Kanto Obi3G2 Turntable Arrives Less Than a Year After the Original. What Changed?

Ten months is not a very long product cycle for a turntable. Kanto introduced its first record player, the Obi3, in October 2025 for $199.99, and less than a year later the Canadian manufacturer is already replacing it with the Obi3G2 for $249.99. That might sound like the kind of generational update that involves a new finish, a revised logo, and some marketing copy, but Kanto has actually addressed several of the original model’s limitations.

The Obi3G2 remains an entry-level belt-drive turntable with Bluetooth 5.3, a switchable phono preamp, weighted aluminum platter, engineered-wood plinth, aluminum J-shaped tonearm, and pre-installed Audio-Technica AT3600L moving-magnet cartridge. However, Kanto has added a sensor-controlled drive system, adjustable tracking force and anti-skate, electronic speed selection, cue-activated start, and auto-stop while increasing the mass of the turntable considerably.

For an extra $50, that is substantially more interesting than another color.

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What Changed From the Original Kanto Obi3?

The original Obi3 offered a fixed counterweight and internally preset, non-adjustable anti-skate. That kept setup simple, but it also removed much of the adjustment that separates a traditional turntable from a more appliance-like record player. The Obi3G2 replaces both with an adjustable counterweight and dedicated anti-skate control, allowing owners to properly set tracking force and make adjustments themselves.

Kanto has also replaced the original belt-drive system with a sensor-controlled belt drive that continuously monitors motor speed. Electronic selection switches between 33⅓ and 45 RPM without requiring users to move the belt manually, while Kanto specifies wow and flutter at less than 0.15% WRMS. The ±10% pitch adjustment from the original model remains.

Auto-stop is another useful addition. The Obi3G2 remains a manual turntable, so users still position and lower the tonearm themselves, but the platter stops at the end of a record rather than leaving the stylus running indefinitely in the lead-out groove. That provides some of the convenience beginners may want without turning the Obi3G2 into a fully automatic design.

The physical changes are also substantial. The original Obi3 weighed 8.6 pounds (3.9 kg), while the Obi3G2 weighs 12.1 pounds (5.5 kg). Kanto attributes the additional mass and more substantial plinth to improved vibration control. The G2 is also slightly larger at 17 x 14.3 x 4.9 inches compared with 15.7 x 14 x 3.7 inches for the original.

What Hasn’t Changed?

Kanto wisely left some things alone. The Obi3G2 retains the Audio-Technica AT3600L, a basic but proven moving-magnet cartridge commonly found on affordable turntables. It also retains the weighted aluminum platter, J-shaped aluminum tonearm, cue lever, Bluetooth 5.3 output, ±10% pitch control, and switchable phono preamp.

That last feature makes the Obi3G2 particularly flexible. Set the output to line level and it can connect directly to powered loudspeakers or any amplifier with a standard analog input. Switch the internal preamp out of the signal path and it can be connected to an integrated amplifier, receiver, or external phono preamp with a dedicated phono input. Bluetooth 5.3 also allows wireless playback through compatible powered speakers or headphones.

Kanto has not specified support for higher-quality Bluetooth codecs such as aptX or LDAC, however, and there is no USB output for digitizing records. Buyers looking for those features will need to consider alternatives.

Kanto Obi3G2 Specifications:

• Drive: Belt drive with speed sensor
• Speeds: 33⅓ and 45 RPM
• Wow & Flutter: <0.15% WRMS, DIN weighted
• Pitch Control: ±10%
• Cartridge: Audio-Technica AT3600L
• Tonearm: Aluminum J-shaped
• Counterweight: Adjustable
• Anti-Skate: Adjustable
• Operation: Manual cueing with cue-activated start and auto-stop
• Platter: Weighted aluminum
• Plinth: Engineered wood
• Phono Preamp: Built-in, switchable
• Wireless: Bluetooth 5.3 output
• Wired Output: RCA
• Dimensions: 17 x 14.3 x 4.9 inches
• Weight: 12.1 pounds
• Finishes: Black, White, Green, Ice Blue, Walnut

What Makes the Obi3G2 Different?

No single feature on the Obi3G2 is revolutionary. The combination at $249.99 is what makes it interesting.

Most entry-level turntables lean toward one of two approaches. Some emphasize convenience with fully automatic operation, fixed tonearm settings, built-in phono stages, and Bluetooth. Others provide a more traditional manual experience but eliminate Bluetooth and often charge extra for an internal phono preamp.

The Obi3G2 lands between those two camps. Buyers get Bluetooth and a built-in phono stage, but they also get an adjustable counterweight, adjustable anti-skate, manual cueing, electronic speed selection, sensor-controlled speed regulation, auto-stop, and an aluminum platter.

That gives beginners something they can learn on without requiring them to replace the entire turntable as soon as they become more comfortable with analog playback.

The Competition

The Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT ($299 at Crutchfield) is probably the most obvious mainstream rival at $299. It is fully automatic, includes Bluetooth with aptX Adaptive, has a switchable phono preamp, and uses Audio-Technica’s AT-VM95C cartridge body, which supports the company’s broad VM95 stylus family. The tradeoff is that its cartridge body is fixed and the turntable is designed around simplicity rather than user-adjustable tracking force and anti-skate.

The U-Turn Orbit Basic starts at the same $249 price and takes the opposite approach. It is a more traditional analog design with U-Turn’s new OA3 magnesium tonearm, adjustable counterweight, internal anti-skate, and AT91B cartridge, but the standard $249 configuration does not include Bluetooth, a phono preamp, or even a cue lever. Those can matter less to experienced listeners but make the Obi3G2 considerably more complete out of the box.

Sony’s new PS-LX3BT is another alternative for buyers who prioritize convenience. It is fully automatic, includes Bluetooth and a built-in phono EQ, and carries a $399.99 regular price, although Sony is currently selling it for $349.99. It requires considerably less interaction from the user, but it also costs substantially more than the Kanto.

Pro-Ject’s E1 family represents another step toward the traditional audiophile approach, with manual belt-drive operation and versions offering an internal phono stage or Bluetooth. The E1 BT includes Bluetooth 5.0, a phono preamp, electronic 33/45 RPM switching, an aluminum tonearm, and Ortofon OM5e cartridge, but it is fundamentally aimed at buyers who favor a more conventional European turntable design.

Who Should Consider the Kanto Obi3G2?

The Obi3G2 makes the most sense for first-time turntable buyers who want convenience without buying something they will immediately outgrow. Bluetooth makes it easy to use with wireless headphones or powered speakers, while the internal phono stage removes the need for another component when getting started.

The adjustable tonearm setup also gives new vinyl listeners an opportunity to learn how tracking force and anti-skate actually work. That matters if the goal is eventually to move into better cartridges, external phono stages, amplifiers, and more ambitious systems rather than treating the turntable as another wireless appliance.

Buyers who want completely automatic operation should look toward Audio-Technica or Sony. Those primarily interested in maximizing traditional analog performance and who have no use for Bluetooth may find the U-Turn Orbit Basic or an entry-level Pro-Ject more appealing.

The Bottom Line

When we covered the original Obi3 in October 2025, we wondered whether Kanto had created one of the first new turntables under $200 actually worth considering. The Obi3G2 costs $50 more, but the additional money buys considerably more than a new badge.

The sensor-controlled motor, adjustable counterweight and anti-skate, electronic speed selection, auto-stop, and heavier construction address meaningful weaknesses of the first generation while retaining Bluetooth, a switchable phono stage, and the AT3600L cartridge.

At $249.99, the Obi3G2 faces stronger competition, but its combination of manual turntable control and modern convenience is unusual at the price. It is not the best choice for someone who wants one-button automatic operation, nor is it pretending to be an audiophile turntable costing three times as much. For someone building a first real record system and wanting enough adjustability to learn along the way, however, Kanto has made the second generation considerably more convincing than the first.

Price & Availability

The Kanto Obi3G2 is available now for $249.99 at Amazon. Worldwide availability is scheduled for early September at £179.99 in the UK, €199.99 in Europe, and AU$349.99 in Australia.

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