a rather rigidly-sprung unit. Better turntables have these mounted independently.
Setting up and connecting to bluetooth speakers is quick and easy. I paired the player with TIBO 2 x 35W stereo active speakers and tried a range of music styles – orchestral classical to rock with some heavy bass. The sound was reasonable, but not particularly full. Treble and bass were acceptable but the sound tended to stick to the middle tones.
For reference I compared the Jam player with another budget (sub £100) unit, the Audio Technica LP60 using a bluetooth sender connected to the TIBO speakers. The sound was noticeably fuller with much better bass and treble. The LP60 also has all the better attributes (metal platter, rubber matt, MMC cartridge, auto start and return) that the Jam lacked.
I also compared the Jam with a Crosley-style (actually an Akai, but they are all similar) connected via the bluetooth sender to the TIBO speakers. This was noticeably poorer in sound to the Jam, as I would expect considering it cost around £25, but the Akai has an internal lithium battery so is a truly portable self-contained go anywhere player.
If good sound is the requirement, this Jam turntable struggles to keep up with the competition. There are better choices at similar cost. But if reasonable sound and occasional use only are the key factors I would opt for the all-in-one portable players.
It’s great to have such a wide choice of affordable machines on which to play your vinyl records, whether nostalgic for the older generation or retro for the younger, and with careful choice it’s possible to put together a great sounding and budget friendly vinyl player. This one is probably not the best of either of those attributes.
| Brand | JAM |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | FKA Brands |
| Model number | HX-TT400-BK |
| Part Number | HX-TT400-BK |
| Mounting Hardware | Turntable, Dust Cover, Stylus |
| Number Of Items | 1 |
| Speakers Maximum Output Power | 100 Watts |
| Batteries Included | No |
| Batteries Required | No |
| Wireless Type | Bluetooth |
| Total Usb Ports | 1 |
| Connector Type | Bluetooth, Auxiliary |
| Remote Control Included? | No |
| Product Dimensions | 38.1 x 11.81 x 31.75 cm; 2.33 Kilograms |
| Item Weight | 2.33 kg |
| Manufacturer | FKA Brands |
| ASIN | B07WQ9JKCZ |
| Item Model Number | HX-TT400-BK |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | 13 June 2020 |
