Portable Record Player

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by dnuggett, Nov 27, 2014.

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  1. dnuggett

    dnuggett Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    DFW Texas
    Guys-

    I have decided I want to start looking at portable record players, preferably all in one style with the speakers built in. My main concern is I don't want a unit that will mess up records. I can't imagine that any of these vintage units or the new Crossley won't harm the records when playing them. I suppose I could always find copies that already have wear/scratches.. that may be the way to go.

    Anyway, I'm kinda leaning vintage.. so what units do y'all recommend? IF you have any can you post pics of yours? I should add, I don't care much about SQ for this.
     
  2. 2xUeL

    2xUeL Forum Philosopher

    Location:
    Albany, NY
    I was interested in portables for a while. Ultimately, I realized it doesn't make any sense to play collectible records on any of them, but they sure were fun. I had a Vestax Handytrax a while ago and was very unhappy with the sound quality (I learned not to expect much from them). I then got into the Japanese Columbia GP-3, a legendary model, and while it's very stylish and fun, both GP-3 units I acquired had noticeable speed issues.

    But I also took a strong interest in the Califones. I'm positive that the last models they made were the 1010 and 1030 in the early '90s. I had a couple of these. The motor on one of them was kind of noisy, but I gotta say: playing old mono records on them sounded very bold and it was quite pleasing. The styli for those are still in production as well, but the problem with them is that the tonearms are very heavy. Since I didn't want to wear my records, I just gave up and got rid of them.

    I also thought I'd mention that the later Califone models are supposed to have vertically compliant tonearm/cartridges that will play stereo records, but both units I had skipped like crazy when I tried to play newer stereo records on them. I don't know what the problem was because I was certain that the stylus I had was a .7-mil (standard stereo size), and the weird thing was that the instructions pasted on the inside of the cover clearly said that the unit would safely play stereo records (in mono, of course).

    But I really like your idea of playing beat-up records on them, ones you don't care if they wear out, but I would only do it with mono records. (Anybody have anything to say about my experience playing stereo records with a later Califone?) In fact, I would bet that old, beat-up mono records might sound "better" on a Califone than on an audiophile system...even if they might not last very long.
     
  3. dnuggett

    dnuggett Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    DFW Texas
    Only playing mono records is not appealing for me. I get that the sound will be mono, but not interested in limiting myself to mono records. Thanks a ton for the insight.
     
    2xUeL likes this.
  4. EasterEverywhere

    EasterEverywhere Forum Resident

    Location:
    Albuquerque
    Califone and Newcomb school record players are wonderful,fairly inexpensive,and plentiful on ebay.I would never buy one newer than the early 1980s,though.

    Avoid the current production Califones,though.They are just rebadged Crosleys.
     
    2xUeL likes this.
  5. dnuggett

    dnuggett Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    DFW Texas
    How are the Newcombs with stereo? Does the arm return after the record is over?
     
  6. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    Manual only. And tracks too heavy in most models for comfort, the tonearm on them is crude for my tastes. Hunt down a Voice Of Music school phono as they were the best of the lot and tracked at sensible forces (3 grams) and had better tonearms. Those in good order with good cartridge and styli are acceptable on records.
     
  7. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR!

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    Those Sony PS-F series "Sound Burgers" were just plain cRaZy...

    [​IMG]
     
    kevinsinnott likes this.
  8. Joshua277456

    Joshua277456 Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I would never fool with a portable record player
     
  9. Ghostworld

    Ghostworld Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    You have to define portable. They call models "portable" if they're all one piece affairs, but still need to be plugged into an outlet. I don't consider that portable. If you want to take it with you, the key is finding a battery operated model which the school record players are not. It also limits your choices quite a bit to things like the Soundburger and the rare Technics and Sony battery operated models. That Japanese Columbia GP-3 looks nice and they seem to go cheaper than the Sony and Technics players. There's one on ebay now for $120. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Columbia-GP...d_Players_Home_Turntables&hash=item3f41ac6c82 I'm telling all these are going to have speed issues. These are picnic players, not serious audio players. You have to take the bad with the convenience. I've got a very rare Tenphonic that is lots of fun, but it aint no strobe-loving speed demon. Sounds pretty good though with vocal/acoustic. But you won't find one. Rare as hens' teeth. Oh yeah, and I do keep a set of "beaters" around for playing on the portable. My real collection isn't going on it.

     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2014
    2xUeL likes this.
  10. Wally Swift

    Wally Swift Yo-Yoing where I will...

    Location:
    Brooklyn New York
    I have two portables;

    Numark PT-01 battery powered;

    [​IMG]

    I wouldn't play anything from my collection on it, only beater copies. I found it on the sidewalk actually.

    I also have this Audiotronics 304A from the 80's;

    [​IMG]

    I use this for 78s, common 7" records and beater LPs. I would probably be ok with playing good LPs on it so long as they weren't very valuable resale-wise. You could probably get years of enjoyment with ordinary LPs if you use fresh needles. It sounds pretty good. Bi-Directional mono! It's also a monster tracker. I have an Iron Maiden 12" that is horribly warped and this sucker tracks it like a charm. The arm is bouncing up and down like a row boat lost at sea and never skips a beat!
     
    Ghostworld likes this.
  11. Wally Swift

    Wally Swift Yo-Yoing where I will...

    Location:
    Brooklyn New York
    That looks like the one I had during my fives years living in the Czech Republic when I still had the enthusiasm to carry a portable around to thrift stores and such. I liked it a lot.
     
  12. Ghostworld

    Ghostworld Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    It's a good little unit. The sound is pretty well balanced. It even works with an idler wheel!
     
  13. Wally Swift

    Wally Swift Yo-Yoing where I will...

    Location:
    Brooklyn New York
    I picked mine up at a garage sale here in the states because my friend had a larger model by the same company that was really cool.
     
  14. Wally Swift

    Wally Swift Yo-Yoing where I will...

    Location:
    Brooklyn New York
    I picked mine up at a garage sale here in the states because my friend had a larger model by the same company that was even cooler.
     
  15. Ntotrar

    Ntotrar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tri-Cities TN
  16. bhazen

    bhazen ANNOYING BEATLES FAN

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    Ooh, I want that Dieter Rams-designed Braun!!
     
  17. dnuggett

    dnuggett Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    DFW Texas
    Good point on defining portable. AC plug is OK, needs to be easily carried and have the speakers built in, or at least have some kind of lock in mechanism for them. Ideally it could be carried around/transported easily.
     
  18. Ntotrar

    Ntotrar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tri-Cities TN
    BANG & OLUFSEN BEOCENTER 7700 - Portable? Yea, like a piano or a couch, sure its portable...
     
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