This metallic record player concept blends music and architecture to create harmony

Record players are en vogue again, and thanks to interest in the product, we’ve seen quite a few designs that go beyond the simple task of playing a vinyl record. There’s a wide variety of designs, ranging from minimalist to eccentric, from utilitarian to decorative. The requirements for a record player design aren’t many, as long as it’s able to actually produce the audio quality unique to the medium and have usable controls that don’t get in the way. Thanks to that, there’s plenty of leeway in how to interpret a record player design, and this particular concept takes advantage of that in order to create a fusion of an audio device and architecture, presenting a unique visual and tactile experience for audiophiles.

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The standard record player design involves a box with a circular plate on top, a tonearm that holds the head reader, and controls on the top or side of that box. There’s no hard rule for that design, of course, just that it’s the most efficient way to cram components and mix shapes. When it comes to space and shape efficiency, however, nothing is more precise than architecture, which is exactly the source of inspiration for this distinctive concept design for a record player.

Right off the bat, you will notice the slats that run across a section of the aluminum chassis that’s not covered by the platter. This design is reminiscent of many architectural forms, but it serves more than just a visual function in this design. One of those slats is actually the tonearm, giving this important part of the record player a home when not in use and preventing accidents due to leaving it exposed.

Three gaps between those slats also hide the machine’s controls in plain sight. While most record players use buttons and dials, the RYTM record player uses less ambiguous sliders for volume, speed (denoted by RPM or rotations per minute), and power. The sliders integrate so seamlessly into the design that you might not even notice their presence unless you look closely. At the same time, however, they offer a somewhat novel way to engage with the machine.

RYTM’s anodized aluminum body gives it a bit of a unique and almost industrial character. It’s not difficult to associate the motif with robot arms, similar to those used in automobile manufacturing plants, on a smaller scale, of course. In an age of mostly digital consumption of music, this interesting record player design concept offers a different and perhaps more memorable way to enjoy your tunes, creating a ritual that involves physical engagement to elevate your listening experience.

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This portable record player helps you focus on your inner light in a unique way

Vinyl records and LP players have experienced a renaissance in the past few years as the “newtro” fad gripped people of all ages. While most tried to be faithful to the designs and experiences of old, even if they are considered inconvenient by today’s standards, others saw the trend as a challenge to re-imagine what could be in light of what was. That’s particularly true of old media that don’t necessarily need to be constrained by the limitations of old media players. This vinyl record player concept, for example, still tries to deliver that same unique audio quality of LP plates but uses a device that is not only lightweight but also light-centric in a manner you might not expect.

Designer: Hyeyoung Han, Hanyoung Lee

LP or vinyl records have always had a place in music lovers’ hearts despite the limitations of the physical medium. Those limitations, in fact, are what endears these large black discs to its loyal fans, creating a unique tone and quality that’s difficult to reproduce perfectly even through digital means. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to enjoy these vinyl records, both old and new. Unfortunately, most of them seem to be designed on the presumption that they have to be as big as an LP or even bigger.

There are reasonable considerations why record players come as large, flat boxes, but it’s not a hard rule. In fact, one could consider it detrimental to the enjoyment of these records since they take up much space and, more importantly, aren’t exactly easy to move around. Luceren is a design concept that tries to bring that favorite “portability” feature to the record player in a way that is both interesting and elegant, all for the sake of finding your inner self through music.

At first glance, this boat-shaped device looks more like a minimalist tealight candle holder. The protruding bulb on one end reinforces that imagery, but, as they say, looks can be deceiving. As you might have guessed, this is actually a record player, and that bulb serves as the spindle that holds the vinyl in place. Whether on its own or with a record on top, Luceren evokes a sense of simplicity, calm, peace, and light. Plus, it also makes it easy to move the player around, even if just inside the house or room.

It isn’t just for display, though, since it’s supposed to actually play those records. Rather than having a tonearm on top, though, the design hides the mechanism underneath, inside the body of the device. This means you’ll have to place the record upside down, but it’s not exactly a novel idea with some more minimalist record players. It also helps keep the design simple and reduces the number of moving parts that could be broken when moving it from one place to another.

There might be concerns about the stability of a device that spins a disc larger than itself, but Luceren does tickle the mind in imagining other unconventional designs like this. Regardless, the design successfully conveys the message it wants to send, that of a lightweight device that brings light through the simple enjoyment of music wherever you are.

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Teenage Engineering’s latest gizmo is a turntable designed for children to record and produce vinyls on

You can be a hipster, but you’ll never be a ‘five-year-old recording on vinyls’ hipster.

Well, it’s official. Teenage Engineering may just be the coolest, most inventive company out there in the tech space. Not only have they given us some incredibly uplifting audio gadgets from their own hardware brand, the company’s also collaborated with brands like IKEA and Nothing to create new products that marry fun and functionality in unique new ways. Teenage Engineering’s latest product, however, expands to a demographic that audio tech never really considered – kids. The PO-80 Record Factory Kit is a record cutter that engraves audio onto 5″ vinyl discs, giving kids the ability to record their own LPs the old-fashioned way, quite like how millennials made mixtapes and burned their own CDs. The Record Factory, created in collaboration with Yuri Suzuki, lets you engrave and playback 5″ discs with an ultra-analog lo-fi sound. This isn’t studio-grade equipment, after all, but it does add a creamy muffled, effect to your audio that totally sounds like the 40s and 50s in a nutshell.

Designers: Teenage Engineering & Yuri Suzuki

Starting at $149 USD, the Record Factory is just simply perfect for kids to experiment and play with. It allows you to plug an audio source in using the 3.5mm input, and lets you engrave any audio directly onto the vinyl disc. The toyish little record cutter turns any audio into a pleasant lo-fi tune with a retro warmth, and Teenage Engineering also supplies a vinyl mastering app on their website that takes your MP3 and WAV files and plays with the equalizer settings to ensure your track is record-ready. The 3.5mm jack also lets you connect the company’s Pocket Operator series of MIDI controllers directly to the cutter, converting the audio you play on the devices into LPs. Alternatively, you could even listen to records using a separate player head and the Record Factory’s built-in speaker.

A perfectly adorable little toy, the Record Factory has pretty much universal appeal. Even though the device is designed for kids in their pre-teen years (a little ironic given the company is literally named Teenage Engineering), its lovely design and easy-to-use interface make it perfect for anyone looking to experiment with audio hardware without breaking the bank.

The Record Factory starts at $149 and comes unassembled, so you’ll definitely enjoy the DIY process of building the device out of the box!

The Record Factory also works with Teenage Engineering’s Pocket Operator devices

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This minimal turntable gives retro lovers a chance to flaunt modern furniture!

There is this thing about vinyl, only someone who owns a collection – big or small – would know. Yes, the glorious sound is one of them and you would agree to that, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. It is actually the overall experience with these fragile records that you just cannot have enough of.

If you know what we mean, you would be anything but lured by the fine lines and details of this luxurious gramophone. You’d be yearning for one to play your collection! Designed by Moiless, a studio that believes designing is like writing a novel – it’s about telling a story and expressing feelings. The atelier thrives on designing and manufacturing emotional items and their record player does just that for fanatics who cherish the conventional way to replay the sound of music. Featuring a seamless design it comes integrated into a wooden rack, which houses a speaker system right under the player, and has an opening to stack your vinyl collection below.

From how it appears, the deck here is pretty much plug-and-play. Moiless has it complete with a tone-arm and needle. All you would need to do is, fit in your favorite vinyl, balance the tone-arm, set the counterweight and let the built-in speaker engulf you in mesmerizing audio.

Designer: Moiless

This linen and wood record player is perfect for hyping yourself up at home!

Quarantine means a lot of dance parties at home for yourself. It definitely feels like time has turned back – we are calling our friends and family more, eating more home-cooked meals, we can hear the birds clearly and the sky is a lot bluer. So when we put on some music, why not do it on a classic Victrola record player made with woven linen and wood!

This record player features a 3-speed belt driven turntable – choose between 33 1/3, 45, 78 RPM settings to choose between a relaxing tune or speed it up for an errand party around the house. The built-in Bluetooth allows you to stream your favorite music from up to 33 feet away and that is a reminder that we are living in 2020. The beautiful audio system is built from real wood and wrapped in woven linen to give it a timeless aesthetic that will fit in any interior space.

The Victrola record player has an output of 50 Watts so you can turn it up, if you want to get more lit then use the line-out RCA or the external speaker jacks to truly turn it into a quarantine dance party. I love the organic and earthy design of this record player. Anyone else singing ‘Girl put your records on…’?

Designer: Victrola

This luxurious turntable was made for music lovers of all generations!

The all-American luxury brand, Shinola, has created its first audio product and it is a beautiful turntable! Right now as we all practice social distancing, it reminds us of the things we did a decade ago when we had free time – reading, dancing to music (or jazzercise?), experimenting in the kitchen and even starting blogs just to express. Having a vinyl turntable reminds me of simpler times and classic products that one must have at some point in their life. Turntables appeal to staunch audiophiles and also to music enthusiasts of all generations. Just as having a Nintendo Gameboy is to a video game lover, vinyl players are to music lovers – it is almost like a rite of passage for your interests and we can all agree having a turntable makes us look like we have our life together with a background score.

Designers: Brett Lovelady, Shinola, Astro Studios, and VPI.

For this Runwell Turntable, Shinola teamed up with Astro and VPI to design a luxurious turntable fit for the revival of the vinyl era. An official press release describes Shinola’s turntable as a “two-speed, belt-driven turntable with an integrated phono preamplifier and will be equipped with an Ortofon 2M blue phono cartridge.” The belt-driven pulley has speeds of 33 1/3 rpm and 45rpm. The turntable also features heavyweight platter and aluminum tonearm that are custom variations of VPI staples that are universally loved.

The Runwell Turntable is crafted to elevate your interiors while upgrading your music collection from just a folder of audio apps on your phone. The turntable is priced at USD 2,500 and will be available at select brick and mortar locations as well as online. Personally, I love the experience of going to an actual store if I can and experience the product myself as we do in Apple stores.

Runwell turntable’s sleek build has all the classics that make for an eternal statement home accessory – aluminum, white oak, and natural leather. Each element and material used is known for its sonic capabilities which are a priority over aesthetics. It looks simple yet polished and fits in almost any decor style. The oak and leather have a warm essence, which adds to the emotion that classic record albums bring much unlike the visuals of steely, robotic products of today.

What makes it a perfect blend of classic and modern is that it can be plugged in and played, this let’s many more enjoy having a turntable without doing a deep-dive into its complexities and hoarding records. Sometimes all you want is a beautiful turntable and play your favorite album without the worry of technicalities and maintenance. The Runwell turntable is made for everyone who enjoys music without forcing them to adapt to old methods. Even the VTF (vertical tracking force) is pre-set so just plug and play!

It arrives in a protective heavyweight box with simplified instructions, so all you need to do is remove the stylus guard, attach the flat drive belt, plug your RCA cables into a line input on your amplifier, plug in the power, and play. You can choose between a rose gold model or the silver and black model, both will be a great addition to your space. Be right back, making a Pinterest board of vinyl turntables right now.

Vinyl turntables designed to turn you into a vinyl junkie!

Vinyl turntables never seem to go out of style! They are classic collectibles that have reached iconic status. Any vinyl record owner or audiophile loves to showcase their beloved turntable. After all, they seem to wash over everyone with a wave of nostalgia. One glance at a turntable, and you’re taken on a trip down memory lane, and a very retro one that is. Hence designers have been exploring when it comes to turntable designs, and we’ve curated a collection of exciting and innovative ones!

Saturn is a beautiful vinyl record player inspired by the planet Saturn, its rings and its moon Titan. It comprises of a black turn-table platform, which will subtly remind you of Saturn’s rings. Placed on top of the base platform is a spherical speaker or the upper hemisphere of the entire structure, which is what the planet Saturn would probably look like if viewed from the top. Attached to the sphere is the tonearm, and the end of the needle has been inspired by Titan!

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Introducing o-ton, a vertical, wireless turntable that lets you import and digitally enhance your vinyl records. It’s almost entirely translucent, so you can see all the inner workings and, of course, your vinyl’s unique cover art. The design features a digital stylus that automatically turns your device on if you insert a vinyl. With an integrated optical sensor, the stylus can identify and jump individual tracks.

The SC+P Turntable uses the combination of high-quality materials, precision engineering, and a visually striking design to emphasize the state of the art components that reside within its body. The undeniably beautiful device is made up of a striking framework that draws attention towards the vinyl that sits at the center. The result of this skeleton-like form is the exposure of the mechanics and electronics that allow the device to function.

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Titled the Kozmophone, this alternate-reality gramophone takes one of Edison’s greatest inventions and gives it multiple upgrades, including a miniature holograph projector that brings back the visual joy we associated with Windows Media Player’s visualizer graphics before online streaming took over. The avant-garde gramophone comes with a slick, glossy, cutting-edge design, featuring an Audio Technica AT 91 cartridge and belt-driven turntable with built-in vibration damping.

LOVE is a premium, smartphone-controlled record player that you can use with the support of an app or without. It reads records utilizing a traditional stylus or can be connected to Bluetooth and WiFi. You can use your smartphone to play, stop, repeat and skip records, and even select different RPM speeds. It is said to be the world’s first intelligent turntable!

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Echoing the vinyl disc’s gentle concentric carvings, the Barky turntable’s base has something similar, but something that has been around for millennia. A cross-section of wood taken from an ash tree, the Barky’s base has wooden age-lines that match perfectly with the shape and nature of vinyl, creating something that looks absolutely surreal as you begin to notice the biomimicry of sorts.

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The turntable itself is a rather retro/hipster product and using concrete in the Enso only makes it more kitschy and cool. With its imperfections, concrete gives a different flavor to a product that has otherwise only seen the use of plastic, glass, metal, and wood. Designed with a simple rounded form that highlights the vinyl disc platter and arm, the Enso comes with a rather integrated form and the only thing breaking it is the walnut wood control panel which juts out to end the monotony and play with one’s visual expectation of continuity.

We love a cool vinyl turntable, and Gearbox’s Automatic Turntable MkII is as cool as it gets! Inspired by Dieter Rams’ 1955 Braun PC 3 SV record player, you can actually observe the inner workings of the transparent turntable. Yes, you heard that right, it’s transparent! Not to mention it’s the perfect culmination of retro meets future. However, one of its most exciting features would be the turntable’s high-fidelity built-in valve phono stage, making it the first turntable in the world to actually have one!

The RokBlok by Pink Donut isn’t your conventional vinyl record player! It’s the world’s smallest, wireless record player. You simply place the RokBlok upon your favorite record and listen to your favorites tunes anytime anywhere. It functions as a turntable without actually looking or being one, intriguing right?

Designed to be a DJ console that offers incredible amounts of control to the person behind it, Whiteout features a base with multiple grooves and a series of knobs you can place on them. The knobs work both as rotary-controls as well as sliders, while the base itself lights up with a minimalist interface. A pair of grooved circles on the base act as the turntables, while touch-sensitive controls on the top let you play, pause, loop, transition, solo, and mute tracks.

A Saturn inspired vinyl record player to take you on a trip through the Milky Way!

Record players never really seem to go out of fashion. It’s a classic collectible that manages to wash everyone over with nostalgia. In an attempt to add even more of an emotional connect to record players, product designer Elham Mirzapour created ‘Saturn’. Saturn is a beautiful vinyl record player inspired by the planet Saturn, it’s rings and it’s moon Titan. One glance at it and it truly looks like Saturn with its rings rotating around it gloriously, and with Titan calmly by the side of the planet.

Saturn comprises of a black turn-table platform, which will subtly remind you of Saturn’s rings. Placed on top of the base platform is a spherical speaker or the upper hemisphere of the entire structure, which is what the planet Saturn would probably look like if viewed from the top. Attached to the sphere is the tonearm, and the end of the needle has been inspired by Titan! A little orange blob at the end of the tonearm represents Titan and helps in playing your beloved vinyl records.

How to operate Saturn? Fairly simple. Pluck the upper hemisphere off the turntable, and place the record of your choice onto the base platform. Place the sphere again, and position the Titan-esque needle. Press the Power button, followed by the Play button. Watch as the record begins to rotate like one of Satun’s rings, Titan reads the record, and your favorite hits pour forth from the record player. Crafted from plastic, Saturn comes amped with two engines to power it, ensuring that your record player never falters. The designer harbors a deep love for Astronomy, and in his attempt to combine both design and Astronomy, he has created a truly one of a kind product, that allows us to listen to some old vinyl favorites and also takes us on a trip through the Milky Way!

Designer: Elham Mirzapour

6 Best Turntables to Play Music at Home

1byone Vintage Style Turntable1byone Vintage Style Turntable

There are more and more people who prefer to listen to their music like they or their parents did in the old days, which means plugging in a turntable or record player, putting on a vinyl record and get carried off with those oh so satisfying scratches.

Today’s turntables are split into two groups: A modern design with the technology to go along, or something for people with a taste for vintage, featuring wooden or faux-wood materials and finish, along with today’s’ technological features. There are a lot of record players to choose from – here is our selection for the top 6.

Audio Technica AT-LP60BK Stereo Turntable

A fully automatic turntable with 2 speeds (33 1/3 and 45 RPM). It has an integral dual magnet phono cartridge with replaceable diamond stylus. You can buy the Audio Technica AT-LP60BK Stereo Turntable with or without USB.

Musitrend LP 3-Speed Turntable

A terrific example of how a vintage record player should look like, the Musitrend LP 3-Speed Turntable comes with built-in stereo speakers and vinyl to MP3 records. You can buy it on Amazon.

Audio Technica AT-LP120BK Professional Turntable

A more advanced record player with 3 different speeds (highest is 78RPM), it has a direct-drive, high-torque motor. The Audio Technica AT-LP120BK Professional Turntable is available in black or silver.

1byone Vintage Style Turntable

This turntable has a traditional-retro style, providing a nice blend of old-school record player with modern technology, including 3 speeds and a vinyl to mp3 recording. The 1byone vintage style turntable is available to buy on Amazon.

Victrola Nostalgic Aviator Wood 8-in-1 Turntable

This entertainment center has 3 different speeds, built in bluetooth for wireless play and the ability to record straight from vinyl to a CD, cassette or USB. The Victrola Nostalgic Aviator Wood 8-in-1 Turntable also comes in 5 different colors.

1byone Belt-Drive 3-Speed Mini Stereo Turntable

With vinyl-to-mp3 recording ability, 3 speeds and easy-to-use pitch control as well as a lean, clean compact design, the 1byone Belt-Drive 3-Speed Mini Stereo Turntable delivers in both music and looks.