There are plenty of entirely legitimate reasons to recommend not buying cheap record players from brands like Crosley and Victrola. But the common claim that they “destroy” records or “chew up the grooves” in normal use is an exaggerated myth that is scaring away newcomers and giving a false impression of the format’s fragility.
See also Channel 33 RPM’s video “Tired of grown men picking on kids with Crosley record players”:
And for an objective, in-depth review of suitcase-style record players, see my video “Is the Crosley Cruiser really THAT bad?”:
#shorts #vinyl #turntables
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But they have terrible sound quality
Me using a crosley to play 78s: crickets getting blasted by A WHITE SPORT COAT, AND A PINK CARNATIONNNN
dudeee my victrola quincy is actually amazing ive never had a single sound issue (even on records from the 1920s) and i love that it’s multi media
Will it be fine if I get a Crosley suitcase one and I play Michael Jackson vinyls on it? I really want a crosley because it’s so cute but not good for vinyls. If there’s any tips on how to make the vinyl last longer please leave them here! I’m a beginner and I need to learn some tips. 😊
It depends on the definition of destroy. Some people such as audiophiles or those observant of surface noise would consider records destroyed on those. They often do increase surface noise. Destroyed to me and a lot of others is when the surface noise becomes unbearable and there's skips and groove locks. Probably most second hand records have been played on poor quality record players similar to that or worse. Like you said it probably isn't worth the risk with valuable or collectable records.
record players where the record hangs of the edge like the suitcase ones and also many others can warp the records also
I bought a pretty cheap turntable to be able to listen to the Sabrina carpenter albums I bought. I will be upgrading to a audiotechna
where's the dislike button
It's wild to see that vinyl LPS have made a comeback… hell, I bought a spare Magnavox record player like the one I already own today for $150 just in case I need parts. If I can spend 150 on spare parts for a car I can spend 150 to keep the music going in my home.
Why even use records,just use CDs, they are better and won't wear out with repeated use and you don't have to replace anything after long time use and CDs sound better,no snaps and pops and no need to clean them before playing them.
🎭 finally wore out my Bluetooth speakers 🔊
A conical stylus doesn't ride deep in the groove like an elliptical, thus the need for a heavier tracking force. These players don't ruin records…period!
Мне нравится, как ангажированные блогеры из России стали ссылаться на это видео как на пример предвзятости. А как же, вертушки за +50к сами себя не продадут.
Even high quality will destroy the record when played a lot of time
If playing a song on repeat is this much trouble on vinyl, I am better off keeping to CDs and DAPs
I wish Id seen this video lasr week. i was terrified of ruining my old records, so i bought a Vastax
They wear out a lot faster than that and you have to be deaf not to hear it. Do you get a kickback from Crosley?
Just get the CD instead
I recently got a Crosley and for someone starting out it was fine, it seemed to skip on some specific vinyls so I ordered a new needle for about £18 and it seemed to fix all my issues
When I eventually get more space I want to get a nicer turn table with some good speakers but if you’re looking to save space or not spend a mortgage on a turn table they’re perfect
My soon to be wife got me a Crosley Brio turntable along with Dirt by AiC as a gift and when i opened reddit (worst mistake) i saw all of these boring moaning audiophiles say that "oh the sound is bad" or "it will damage the record" but they were in the shop for at least half an hour with the clerk (Who was nice and patient and went in detail) listening to him explain details on it and when it came time to listen to the actual vinyl it sounds
-better than my PC speakers
-better than my headphones
-better than the car speakers
and I just don't get why redditors suck the fun out of things. I love the gift, the album and her and the clerk didn't metion damaging the vinyl once to them as he did explain very minute details about it. sound good in my opinion
Get an old Newcomb! I have a Califone but I want a Newcomb!!
Uuuh, tracking force 5,6 😮. That's a lot. A needle max of 50 hours playtime, that is verry low.
But yes, some people will not play a lot of albums, so maybe ok.
But I do play them a lot, 50 hours is really low. Just buy a decent player with tracking force & anti-skate adjustment. I got a great Fluance, great value for money.
Im just saying, if you are using one of them, you probably arent listening to any one of one vinyls
The tracking force issue is a bit overblown. An improperly angled tonearm or azimuth will do far more damage than 6 grams of tracking force
For me, the records need to be worn down at least somewhat. No surface noise, record goes in the trash, the entire purpose of me getting records is for it to sound old
It does …
I will never use one of those things.
I'd quite like my records to last more than a hundred plays, to be honest
Late, but I had one of these for almost a decade, never changed stylus or wtv just wiped dust off. Played for thousands of hours on over 100 records new and old, barely any skipping issues. If u buy vinyl bc you love music and physical media then the best thing to do is just play your records and listen, cheap tt or not 🤷
I have a gemini djq 1500 I got the tonearm ballanced right yes I would not use one of those
Good video, but I think it needs a bit more nuance. It’s true that cheap turntables won’t instantly destroy records, and you may not hear damage after just a few plays. However, the issue is long-term wear. Most of these players track at 4–6g (much heavier than the usual ~2g), and they often use sapphire styli that wear out faster than diamond. Once the stylus starts to wear, it won’t track the groove properly and can increase record wear significantly. So while you might not notice it right away, subtle loss in detail can build up over time. I agree they’re fine for casual use, but for valuable records, a better turntable is still the safer choice 👍
That's bull it cleans the record
I just saw an audiophile fall to their knees in target
Where do we get new stylists at?
I got a Fenton entry-level player as a gift and I am keen on starting a vinyl collection. After 30 minutes on reddit, I had an impression that I sinned to have ever played a record on it . I think I am going to collect vinyls, enjoy playing them, replace the stylus when it is due, and eventually upgrade to a better player with no anxiety though
It's not that they're so bad, but they are a little worse than what else you could get for the same money. If someone gifted you this as your first turntable, you don't need to insult the person giving it to you, but if you're in the market for buying your own or for someone else, you can do better for the money.
As someone who's going to get into vinyl soon…
As long as it can get the job done
I have a Victrola. I changed the stylus and need to exclusively play 78rpm. No need to do that on a high-end machine
The 'problem' is that almost no one keeps track of the time played with one needle/stylus. So if you replace them regularly, it shouldn't be such a problem.
What bothere me: they sound like crap.
And I wouldn't clean my record like that, but ok…
I have three Victrolas, all different models. I have played many vinyls on them and have never had an issue. I do keep my records clean and replace the stylus as needed. Enjoy.
Similar to the saying from the photography community: "the best camera is the one you have with you", the "best" turntable is the one that's accessible and affordable for you at the time. Also, building your stereo setup is less like buying a laptop, and more like building a PC – it's okay to start with the cheap, basic, easy to work with pieces, then augment or replace individual pieces as you go. At the start of my collection, all I had to play my 1-3 albums on was a secondhand all-in-one unit from Sam's Club. Used the built in speakers and everything! Then after a while, I hooked up a cheap rechargeable speaker via the unit's front aux-out, and used that for a while. Eventually I picked up a dedicated turntable from AT, a used 2-channel receiver and pair of bookshelf speakers from Goodwill, and relied on the turntable's built in pre-amp.
Above all though; if someone is acting like you "aren't a real collector" or whatever, because you aren't using the exact optimized setup they think you should – ignore em! Hobbies should be enjoyed 🫶
Vinyl is terrible!
Give up the outdated format!
Used vinyl can sound atricious! So happy the Digital Age us upon us!
I have a SABA cs 3561 Never changed anything for 26 years. Should i be worried?
From my experience, my crosely cause my records to skip frequently. Yet the same record(s) would play cleanly on the audio technica I currently have.
They’re good starting points to see if you want to use records frequently, but I recommend upgrading when you can afford to do so/are serious about listening to records.
Also, going from a built-in speakers to standalone ones is night-and-day. Way clearer sound.
Thank you!!! I'm new to record players. I never would've thought about this. Thanks!