Past and present combine in mini turntables
The resurgence of vinyl records never happened in my house, simply because they never left. If the comeback hasn’t reached your world, the Crosley’s Mini Cruiser and RSD3 turntables are a great way to start.
They won’t play 33 or 45 rpm vinyl records; instead the portable record players play 3-inch records. While they aren’t commonly stocked at stores, the pocket-size records are easily found. Just do an online search.
The Mini Cruiser (5.79by-8.15-by-3.35 inches and $69.95) is truly portable. When it’s closed, it has a carry handle like a mini suitcase. This makes it a mini version of the bigger record playing Cruiser record player for 33’s and 45’s, also built in a suitcase style.
It’s amazing when you see them perform with all the features packed inside, including a clear dust cover, adjustable pitch control, built-in stereo speakers, a port to connect your headphones or wire it to a stereo system. There’s also a Bluetooth transmitter to connect portable speakers.
The silver-toned RSD3 mini belt-drive turntable, $89.95, is also way cool and will be the talking centerpiece when you display it with a your sound system. It also plays the 3-inch records with sound coming from built-in speakers or use the 3.5 mm auxiliary port for output to headphones or a sound system.
Measuring just 6.16by-4.50-by-3.25 inches, it’s built with a premounted Audio Technica AT3600 moving-magnet cartridge and adjustable pitch control.
Sound from both of the mini turntable’s built-in speakers wasn’t roomfilling but it was way better than I expected. And after I connect both to external speakers, they were a listening joy.