With so many people buying record players like the Crosley Cruiser for Christmas, I thought this is worth a mention as it's essentially the same thing but cheaper!.It also has the benefit of a built in Li-ion battery, so can be used on Mains or taken out and about and run on battery ...retro 50s / 60s picnic?
I know these things get slated by keen record enthusiasts, myself included as I used to sell the famous Technics SL-1200's back in the day, but for an all in one solution that looks good, and sounds pretty good with older vinyl, I think it's a great buy for only £34.99.Sometimes we need to stop worrying about the audio quality, and just enjoy the music as we all have such different tastes anyway, and for that purpose this does the job, just make sure you properly clean the vinyl before playing, and handle with care.BTW, as this has a 3 speed turntable, this'll play 7" or 12" Singles, LP's and even 78's.
I don't know about anyone else, but I tend to only use 24studio at Christmas, most of the time their stuff is a rip, so added one of these to my order, otherwise it's £4.99 for the P&P per order, not item. even if in my case, they send all 4 items via 3 different couriers!
It comes in Purple, Duck Egg, or Brown, and also worth mentioning that it has a RCA Aux output, so you can get much better sound by hooking up to your amp or Aux input of your system, and likewise the record player has an AUX input as well, so you could play your Smartphone / iPod though it, or maybe to keep it retro, a Walkman!
From the site, here's the features:
Handmade wooden/MDF cabinet with PU leather-effect wrapping
• Three speed 33/45/78 belt drive record player with auto stop
• 1.2 watts RMS power output per channel
• Built-in stereo speakers
• 3.5mm headphone socket
• AUX in socket
• RCA output
• Includes rechargeable battery for outdoor operation (Mine has just arrived, and I can tell you it's a 2000mAh battery)
• Complete with carrying handle
16 comments
lozp
30 Sep 16#16
Does the battery charge itself when you,ve got it plugged into the electrics?
HAL2000
30 Dec 15#15
No, it doesn't come with a slip mat, the record sits on the 3 pads, which isn't such a bad thing actually as less contact with the record surface is better as long as the platter is able to keep the record in place and not slip.
ajcajc
16 Dec 15#12
I just bought this as a gift - is it going to scratch all the records?
HAL2000 to ajcajc
30 Dec 15#14
Don't panic! No, it's not, as long as some precautions are observed, so take a look at my long post which may help.
paully
5 Dec 15#11
do you not need a special needle to play 78s?
misteraadam
5 Dec 152#10
PLEASE DON'T BUY THIS if you actually care about your vinyls. They WILL scratch the s**t out of them. Trust me.
HAL2000 to misteraadam
30 Dec 153#13
I'm afraid to say, that whilst with some turntables that could be true, it also has a lot to do with the condition of the vinyl record, and whether it was a good pressing.I have a lot of experience with turntables having sold Panasonic/Technics in the 80s, and whilst this one will in no way compare to one of those, it is very convenient, however the general rules for playing remain the same as with all turntables if you want the best experience, and not damage your vinyl.So whilst I'm no audiophile turntable expert, I just like to enjoy my music and the experience that goes with it, here's a few of my tips which may be useful, and have served me well since my dad let me play my records on his Sony Music Centre in the late 70s!
Firstly, clean your vinyl, especially if you've just picked it up in a charity shop or eBay, this is very important as the tracks or grooves on the record itself are very fine, especially on an LP, so you don't want any dirt or grime to move the needle.How to do this is up to you, there are certainly lots of expensive gadgets and fluids, but I wash my vinyl in soapy water with a soft cloth wiping around the disc not across (not too hot it may distort! and avoid making the label damp), rinse, dry carefully with a microfibre cloth or very soft towel, and then carefully place in it's inner sleeve avoiding touching the surface, within the main sleeve, and then you'll only need to give a light dust off perhaps before playing.
Look at your vinyl! hold using the centre label and outer edge, or opposite outer edges, you don't want grease from your fingers on the record, and inspect for any damage, ripples, or major scratches, if it has any then these could indeed cause the tonearm to jump which may damage the stylus or cause more scratching to your vinyl, so either bin :disappointed: or just avoid playing that section of the record :smiley:.Also check the pressing, does the record rotate on the platter so that it appears to lay mostly flat? that's good.If it appears to wave or undulate, then it's either a bad pressing or perhaps heat damaged, I can vaguely remember an episode of Blue Peter making something like a bowl out of a vinyl record by heating it in hot water which makes it very pliable, good fun for an unusual gift idea perhaps, but unless the record is as flat as possible, the tonearm is going to have a hard time keep on track, and ripples may jog the stylus out of the groove and possibly scratch the surface.
Clean the stylus itself with a very fine soft bristle brush, I use a small infants toothbrush not side to side, but with a light back to front motion.
Lastly, do not be tempted to place coins or weights on the tone arm or cartridge to offset a poorly pressed record, you're just creating more wear on the stylus and record, and unfortunately that's the nature of vinyl, just like tapes shed oxide.
If all that hasn't put you off vinyl records or turntables, you'll be pleased to know that unlike CD's they are more forgiving if they do have fine scratches, and although it all sounds like hard work, it's not difficult to keep your records in tip top condition.
Be honest, what would you rather own for your money? a music download that sits on your phone, is digital so has great sound quality and convenience, but you have nothing to show for it.Or a 12" LP, which you can actually physically hold in your hand and admire, keep on a shelf to build a collection, and feel like you've got something for your money, not to mention the difference in sound.
Back to this deal I posted, and I have to say it's a great little unit for the price.Sure the case itself is a bit cheap, but looks good all the same with the chrome fittings, and actually the fact it can be recharged and used cordless is very useful.As a take and play anywhere solution for playing records I think it's brilliant, just like my very first old Dansette way back in the 70s from a jumble sale.Sure the speakers are very limited in output and range, and it's all plastic, not the finely balanced lump of Chrome I had on my old Technics, and certainly no stroboscope for adjusting the pitch, but you know what, that doesn't matter (You can hook up to your amp or HiFi BTW), I can switch of my critical HiFi hearing for a while, and just enjoy listening to my records again after all these years, and that's as much about the experience as it is the music or quality.Despite all the horror stories with all the Audiophiles claiming this will destroy my vinyl, I've been using this everyday since Christmas, and not had a single incident of the tone arm either jumping or the stylus scratching my vinyl, although as you can tell my records have been well looked after which obviously helps.If you're considering buying new vinyl which is relatively expensive then you'll obviously want something better if you want to take it seriously and fully appreciate, or at least hook up to some decent speakers, but for me it was just a way of listening to my old collection again wherever I wanted, and for that purpose this performs brilliantly.
Sorry, it's taken so long, but I hope this helps balance out the pros and cons of this record player, and similar.It's taken me many years to shake off being so critical of everything, it's what I was trained for in consumer electronics sales, great for my sales, but ruined my experience of watching and listening, as I was constantly observing, and trying to find perfection in everything, instead of enjoying.Now, after all these years and with much less disposable income than I had then, and perhaps less interest, I find that at last I can mostly just enjoy for what it is.
Hamcob
5 Dec 15#9
We purchased a Crosley Cruiser turntable for occasional use and was very disappointed in the sound quality when plugged into a HiFi Amp.
The finish was a bit poor on the outer casing too, so we had a refund.
rbz5416
5 Dec 15#7
Anyone got one of these? Can't make out in this pic on if it's been taken with the turntable mat missing or if the record really does just sit on three points.
Used the new customer code (073) to take it down to £29.98 inc. p&p, so very happy, thanks!
burnsey602
5 Dec 15#2
Good find, keep vinyl alive!!
HAL2000 to burnsey602
5 Dec 151#3
Indeed.I love new technology, and have masses of CD's, but I also have a large collection of records as well, and although the sound quality itself is obviously not as good, there is something very special about the process of placing a record, lowering the tone arm, and enjoying a different listening experience whilst admiring the album covers artwork.Music downloads may be the future, but the purchasing & listening experience just isn't the same now.Some albums really do benefit from being remastered on CD like all my Jean Michel Jarre stuff, but some music just sounds better or right on vinyl.
whingygit
5 Dec 151#1
Spot on,can't imagine old reggae,ska being played properly without a jump,scratch on anything else! Heat added
Opening post
I know these things get slated by keen record enthusiasts, myself included as I used to sell the famous Technics SL-1200's back in the day, but for an all in one solution that looks good, and sounds pretty good with older vinyl, I think it's a great buy for only £34.99.Sometimes we need to stop worrying about the audio quality, and just enjoy the music as we all have such different tastes anyway, and for that purpose this does the job, just make sure you properly clean the vinyl before playing, and handle with care.BTW, as this has a 3 speed turntable, this'll play 7" or 12" Singles, LP's and even 78's.
I don't know about anyone else, but I tend to only use 24studio at Christmas, most of the time their stuff is a rip, so added one of these to my order, otherwise it's £4.99 for the P&P per order, not item. even if in my case, they send all 4 items via 3 different couriers!
It comes in Purple, Duck Egg, or Brown, and also worth mentioning that it has a RCA Aux output, so you can get much better sound by hooking up to your amp or Aux input of your system, and likewise the record player has an AUX input as well, so you could play your Smartphone / iPod though it, or maybe to keep it retro, a Walkman!
From the site, here's the features:
Handmade wooden/MDF cabinet with PU leather-effect wrapping
• Three speed 33/45/78 belt drive record player with auto stop
• 1.2 watts RMS power output per channel
• Built-in stereo speakers
• 3.5mm headphone socket
• AUX in socket
• RCA output
• Includes rechargeable battery for outdoor operation (Mine has just arrived, and I can tell you it's a 2000mAh battery)
• Complete with carrying handle
16 comments
Firstly, clean your vinyl, especially if you've just picked it up in a charity shop or eBay, this is very important as the tracks or grooves on the record itself are very fine, especially on an LP, so you don't want any dirt or grime to move the needle.How to do this is up to you, there are certainly lots of expensive gadgets and fluids, but I wash my vinyl in soapy water with a soft cloth wiping around the disc not across (not too hot it may distort! and avoid making the label damp), rinse, dry carefully with a microfibre cloth or very soft towel, and then carefully place in it's inner sleeve avoiding touching the surface, within the main sleeve, and then you'll only need to give a light dust off perhaps before playing.
Look at your vinyl! hold using the centre label and outer edge, or opposite outer edges, you don't want grease from your fingers on the record, and inspect for any damage, ripples, or major scratches, if it has any then these could indeed cause the tonearm to jump which may damage the stylus or cause more scratching to your vinyl, so either bin :disappointed: or just avoid playing that section of the record :smiley:.Also check the pressing, does the record rotate on the platter so that it appears to lay mostly flat? that's good.If it appears to wave or undulate, then it's either a bad pressing or perhaps heat damaged, I can vaguely remember an episode of Blue Peter making something like a bowl out of a vinyl record by heating it in hot water which makes it very pliable, good fun for an unusual gift idea perhaps, but unless the record is as flat as possible, the tonearm is going to have a hard time keep on track, and ripples may jog the stylus out of the groove and possibly scratch the surface.
Clean the stylus itself with a very fine soft bristle brush, I use a small infants toothbrush not side to side, but with a light back to front motion.
Lastly, do not be tempted to place coins or weights on the tone arm or cartridge to offset a poorly pressed record, you're just creating more wear on the stylus and record, and unfortunately that's the nature of vinyl, just like tapes shed oxide.
If all that hasn't put you off vinyl records or turntables, you'll be pleased to know that unlike CD's they are more forgiving if they do have fine scratches, and although it all sounds like hard work, it's not difficult to keep your records in tip top condition.
Be honest, what would you rather own for your money? a music download that sits on your phone, is digital so has great sound quality and convenience, but you have nothing to show for it.Or a 12" LP, which you can actually physically hold in your hand and admire, keep on a shelf to build a collection, and feel like you've got something for your money, not to mention the difference in sound.
Back to this deal I posted, and I have to say it's a great little unit for the price.Sure the case itself is a bit cheap, but looks good all the same with the chrome fittings, and actually the fact it can be recharged and used cordless is very useful.As a take and play anywhere solution for playing records I think it's brilliant, just like my very first old Dansette way back in the 70s from a jumble sale.Sure the speakers are very limited in output and range, and it's all plastic, not the finely balanced lump of Chrome I had on my old Technics, and certainly no stroboscope for adjusting the pitch, but you know what, that doesn't matter (You can hook up to your amp or HiFi BTW), I can switch of my critical HiFi hearing for a while, and just enjoy listening to my records again after all these years, and that's as much about the experience as it is the music or quality.Despite all the horror stories with all the Audiophiles claiming this will destroy my vinyl, I've been using this everyday since Christmas, and not had a single incident of the tone arm either jumping or the stylus scratching my vinyl, although as you can tell my records have been well looked after which obviously helps.If you're considering buying new vinyl which is relatively expensive then you'll obviously want something better if you want to take it seriously and fully appreciate, or at least hook up to some decent speakers, but for me it was just a way of listening to my old collection again wherever I wanted, and for that purpose this performs brilliantly.
Sorry, it's taken so long, but I hope this helps balance out the pros and cons of this record player, and similar.It's taken me many years to shake off being so critical of everything, it's what I was trained for in consumer electronics sales, great for my sales, but ruined my experience of watching and listening, as I was constantly observing, and trying to find perfection in everything, instead of enjoying.Now, after all these years and with much less disposable income than I had then, and perhaps less interest, I find that at last I can mostly just enjoy for what it is.
The finish was a bit poor on the outer casing too, so we had a refund.