Collecting vinyl is easy — all you really need is some extra cash and a trip to your local record store to really get into the hobby. Listening to vinyl, on the other hand, is a different beast entirely. From finding the right turntable, to wiring up your amps and speakers, going from your first vinyl record to your first spin can be a process. There’s always been an easy mode to this game, however, and that’s all-in-one turntables — but if you’re serious about sound quality, these can be a dodgy choice, at best.
However, following a successful over-funded Kickstarter campaign, audio company Plus Audio (stylized as +Audio) is gearing up to launch its own all-in-one hi-fi turntable, The Plus Record Player (stylized as The+Record Player), which aims to bridge the gap between all-in-one simplicity and full-setup fidelity.
Designed by Scandinavian designer Alexander Ahnebrink, The Plus Record Player is a sleek, wood-finished turntable sitting a top a large 100W bi-amplified speaker system that Plus Audio claims is capable of hi-fi playback quality. There will be two version of the device. The standard version includes an aluminum tonearm and Ortofon Om10 cartridge. The limited Carbon Edition swaps the components out for a carbon fiber tonearm and upgraded Ortofon 2M Red cartridge.
While those features are impressive, should you want to expand your setup, a number of different inputs and outputs are included for a variety of listening options, including both digital and analog formats to create a customized listening experience.
For instance, The Plus Record Player includes an optical digital input and Bluetooth connectivity for playing music from external sources, as well as USB input and output connections so you can rip your vinyl records to your PC or MAC as digital files. The device also includes special auto signal sensing line input and 5-Volt power supply, and integration with Amazon Echo or Google Cast.
For those looking for an even bigger sound, there is a volume-controlled pre-amp output so you can connect an amplifier or external-powered speakers and/or subwoofer to The Plus Record Player.
Both versions of The Plus Record Player will be available in early 2018. The standard model will run $1,000, while the limited Carbon Edition will cost $1,200. Both will be available with Maple or Walnut wood finishes. And Plus Audio will also be showing off the device at the 2017 New York Audio Show, November 10-12. If you’re interested in more information, you’ll find more details at Plus Audio’s official webpage.
