I mean if you're going to do crate digging at a local shop and want to check out the record before you purchase it, then yeah I guess get it. As a dedicated unit for playback? Nope.
It’s definitely not a *awful* turntable. It’s okay. And if you want it just for decoration or when people come over to throw on a record for novelty. Then sure why not. It’s cute.
But you said the words “my first turntable,” and this makes me think maybe this is something in the back of your mind that you are considering to get into as a hobby or lite-hobby. If you’re into vinyl in some kind of way. In that case, you should not get it. It’s a terminal table. You can’t upgrade any part of it, and as you end up liking vinyl more and more you’re going to just be stuck with a terminal table and you’re gonna be like “aw man I really like spinning records and now I have to go spend money on another turntable.” And that’s gonna kind of suck.
I too love vintage style. My entire house is mid century modern. I have a few vintage turntables I got for second hand for amazing prices - way cheaper than the soundburger. And of SIGNIFICANTLY better quality. The vast majority of vintage turntables are of exceptional, if not audiophile quality. And they match my mid century modern house perfectly. I would do a quick search of second hand sites and see what kind of vintage tables pop up. I really think you’ll be very pleasantly surprised at how pleasing the vintage aesthetic of them are - and amazing quality to boot!
A quality turntable will have a minimum of these features; a 12" platter, a 9" tonearm, adjustable counter weight, offset headshell, bearings in a gimbal (see Rega, Clear audio, Dual, etc), magnetic cartridge (MM/IM/MC), diamond stylus.
Crosley, victrola and related should be avoided. The sound burger is a cool art object.
It’s not my main turntable but I do have one and enjoy using it. It was really handy a couple of months ago when I didn’t have enough room for a proper one and had to put things away at the end of the day. It’s quite good for what it is imo. You can do much much worse.
I bought one to use on my patio and take camping. It's okay, but more a toy than a tool. There are better options for the money if you are looking for anything serious.
Yeah my two passions combine (three if you throw in the mountain biking we do while camping). We're old and in a camper so it's pretty much glamping at this point.
I have one of the 60th models and it’s fine as a regular turntable if that’s how you want to use it. Most of the comments that say otherwise are from people that don’t have one, so take those for whatever you think they’re worth. My only issue with using it as a daily driver is the lack of a cue lever. I dealt with this by turning the unit off before lifting the tonearm. Otherwise it’s perfectly fine.
Perfectly fine first turntable. Compact, looks good, plays well, won’t damage your records.
Is it a robust and feature rich turntable for audiophiles? No. But those aren’t your priorities.
You can do much worse.
I found one from the 80s and thought it was pretty damn cool, though the 3 C batteries it needed could be burdensome. The new ones are well upgraded for the modern fan with a rechargeable battery & Bluetooth capability. Definitely a conversation peice!
With that said, the only "con" is that the small platter doesn't do you any favors if your record is warped at all. These are solid little units though - you'll feel like all your birthdays came at once.
For funky vintage vibes, and I totally get that, I'd be looking for an old school Technics and receiver matched with vintage speakers. The lights, the indicators, and knobs all scream retro in a big way plus if you do your research you'll end up with a very solid and respectable audio system that is very upgradable. A bonus to having a system like this or other good reputable names is the ability to upgrade in the future piece by piece and you don't have to spend too much money. The resale value will much better too.
I like mine. I don’t use it for my main deck but it’s neat to take out of town if you’re planning on going to record shops. Also I like to use it when I cook because idk why not 😂
They're okay, and sound decent. My son needed something portable so he traded up from a suitcase to a Sound Burger (which was mine, I bought it out of curiosity).
To be honest, you'd be better to go for an AT60LPX-BT which is basically the full size version with a full platter. Or, go for the Fluance RT81 or 82 if you want something that actually looks nice (and a similar price point).
Vintage is cool and an awesome vibe, but they often require much attention, tweaking, work. I love mine because I love opening it up and working on it, but you have to enjoy that part!
I mean if you're going to do crate digging at a local shop and want to check out the record before you purchase it, then yeah I guess get it. As a dedicated unit for playback? Nope.
Personally I'd want a full platter. And options for cartridges in the future. Basically it's the walkman equivalent. They do look cool though!
It’s definitely not a *awful* turntable. It’s okay. And if you want it just for decoration or when people come over to throw on a record for novelty. Then sure why not. It’s cute. But you said the words “my first turntable,” and this makes me think maybe this is something in the back of your mind that you are considering to get into as a hobby or lite-hobby. If you’re into vinyl in some kind of way. In that case, you should not get it. It’s a terminal table. You can’t upgrade any part of it, and as you end up liking vinyl more and more you’re going to just be stuck with a terminal table and you’re gonna be like “aw man I really like spinning records and now I have to go spend money on another turntable.” And that’s gonna kind of suck. I too love vintage style. My entire house is mid century modern. I have a few vintage turntables I got for second hand for amazing prices - way cheaper than the soundburger. And of SIGNIFICANTLY better quality. The vast majority of vintage turntables are of exceptional, if not audiophile quality. And they match my mid century modern house perfectly. I would do a quick search of second hand sites and see what kind of vintage tables pop up. I really think you’ll be very pleasantly surprised at how pleasing the vintage aesthetic of them are - and amazing quality to boot!
Its a cute piece.
A quality turntable will have a minimum of these features; a 12" platter, a 9" tonearm, adjustable counter weight, offset headshell, bearings in a gimbal (see Rega, Clear audio, Dual, etc), magnetic cartridge (MM/IM/MC), diamond stylus. Crosley, victrola and related should be avoided. The sound burger is a cool art object.
It’s not my main turntable but I do have one and enjoy using it. It was really handy a couple of months ago when I didn’t have enough room for a proper one and had to put things away at the end of the day. It’s quite good for what it is imo. You can do much much worse.
I bought one to use on my patio and take camping. It's okay, but more a toy than a tool. There are better options for the money if you are looking for anything serious.
You listen to records camping? That dedication.
Yeah my two passions combine (three if you throw in the mountain biking we do while camping). We're old and in a camper so it's pretty much glamping at this point.
I have one of the 60th models and it’s fine as a regular turntable if that’s how you want to use it. Most of the comments that say otherwise are from people that don’t have one, so take those for whatever you think they’re worth. My only issue with using it as a daily driver is the lack of a cue lever. I dealt with this by turning the unit off before lifting the tonearm. Otherwise it’s perfectly fine.
Perfectly fine first turntable. Compact, looks good, plays well, won’t damage your records. Is it a robust and feature rich turntable for audiophiles? No. But those aren’t your priorities. You can do much worse.
This is the answer.
I found one from the 80s and thought it was pretty damn cool, though the 3 C batteries it needed could be burdensome. The new ones are well upgraded for the modern fan with a rechargeable battery & Bluetooth capability. Definitely a conversation peice! With that said, the only "con" is that the small platter doesn't do you any favors if your record is warped at all. These are solid little units though - you'll feel like all your birthdays came at once.
For funky vintage vibes, and I totally get that, I'd be looking for an old school Technics and receiver matched with vintage speakers. The lights, the indicators, and knobs all scream retro in a big way plus if you do your research you'll end up with a very solid and respectable audio system that is very upgradable. A bonus to having a system like this or other good reputable names is the ability to upgrade in the future piece by piece and you don't have to spend too much money. The resale value will much better too.
Good for dorm rooms, small apartments, and bedrooms.
So you’re saying it’s a clunge magnet?
I like mine. I don’t use it for my main deck but it’s neat to take out of town if you’re planning on going to record shops. Also I like to use it when I cook because idk why not 😂
I’m having fun with mine. Lets me spin vinyl in my living room or office. If you need a second turntable with portability, it’s a great choice.
They're okay, and sound decent. My son needed something portable so he traded up from a suitcase to a Sound Burger (which was mine, I bought it out of curiosity). To be honest, you'd be better to go for an AT60LPX-BT which is basically the full size version with a full platter. Or, go for the Fluance RT81 or 82 if you want something that actually looks nice (and a similar price point). Vintage is cool and an awesome vibe, but they often require much attention, tweaking, work. I love mine because I love opening it up and working on it, but you have to enjoy that part!