It’s sad, but true, Uncle Roger. Eight tracks are dead. But vinyl, though it’s taken a brief hiatus, is back, man, and ready to be enjoyed by a whole new generation of listeners, even the youngsters with their iPods and such. There’s a turntable for everyone, too, from those who demand portability to enjoy their tunes on the go, to people who want to move their vinyl to their laptop. Here are 7 amazing turntables that can do all of that… but I really can’t help with the eight tracks.
Price: $160.00 at urbanoutfitters.com
Use this turntable to convert all of your vinyl to music you can port, play with, and share. It plays 7” and 12” albums at 33 1/3, 45, and 78 rpm, and connects to both Macs and PCs. It features adjustable tone, built-in speakers, and comes in a gorgeous retro-styled carrying case.
Price: $40.00 at urbanoutfitters.com
Like everyone else of my generation, I had one of these. And I miss it. The little plastic “records” (included) play such favorites as "Farmer in the Dell," "London Bridge," and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” It uses three AA batteries, and comes in a bright plastic carry case.
Price: $128.00 at urbanoutfitters.com
This cool turntable features one thing in particular I wish I’d had when I was a kid — a remote. It’s also way more high-tech, with USB hook-ups to convert all of your music to a format your iPod will recognize, and also with software and other features that allow you to change the music with your mad DJ skills.
Price: $120.00 at urbanoutfitters.com
Take the sound and style of Crosley’s bigger turntables with you everywhere you go with this, the Mini. It also plays 7”, 10”, and 12” records at albums at 33 1/3, 45, and 78 rpm, but this turntable’s smaller, lighter, more ready to rock where you want to.
Price: $130.00 at urbanoutfitters.com
This looks too sleek and high-tech to be a turntable, yet it is. It’s ultra-portable, but with the rich sound you expect from Crosley. It features a USB hookup and plays 7” and 12” records at two speeds — 33 1/3 and 45 RPM. It also has a wireless FM transmitter along with a headphone jack. Wow.
Price: $140.00 at urbanoutfitters.com
This ain’t your grandfather’s turntable, though it does look like it. It’s just been updated, modernized, so it can connect via USB t your Mac or PC, turning your vinyl into a digital format you can modify or just listen to on the go. It also plays vinyl in 7 or 12 inches, at three speeds… but it looks cool, vintage…
Price: $140.00 at urbanoutfitters.com
Super-sleek and bright red, this is the sports car, the more reliable Fiat, of turntables. It too features connection and compatibility with both Macs and PCs, and can convert your coveted vinyl to digital formats via a USB.
So grab your records (not your CDs) and prepare to rip them to your MacBook and move them to your iPod, where you can hear every crackle, every low hum, just like you did back in your parents’ basement way back when. Which of these turntables do you think you’d like best, and why? And which of yoyr albums would you listen to, or convert to digital, first?