A breed of Blue-bloods

Not long ago, clever people working in hi-fi design mated the traditional record deck with modern wireless technology to create the Bluetooth turntable. We look at six of the best

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Darwin would have been proud. From its humble beginnings in the early days of sound reproduction, that perennial species known, among other names, as the record player has continually adapted to its environment and learned to thrive.

From Thomas Edison's basic 19th-century phonograph to the sophisticated turntables of the modern era, this ingenius device has consistently evolved to interact with other species in the hi-fi ecosystem to perfect its form, fend off the territorial challenges of rival technologies and ensure its own survival.

And today, its evolution continues in the shape of the Bluetooth turntable, which combines all the benefits of a traditional record deck with the convenience of a wireless connection.

If you love vinyl as a format but don't relish the prospect of yards of wiring or multiple boxes, a Bluetooth turntable could be just what you're looking for. All you need to do is pair your chosen deck with some wireless headphones or speakers, and off you go. That level of convenience and flexibility is what makes a Bluetooth turntable a tempting proposition for anyone entering the world of vinyl for the first time, or for those who are looking to save space. And if you also want the option of playing your records using a wired connection, all models can do that too.

That's all great, but there are one or two things to bear in mind when it comes to a Bluetooth turntable. The first is that the quality of the mechanicals is just as important as on a conventional deck; the physics of the thing, after all, doesn't change.

Second, you will need to manage your expections somewhat when it comes to sound quality. Pound for pound, a Bluetooth turntable will simply not sound as good as its wired equivalent because of the inherent sonic limitations of the wireless technology.