The best record players of CES 2022 prove vinyl’s still groovy
The best record players of CES 2022 prove vinyl'southward still groovy
CES is always the best time to notice exciting new technologies. Withal, the products that stole the testify this twelvemonth were more of the vintage multifariousness: record players.
Record players - or turntables - accept been enjoying a steady rise in popularity over the past few years, with revenue from vinyl sales growing 94% in the Usa in 2021. Vast numbers of vinyl enthusiasts quondam and new are digging deep into their dust-collecting tape collections and finding joy over again in the quondam engineering science.
Whether vinyl's rise star is down to people seeking a more than tangible approach to music in a world of streaming or a collective nostalgia for all things retro, there's no doubt about it: records and their players are hither to stay. And CES 2022 has fabricated that very clear.
The most interesting record players showcased at the Las Vegas tech expo combined the very best elements of physical music playing - the tangibility, the warm audio of crackling vinyl - with the kind of modern conveniences we've come to expect from our audio devices.
Chief among these conveniences is wireless Bluetooth connectivity. Information technology's been a while since we've seen a new turntable enter the marketplace without some kind of wireless capability, and the models unveiled at CES proved but how crucial this spec is to everyone – from those ownership their first cheap deck to the hardcore vinyl lovers who can tell yous the right way to calibrate a tonearm without blinking an centre.
Bluetooth with bells on
One such model is the Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2, a follow-up to the showtime-ever turntable to come with aptX HD Bluetooth connectivity (and therefore the ability to stream hi-res sound). The new Alva TT V2 has had a few enhancements to brand information technology more than appealing to seasoned record spinners.
For starters, you can now turn off that earth-shaking Bluetooth transmitter for meliorate audio and more than energy efficiency. This is handy if you're using a wired setup instead of streaming your music to wireless speakers, which, permit's face it, you volition be if you're an audiophile.
The Alva TT V2 is besides more flexible than its predecessor, with Cambridge Audio making it easier for yous to upgrade your setup over fourth dimension. The tonearm has a detachable headshell should you wish to swap information technology out for a better model. A switchable phono stage means you could employ the phono stage from your existing stereo amplifier, for example, or try a different phono phase in the hereafter.
It'll cost yous a pretty penny, though: $1,999 / £one,700 (nearly AU$two,770). While that might exist reasonable for the most dedicated of vinyl enthusiasts, what about those who are new to the format and just want to dip their toes in?
- How to setup a record player
Cheap and cheerful
Enter the Victrola Re-Spin, a cute suitcase turntable that volition retail for just $99.99 / £99 (effectually AU$140) when information technology launches later this year. Coming in a range of bright colors that evoke the candy hues of a Vespa scooter, the Re-Spin is cheap, cheerful, and xx% smaller than nearly other suitcase tape players.
Despite its retro looks, the Re-Spin offers Bluetooth connectivity and has a small built-in speaker, and then you can still hear your vinyl if y'all're abroad from your speakers. And, yes, it'due south portable with a keen conveying handle. It doesn't accept a battery, though, so it will demand to be plugged into the mains if you do have it on a trip.
If the Re-Spin doesn't sound robust enough for your needs and the Alva TT V2 is fashion too pricey, Victrola has another new model that could exist just right. The Victrola Premiere V1 is an all-in-i music arrangement that can spin your records, stream your vinyl wirelessly to an external Bluetooth speaker, and even boost your Tv'south audio.
It combines a turntable with born stereo speakers and a wireless subwoofer, eliminating the need for lots of annoying cables snaking effectually the room from your tape actor to your amp and speakers.
Coming in at $499 / £399 (well-nigh AU$700), the Premiere V1 feels similar a good middle ground between CES's cheapest and most expensive turntables - and it has all the modern trappings you lot'd want from a record role player in 2022.
What's next for tape players?
The tape player industry is in a strong identify, with vinyl sales continuing to rise and technological advances making a traditional audio device much more than appealing to today's music fans.
While we can't say for sure how turntables volition develop over the next few years, nosotros can definitely run across the appeal of all-in-i systems like the Victrola Premiere V1, peculiarly for those that live in smaller homes and don't have the space for a couple of stereo speakers and an amplifier on top of the record thespian itself.
Future models could come with even more modern trappings like built-in vocalism assistants, potentially making your turntable capable of controlling your entire smart home. Wouldn't that be cool? (Or terrifying, depending on how you feel nigh Alexa et al.)
Bluetooth connectivity is a great addition to the tape actor, and it'll be interesting to encounter whether future turntables accept this further. Perhaps nosotros'll come across Wi-Fi back up or comprehensive integration with multiroom ecosystems that doesn't require any extra kit. Sonos, hurry upwardly and make a record player, will you?
Bated from these techy predictions, we can't see the traditional hullo-fi setup going anywhere in the next few years. People will notwithstanding want to tinker with cables and spend hours choosing the perfect speaker stands, no matter how convenient record players become in the futurity. Every bit long as manufacturers ensure audiophiles are still catered for as well every bit newbie vinyl lovers, the futurity of turntables looks very bright.
- Check out all of TechRadar'south CES 2022 coverage . Nosotros're bringing yous all the breaking tech news and launches, everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops and smart home gadgets.
Olivia is TechRadar's Audio & Music Editor, covering everything from headphones to music streaming services. Based in TechRadar's London offices, she'south a popular music graduate who worked in the music industry before finding her calling in journalism. She's previously been interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live on the subject field of multi-room sound, chaired panel discussions on variety in music festival lineups, and her bylines include T3, Stereoboard, Height Ten Reviews, Creative Bloq, and Croco Magazine. In her spare time Olivia likes gardening, painting, and hanging with her true cat Ethel and golden retriever Dora.
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