It isn’t often we find a decent turntable deal. Prices for Bluetooth speakers and wireless headphones go up and down like a yo-yo, but it’s far rarer that a decent spinner will see a drop that’s worth your time and attention.
This drop, however, is a lot more than a few measly pounds. The JBL TT350 Classic has plummeted from its £999 RRP to just £449 at Peter Tyson with a VIP membership, a quite stunning saving of £550. If you don’t have (or sign up for) that VIP membership, it’s still down to £499 – tasty.
Best JBL TT350 Classic turntable deal
Normally, we don’t recommend three-star products, even if they’re on a deal. There are usually finer alternatives available, and we generally like to point our customers towards products that are really worth their time.
This JBL TT350 Classic deal, however, is something of an exception. You see, we evaluate hi-fi on a ‘sound-per-pound’ basis, assessing how well a product performs for the price paid. At £999, we don’t think the TT350 Classic is quite up to par with its key rivals, but at £449? That’s a whole different bucket of monkeys.
JBL has unquestionably produced a very nicely made, easy to use deck. It’s aluminium front panel plus a walnut veneered plinth makes for a lovely combination, while there are only two buttons you really need to worry about: a speed toggle and an on/off power button. Simplicity’s the name of the game here, and you couldn’t get many simpler decks than JBL’s handsome spinner.
There’s no built-in phono stage, but what you do get is JBL’s die-cast tonearm supporting a supplied Audio-Technica AT-VM95E moving magnet cartridge pre-installed on the arm’s removable head shell. Calibrating to the appropriate tracking weight, by the way, is not a tricky process, so newbies needn’t fret.
For this massively reduced price, the JBL will get the job done sonically. At £999, we would’ve liked greater intensity and a more acute sense of dynamics and rhythmic drive, but our expectations are far more tempered at £449.
The Classic is a smooth, even-handed performer, and there’s a fullness and density to the music that never leaves us feeling short-changed in terms of detail. This is a smooth, organised and coherent spinner, all qualities we wouldn’t necessary expect for under £500.
Check the JBL TT350 Classic out now at Peter Tyson.
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