The first thing you notice lifting the Kanto OBI3 G2 out of its box is the weight.
It has a thick, heavy plinth that feels far more substantial than anything else we've handled at this price.
This Kanto OBI3 G2 review is a hands-on test by the K&B Audio team. We set it up in our showroom, played records through it wired and over Bluetooth, and tried the most popular stylus upgrade.
If you're buying your first proper turntable, or stepping up from a basic record player, here's what it's really like to live with.
K&B Audio Quick Verdict
RRP: £179.99 (See Latest Pricing)
Pros
- Thick, heavy, very sturdy plinth that looks far from cheap
- Sounds great, especially wired
- Bluetooth plus a switchable built-in phono preamp
- Adjustable counterweight and anti-skate
- Auto-stop protects your stylus
- Cheap £25 stylus upgrade makes a noticeable difference
Cons
- Instructions are poor for a beginner's turntable
- No centre marking on the pitch control
- Fitting the belt is a little fiddly
- More hands-on than a fully automatic turntable
What's in the Box
- Turntable, with the dust cover and Audio-Technica AT3600L cartridge already fitted
- Platter, with the drive belt already fitted to it
- Counterweight
- Felt slipmat
- 45 RPM adapter
- RCA cable with integrated ground wire
- Power supply
- Quick start guide
Everything you need to play your first record is included. You won't need to buy a cartridge or a separate phono stage to get started.
Kanto OBI3 G2 Key Specifications
- Drive: Belt drive with speed sensor
- Speeds: 33⅓ & 45 RPM, with ±10% pitch control
- Operation: Manual, with cue-activated start & auto-stop
- Tonearm: J-shaped, with adjustable counterweight & anti-skate
- Cartridge: Audio-Technica AT3600L moving magnet
- Platter: Weighted aluminium
- Plinth: Engineered wood
- Outputs: RCA with switchable phono preamp, Bluetooth 5.3 (transmit)
- Feet: Non-adjustable
- Dimensions (W × D × H): 43.2 × 36.3 × 12.4 cm
- Weight: 5.5 kg
- Finishes: Black, White, Green, Ice Blue & Walnut
Specifications are taken from Kanto's official spec sheet and user manual.
First Impressions & Setup
We never thought we'd say this about a retail box, but the OBI3 G2's box is genuinely nice to look at. It's also extremely well packaged, we'd be amazed if one arrived damaged.
Setup is quick. The lid and cartridge come already fitted, and the belt is already attached to the platter, so there are only three jobs to do:
- Place the platter on the spindle.
- Loop the belt over the motor pulley.
- Screw the counterweight onto the back of the tonearm, lined up with the etched mark.
Getting a finger under the belt to lift it over the pulley is a little fiddly. A ribbon around the belt for that first install would have made life easier.
Our biggest gripe is the instructions. The box only includes a quick start guide, which tells you next to nothing. Even the full user manual doesn't explain how to fit the belt or the counterweight.
We found setup straightforward, but a first-time turntable owner could easily be left with questions. For a deck aimed at entry-level buyers, that feels like an oversight.
Don't get me wrong, it's not hard to set up at all but if you've never seen a counterweight before then you might have some questions (which we'll happily answer!)
Hands-On Performance
Sound Quality
With the standard stylus, the OBI3 G2 sounds great. It's very good quality and, honestly, quite impressive for the price.
We paired it with a set of Kanto YU active speakers, and it's a cracking combination. We genuinely struggle to think of a better-specced turntable and speaker pairing at this price.
Tracking was faultless. We had no skipping or tracking issues at all, and the platter spins really smoothly, no wobble here!
Speed & Pitch Control
The speed selector on the right-hand side switches between 33, 45 and off.
Speed selection is electronic, so there's no need to move the belt when switching between 33 and 45.
Next to it is a ±10% pitch control.
Kanto says the built-in speed sensor keeps playback accurate. In our testing it plays precisely, and once set, the speed held steady.
Our one niggle is that the pitch knob has no centre marking, so it's hard to tell when it's at exactly the right speed. We set ours to 33 RPM using a speed app on a phone. It works, but a simple centre mark would save the hassle.
Cue-Activated Start & Auto-Stop
Once you've selected a speed, the platter stays still. Move the tonearm across towards the record and the platter starts spinning, then use the cue lever to gently lower the stylus.
Auto-stop is a feature we really like. When a side ends, the platter simply stops, so you won't come back to a record spinning endlessly and a stylus wearing away in the run-out groove.
You do still need to lift the tonearm back yourself, this is a manual turntable with a couple of helpful safety nets, not a fully automatic one.
Counterweight & Anti-Skate
The counterweight simply screws on, and there's no numbered dial. Tracking force is set by where the weight sits on the arm.
Kanto makes this easier by etching a line on the tonearm.
We lined the counterweight up with it, left the anti-skate at zero, and it played correctly and sounded fine. As a quick setup, the line is accurate.
To get it spot on, we'd still recommend a stylus tracking force scale. Kanto's own TT-AKIT alignment kit includes one, along with a protractor and bubble level.
Bluetooth
Connecting over Bluetooth is simple:
- Select the Bluetooth mode using the switch on the back. The discreet indicator light on the plinth, just above the pitch control, starts flashing blue.
- Put your speakers or headphones into pairing mode.
- The two find each other and connect.
Our tip is to switch off any other nearby Bluetooth devices first, so the turntable connects to the speakers you actually want.
Kanto quotes a range of up to 10 metres. In our experience, 5 to 8 metres is realistic. We streamed to bookshelf speakers close by, and to Bluetooth speakers about 5 metres away in a different room, and both played absolutely fine.
Wired is definitely better quality than Bluetooth but, Bluetooth sounded great, and if your turntable needs to live away from your speakers it's more than adequate.
Connections & Built-In Preamp
Round the back you'll find the RCA outputs, a ground terminal, the power input, and a Bluetooth/wired switch.
We really like that Bluetooth switch! If you're using a wired setup, you don't want Bluetooth running in the background, and here you can simply turn it off.
The built-in phono preamp is switchable. Leave it on to connect straight to powered speakers or a standard amplifier input. If your amp or speakers have their own phono stage, switch it off and use theirs instead.
We found the built-in preamp pretty decent and really good at this price level. We had no hum or grounding issues at all.
One oddity is that the ground terminal sits on the opposite side from the RCA sockets. The supplied cable is long enough, but bear it in mind if you switch to an aftermarket cable.
Build & Design
The OBI3 G2 is a very nice-looking turntable.
The plinth is thick, heavy and very sturdy, sturdier than any other turntable we've seen at this price, and nothing about it looks cheap.
The tonearm and its surrounds look smart and feel good quality, the platter is decent and the lid is nice.
The "Designed in Canada" lettering on the back is a lovely little touch.
We tested the Walnut finish, which looks lovely and suits most speakers but it also comes in Black, White, Ice Blue and a really nice Green so whatever your tastes are, there's an OBI3 to suit you.
Upgrade Options
One of the OBI3 G2's strengths is that it can grow with you.
- Stylus upgrade: the Audio-Technica ATN3600LE elliptical stylus costs just £25 and simply swaps in. We tried it and the difference is noticeable, with a more refined sound and better clarity. For £25, it's well worth it.
- External phono stage: switch off the built-in preamp and add a dedicated phono stage for a further improvement.
- Cartridge upgrade: the headshell isn't removable, but the cartridge is held on by screws, so it can be replaced. An Audio-Technica VM95 series cartridge could be a good option, as it opens up a whole range of stylus upgrades.
If you do change the cartridge, a tracking force scale becomes essential rather than optional. Audio-Technica specifies 3.0 to 4.0 g for the supplied stylus, but just 1.8 to 2.2 g for the VM95E.
That means the etched line on the tonearm no longer applies, and with no numbered dial on the counterweight, a scale is the only way to set it correctly.
We haven't fitted a VM95 to the OBI3 G2 ourselves, so give us a call first if you're planning this upgrade.
How the OBI3 G2 Compares
Versus the Original OBI3
The first-generation OBI3 launched in late 2025 but never made it onto our shelves.
Before we got the chance, Kanto released this second generation with some serious upgrades, this shows how much thought and effort has gone into making the OBI3 a winning turntable.
Based on Kanto's published changes, the original had a fixed counterweight and internally preset anti-skate. The G2 makes both adjustable, and adds the speed sensor, electronic speed selection, cue-activated start and auto-stop.
It's also noticeably heavier, at 5.5 kg compared with 3.9 kg for the original. (heavier is better!)
Versus the Alternatives
Prices below are our own at the time of writing.
Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT (£219): it's fully automatic, so setup and everyday use are simpler. But it's a more plasticky-looking deck, not as nice as the Kanto, and in our opinion the Kanto sounds better. We'd choose the OBI3 G2 every time unless you need the fully automatic functions.
TEAC TN-180BT-A3 (£199.99): the closest rival in spec and style, and a great turntable. Our choice would still be the Kanto.
Pro-Ject E1.2 BT (£399): a genuine step up in sound quality and performance. It's acoustically the better turntable and will sound better, and it looks good too. It isn't as sturdy or as good-looking as the Kanto, though, and it costs more than twice as much.
In short, if you want the best outright sound quality, go for the Pro-Ject.
If you want fully automatic, go for the LP70XBT.
If you want a traditional, good-looking, proper turntable with a bit of adjustability and upgradability without breaking the bank, the Kanto is the one to go for.
Who the Kanto OBI3 G2 Is Best For
- First-time buyers who want a proper turntable: you get real counterweight and anti-skate adjustment to learn on, with auto-stop as a safety net.
- Upgraders from a basic record player: a big step up in build, looks and sound, without a big jump in price.
- Anyone who wants wired and wireless: the switchable preamp and Bluetooth mean it works with powered speakers, a traditional amp or Bluetooth speakers in another room.
- Buyers who want room to grow: cheap stylus upgrades, the option of an external phono stage and a replaceable cartridge mean you won't outgrow it quickly.
Known Limitations
- It isn't fully automatic. You lower and return the tonearm yourself.
- No aptX or LDAC listed. Kanto doesn't specify any higher-quality Bluetooth codecs.
- No USB output. You can't use it to digitise your records.
- Non-adjustable feet. Place it on a level, stable surface.
Final Thoughts
We've been waiting for the release of the Kanto OBI3 G2 for a long time now, and we're pleased to say that it lived up to our expectations.
It's a good-looking, good-sounding turntable with build quality that punches well above its price.
Setup is a touch more involved than a fully automatic deck, and the instructions could be much better.
If you're happy to spend a few minutes fitting the belt and counterweight, though, this is a much better route into vinyl.
Take a closer look at the Kanto OBI3 G2 turntable, or get everything in one box with our Kanto OBI3 G2 and YU speaker bundle, £359 at the time of writing.
You can also browse our full range of Bluetooth turntables.
Kanto OBI3 G2 FAQs
Does the Kanto OBI3 G2 need a separate amplifier?
It doesn't need a separate phono stage, because one is built in. It does need something to power your speakers, such as powered (active) speakers, an amplifier, or Bluetooth speakers or headphones.
Can I connect the Kanto OBI3 G2 to passive speakers?
Not directly. Passive speakers need an amplifier. Connect the OBI3 G2 to an amplifier first, or choose powered speakers such as the Kanto YU instead.
Is the Kanto OBI3 G2 good for beginners?
Yes, with one caveat. It's easy to set up and use, and auto-stop protects your stylus. The instructions are thin, though, so a complete beginner may want to watch a setup video or give us a call.
Is the Kanto OBI3 G2 fully automatic?
No. It's a manual turntable with cue-activated start and auto-stop. You place and lift the tonearm yourself, but the platter starts and stops on its own.
What's the best upgrade for the Kanto OBI3 G2?
The Audio-Technica ATN3600LE elliptical stylus is the easiest win. It costs £25, swaps in without tools and made a noticeable difference to clarity in our testing.
How far does the Kanto OBI3 G2's Bluetooth reach?
Kanto quotes up to 10 metres. In our experience, 5 to 8 metres is realistic, and we streamed happily to speakers about 5 metres away in another room.
