I just tested this portable record player — and it is one tasty Sound Burger

When you go to a record fair, you want to test the records you’re about to buy before you head home and discover they’re warped beyond recognition and playability. That’s not easy when most of the best record players are big, cumbersome, and generally need power from a wall.

Enter, then, the Audio Technica Sound Burger, a portable record that is (quite literally) straight out of the 80s. It’s a battery-powered record spinner, with some added modern touches like Bluetooth to make for the perfect vinyl record companion on the go.

Is it compromised? Of course it is, there are only so many ways to get a record player to work when you’re out and about. It’s slightly fiddly on occasion, but it’s absolutely loaded with charm, and its handy outputs push it far above ‘gimmick’ status.

Audio Technica Sound Burger review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? Portable turntable with Bluetooth
• Who is it for? Those who want to play records on the go
• What does it cost? $199/£199/AU$429
• What we like: Great price, solid sound, convenient use
• What we don’t like: The Bluetooth connection can be a pain to get working, and dropping the needle is stressful

Audio Technica Sound Burger review: Price & availability

For a long time, the 80s model of the Sound Burger was something of a collector's piece, commanding hundreds of dollars. Then, the special red reboot that AT released in 2020 was a limited-time thing, again tricky to get hold of.

Now, with the full release Sound Burger in black, yellow, and white, you’ll have no problem laying your hands on one.

In the States, you can get one from Amazon for $199. That’s a pretty special price, ranking it alongside some of the best turntables in the budget price range. Two hundred bucks is cheaper than even some of the beginner non-moveable models, which is a bonus.

It’s the equivalent price in the U.K. at £199 from Amazon, and just as easy to get hold of. It actually makes it a great starter turntable, not just one that’s good for portable use.

Audio Technica Sound Burger review: Design & build

• Fabulous retro style
• Decent build
• Annoying travel screw

The Sound Burger looks retro in a completely different way to most retro throwback tech you’ll see these days. It’s not a typical modern redesign of something old — it’s, quite literally, the original design rereleased with some extra up-to-date touches.

As a result, using the Sound Burger is an interesting anachronism. It looks like you bought it off eBay, doing battle with hundreds of other potential buyers, so that you could get hold of a collectors item. Yet thanks to the Bluetooth connection and built-in USB-C charging battery, it’s a thoroughly 2025 device.

It’s easily one of my favorite retro devices as a result. It’s not trying to look retro, because it is retro.

Build-wise wise it’s a mixture of plastic and metal. The main unit feels well put together for the price, and the metal platter that the center of your records sits on feels sturdy and well-made. There is some slight motor noise during use, but it doesn’t cause any issues during playback.

Unfolding the device for use is easy and intuitive. I found that it clicked into place nicely when I went to play a record, and then folded away with ease when I wanted to put it away. To get a record playing, you need to use the included adapter-cum-clamp, and then close the lid.

Turn it on, and lift the tonearm manually onto the record. It will spin as the tone arm approaches. To stop, lift the tonearm and click it into its rest spot. It’s easy to get used to, although there is some trepidation in getting the needle down without any untoward slippage initially.

There’s a carry handle on the back so that you can cart it around at record fairs. One thing worth noting — at the back, you’ll notice a plastic headed screw. This is the travel screw, and it locks the tonearm in place for travel.

Lose this at your peril. Without it, the tonearm can get jolted out of place in transit, risking potential breakage when it’s in your backpack. It’s a pain. It’s tiny, imminently losable, and takes ages to screw in.

Audio Technica Sound Burger review: Features

• Bluetooth connection
• Range of outputs
• 12 hours of battery

The original Sound Burger used a series of C-cells to power its use — the new model has an internal lithium-ion rechargeable unit. It lasts 12 hours and charges over USB-C in 12 hours. That’s a long charging time.

No quick charge here, unfortunately, so you’ll want to make sure it’s juiced up before you take it anywhere. You can also power it with the USB-C port, so you don’t have to worry about constantly recharging. The battery is a nice extra — although there is part of me that misses the instant changeability of three C-cells.

The biggest modern convenience is the Bluetooth function, and while it’s very useful, it’s also very annoying. As with so many screenless devices that you can connect to Bluetooth speakers, it’s potluck as to what the Sound Burger connects to.

For example, I spent a good twenty minutes getting the Sound Burger hooked up to my Bose SoundLink Home. You turn the device on, initiate Bluetooth with the button on the side, and then do the same with the speaker.

In theory it’s easy, but it can (and will) connect to just about anything in the house that’s ‘doing a Bluetooth.’ I found that it connected to my TV a couple of times before it recognized the speaker sitting a couple of inches away — annoying.

Once connected, there were no issues. It now immediately connects to the speaker when both are turned on. Great for the best headphones and best Bluetooth speakers.

To listen wired you need to plug one of the included cables into the 3.5mm connector on the back of the device. This is good for connecting a stereo system, but don’t use it for wired headphones. This is what’s called a lineout — it sends out a signal at a single, very loud volume level that will deafen you.

If you want to use headphones, buy a separate headphone amp, or connect a pair with a Bluetooth connection. Given how good the Bluetooth connection sounds, it’s no great loss, and it’s more convenient on the go.

Audio Technica Sound Burger review: Sound quality

• Plenty of detail
• Loads of energy
• Lacks low-end

The ATN3600L is a well-documented cartridge, and its signature sound is at the core of the Sound Burger experience. There’s no option to change the cartridge here either. It’s all fixed — although you can thankfully replace the stylus when it starts to go off.

There’s plenty of detail at hand, and even some very pleasing sonic aggression. It’s an energetic presentation, and it works well with the compressed Bluetooth connection. It means that the detail lost between the stylus and speaker are less noticeable, making for one of the best Bluetooth connections I’ve heard in a turntable.

The mids are wide and well proportioned, although they start to tail off towards the lower end of the spectrum. There’s still some low-end impact to enjoy, although the detail focus of the deck tends to take precedence over the bass.

The Sound Burger doesn’t just sound good for the price. I hooked it up to the Tom’s Guide test system (NAD C399, Qacoustics Sub80, a pair of KEF LS50 Meta) and found it did battle pretty well with the U-Turn Orbit Special. That’s a TT that costs twice the price, and it doesn’t need to fold away and fit into a backpack.

Of course, the non-movable model sounded better for the most part, with greater separation and a more engaged low end. But the Sound Burger does a bang-up job in comparison, considering its lower price and restrictions.

Playing over the cable will net you even more detail, but doesn’t do much to the low end. Picky listeners will probably like the sound more — but that kind of listener probably isn’t thinking about buying a portable record player.

Spinning up my copy of Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia highlighted the energy of the dance album. There’s loads of getup and go — the synths and bass guitar that sit in the mids sound great, while Lipa’s vocals cut through the mix with gusto.

Jazz works well on the Sound Burger, although you might miss some of the dynamism of the double bass. The trumpet line of Miles Davis’ So What is expansive and clear, bringing you straight into the action. The drums are rock solid, although some of the impact of the kick drum is lost in places.

Overall, it’s a solid-sounding turntable that manages a very solid job for something that costs what it does. It’s easy to forget that it’s portable.

Audio Technica Sound Burger review: Verdict

Unfolding the Sound Burger into its play position is like going back in time. It’s tactile, it’s fun, and it oozes character. It’s all about having a good time, and taking your music on the go. It excels at its chosen profession, with loads to offer vinyl listeners in a compact, portable package.

There are some hiccups. The Bluetooth connection takes some finagling, and operation needs a delicate touch. In the end, though, it works well not just as a portable option for testing vinyl at a record show, but as a great starter TT for those getting into the hobby. $199 is a great price for a Turntable of any kind, let alone one that goes into your backpack.