Vinyl is making a comeback, and you know what that means — the return of the turntable. After all, what good is a record without a record player? And while we may be harking back to disc formats of old, that doesn’t mean we don’t get to give those familiar turntables a 21st-century makeover. Meet LOVE, branded as the world’s first intelligent turntable, which has just launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring its technology to the masses.
With a bold attempt to put a new spin on vinyl, LOVE looks to merge traditional sound with its revolutionary technology. “Although audio technology has made incredible strides over the last 40 years, the traditional turntable has remained relatively unchanged,” said CH Pinhas, CEO of Love Turntable Inc. “Record sales have spiked over 60 percent in recent years, but nearly half of the people who own vinyl records don’t play them. Our goal is to make it simple for anyone to enjoy the natural melodies and pure traditional sound of analog through the convenience of modern-day technology.”
Using its linear tracking sensor, LOVE can scan any record to determine its size and number of tracks, and with nothing more than a tap, users can turn the turntable on and off, or skip to the next track. LOVE actually spins on top of the record (which remains still), while employing a traditional cartidge and stylus to pay homage to the tactile experience and classic sound that true vinyl enthusiasts know and love. But because no additional weight is placed on the grooves, your records are kept in pristine condition.
And of course, because we live in the age of the smartphone, LOVE comes with an Android and iOS app that lets you control the turntable by way of your mobile device. Whether you want to start or stop a record, select a track, or adjust the volume, you can do it all from the palm of your hand.
As for sound quality, the LOVE streams analog sound via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to audio devices including speakers, headphones, hi-fi components, and home theater systems. And if your speaker system isn’t equipped with Bluetooth, this record player comes with a 3.5mm or RCA plug-and-play Bluetooth aptX adapter.
LOVE turntables start at $299 for the first 500 backers, with your choice of three colors for the base of the turntable — black, red, and white.
