As vinyl records continue to see a massive resurgence in popularity, finding a proper record player is becoming equally important. The two biggest brands selling record players today are Crosley and Victrola. Both companies offer a number of different record players at different price points and in different designs. As a result, choosing between the two brands is difficult. Both brands have a large variety of options available for purchase on Amazon. Choosing a Victrola vs. Crosley record player will depend on several personal preferences as well as which features are most important to the user. We rounded up three of the best record players from each brand.
Shop this article: Victrola 8-in-1 Bluetooth Record Player & Multimedia Center, Victrola Vintage 3-Speed Bluetooth Portable Suitcase Record Player and Crosley Dansette Bermuda Portable Turntable
While neither record player brand is known for top-of-the-line audio quality, Victrola does have sound isolation feet that allow the record players to output clearer sound from the vinyl records. Additionally, Victrola offers several record players with larger built-in speakers that provide better sound quality than base-level models.
Another major advantage of Victrola is its versatility and variety. With the company offering higher-end record player options that have Bluetooth connectivity, radio antennas and CD players, Victrola provides users with options to fit any possible preferences. Additionally, Victrola has several different designs and colors available for many of its different models.
Finally, much like Crosley, the Victrola stands as one of the most affordable record player brands on the market. With one of its most popular models costing close to $50, Victrola allows for anyone interested in collecting vinyl records to get into the hobby regardless of their budget.
While slightly better than Crosley, the sound quality on a Victrola record player is still not ideal for those who plan on seriously listening to their records. Using ceramic needles and cartridges, the sound will never be as clear as it could be. Additionally, some of the less expensive models lack a level of durability that detracts from their portable nature.
Furthermore, even the most expensive options from Victrola lack the speaker power or quality to not require external speaker ports for the fullest listening experience. This can be disappointing for users who shelled out the funds for the record player only to have subpar audio.
Victrola 8-in-1 Bluetooth Record Player & Multimedia Center
The more versatile Victrola record player is this beauty with an antique aesthetic. You can sync this Victrola Bluetooth record player with a mobile device, and with the included CD player and cassette player, it serves as a complete media device. It comes in black, white, mahogany, espresso and oak finishes.
Victrola Vintage 3-Speed Bluetooth Portable Suitcase Record Player
An affordable option from the company is this suitcase model. This Victrola record player is both incredibly affordable and customizable, and is available in 35 different color schemes.
Victrola 4-in-1 Highland Bluetooth Record Player
If you prefer a vintage-style record player with a mid-century modern look, this model is the one to go with. It features Bluetooth connectivity, FM radio controlled using an analog tuner on the front and an auxiliary input. This model is more affordable than the Victrola 8-in-1, but pricier than the portable Victrola. It comes in walnut, oatmeal and espresso finishes.
What Crosley has more than any other record player brand is variety. While many other companies focus on two to three major products, Crosley has a massive line of different products, styles, colors and designs for buyers to choose from. This allows for the record players to more easily fit into the style of a room or space as well as more closely align with the tastes of the buyer.
Additionally, virtually all Crosley models come with built-in Bluetooth connectivity that can both help phones play music through its speaker or have the music from the record be played through external speakers. This allows for a higher audio quality than the internal speakers are capable of.
The biggest con for Crosley record players is the audio quality. Both the internal speakers and the ceramic cartridge are not very high quality leading to grainier, less true-sounding music. The ceramic cartridge in particular can be detrimental with some of the lowest quality options actually damaging the vinyl records.
Another major con of Crosley record players is the actual build of some less expensive models lacking durability. Some users report that some pieces break or chip while others report malfunctions to the player itself. Some models sold by Crosley also lack an aux port, meaning that only Bluetooth speakers or internal speakers will work for the record player.
Crosley Dansette Bermuda Portable Turntable
This is one of the most popular Crosley record players. This record player comes on four long legs to help it serve as a stylish accent piece in any room. The player also comes with both an aux port and Bluetooth connection to help improve the sound and volume.
Crosley CR42D-PA Lancaster 3-Speed Turntable
This antique-style model is on the premium end. There's Bluetooth connectivity, a cassette player, CD player, an AM/FM radio and auxiliary input. What makes it stand out is its ability to alter the pitch of the music you're listening to.
Whether a Victrola or a Crosley is the best record player for you comes down to a few small differences. While both options are affordable and come in several different designs and colors, each has small advantages over the other.
Crosley has a much wider selection and for those looking for a record player that will look great in a room as an accent piece as much as an actual record player. Crosley record players also come in different sizes and heights that can help fit them in different places around a home.
While Victrola has a slightly smaller selection of options, the options the company does have are all of a bit higher quality. This is particularly the case with sound where Victrola slightly edges out Crosley products.
When having to choose between the two different options, the higher sound quality from Victrola helps the brand serve as a better option to buy than Crosley. Especially with the company still offering several design options, Victrola is worth the money just slightly more.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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