Crosley Cruiser - UNBOXING / TEST / TEARDOWN!

[@Jeremy-xe9vs]

Love them; 'audiophile' snobs need to learn to relax a bit. I've personally spent my fair share of money on higher end audio equipment. I own a couple $500 pair of headphones and several higher end components but I still love cheap stuff that works. I just bought a Jensen JTA385 all in one (with the same turntable mechanism/ceramic cartridge) and I love it. Not because it sounds spectacular, but because it has an awesome retro look to it and it's just fun. I think it's a bit funny that some of these 'audiophiles' will spend thousands of dollars on super-high end turntable components when the very nature of the vinyl medium means it's inherently lower quality in terms of sound than something like a digital lossless source. Those same multi-thousand dollar turntables/cartridges can technically be beat by any standard $100 digital audio player playing lossless files when it comes to accuracy. The vinyl format in itself isn't about accuracy in my opinion; it's about fun.

[@micayiah1]

Thank you so much for this video! I got this for my son for Christmas,and it's his first turntable. You answered all the questions I needed to know about this product,and I really appreciate it. Thank you!!

[@Recordology]

You're very welcome!

[@georgeprice4212]

I honestly don't get the hate against Crosley. I don't like the sound...but that's the speakers they use. If all you can afford is Crosley, get it. It's not my place to tell anyone how to spend their funds.

[@Recordology]

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@vwestlife]

It's actually the fourth generation if you count the battery-powered Cruiser II, which was only on the market for a short time. I think Crosley discontinued it because it ran on regular AA batteries rather than a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack, so the battery life probably wasn't that good. I'd love to hear a direct line output from the Cruiser Plus, as that would really reveal whether they properly matched the impedance of the cartridge or not. And I'm glad to see they mounted the mechanism on springs, which raises it up enough that it shouldn't have any problems with the edge of the record rubbing against the lid.

[@Recordology]

Interesting…..also there is the mini-cruiser if we really wanted to get technical!

[@JoeOrber]

The problem is not only the impedance, but the equalization curve. The equalization curve used in vinyl records since decades ago is the RIAA Eq Curve, which means that when records are produced, the low end frequencies or bass levels are attenuated to reduce inter-groove distortion and skipping, and the higher end frequencies or treble levels are amplified to compensate for the limits of the media due to the rotation speed. When you play the records, you need to equalize the sound with the opposite RIAA Curve, which means to attenuate the highs and amplify the lows, regardless of the signal amplitude.

[@JoeOrber]

That's why, if you just amplify the sound coming from the cartridge without the right equalization, you get that kind of tinny tiny can sound even through good speakers

[@Peapodzilla]

THE VWestlife?!??

[@earlklemm2031]

I was born in 53 grew up in the 60's all we wanted to do back then was play our records. I can pull out one of my older records put it on my AT120 they still sound great.

[@dougbrowning82]

And most of us played our records on 6 to 8 gram BSR or Voice of Music players, or something similar.

[@michaelbell75]

As a photographer, musician and music fan in general. I see a ton of similarities between these suitcase players and instant film cameras. Audio snobs are just as bad as photography snobs. They dont get that there are literally a TON of people who don't want tack sharp photos or pristine sounding music. There are MANY of us lo-fi lovers who love the Lomography and Polaroid lo-fi look, just the same as MANY of us who love lo-fi music. We dont want huge sound systems. I have a Victrola suitcase player and records like early White Stripes, Black Keys and 60s music like the Beatles sound great on it *gasp* thru the built in speakers! Love it so much I ordered a Crosley Dansette Bermuda with the upgraded AT-3600 diamond stylus magnetic cartridge and better speakers.. If I want to hear every single note of a song crystal clear, I'm not buying a record player anyways, I have my HQ digital music files with overpriced Bose sound system and high quality headphones for that. There is a reason these suitcase players sell like hotcakes and far outsell higher end players, its the same reason Fuji Instax instant cameras more than double the sales of every digital camera combined each year. Some people just dont get it and never will.

[@Recordology]

Great perspective

[@michaelbell75]

@@Recordology Thanks, I will say that the Victrola sounds excellent thru my Bose system. Was listening to Abbey Road earlier and I heard bass notes in Something I've never heard in the digital download I have from Apple Music, thru the same system. And Im just going thru the headphone jack, which Im sure is an inferior sound to the RCA outs in the back. You demonstrated how good these players sound hooked up to other speakers as well. The real weakness with these IMO is the cheap sapphire stylus and ceramic cartridges.

[@ssnoc]

I think it’s terrific that peoples comments are supportive for this unit - It’s exactly what you say it is and does fill a need. I bought one in a thrift shop brand new just to listen to some old jazz records in my office and I enjoy using it, it’s fun. I hook up my Sony Bluetooth speaker with a wire because my unit doesn’t send out a Bluetooth signal, but the sound is amazing through the Sony speaker - the suitcase speakers work too, but they need improvement. Great video 👍

[@josterplays8128]

The only way a Crosley Cruiser could ever destroy your records is if you closed up the record player and bashed your records with it.

[@georgeprice4212]

THANK YOU!

[@roofusJohnson]

Oops...

[@itstimmyofficial7349]

Just ordered one in Black. I think it would feel more authentic if they took the label from the bottom, and made it a silver or gold plate on the back that covers the components. Then, when you need to use them, you can slide or open the slot, but the door is the label if that makes sense. In addition to the feet idea!

[@Reasepilotte]

I'm baking mine in the oven on 400 f. To see if it'll sound better once its warmed up a bit

[@rexoliver7780]

The 6Gr tacking force is completely safe for records.Its NOT the tracking force that damages records-but the SHAPE of the stylus tip.Should be rounded.At one time record shops and Hi-Fi shops had microscopes that you could examine your stylus with.If your stylus had a jagged,nicked,or broken tip you could replace it at that shop.They stocked spares!

[@Recordology]

Exactly!!!

[@darinb.3273]

Not related to this particular comment but a few words about the impedance matching, it is very likely that isn't the issue at all it is HIGHLY likely it is simply the size of the drivers (speakers) and the low wattage of the amplifier. When you played it on the bluetooth speaker it was most likely coming off the same feed going to the built in amplifier. The sound was there the whole time, it was simply the speakers and the amplifier driving them that didn't provide the bass response from the vinyl. That said I certainly wouldn't say there couldn't be an impedance mismatch, just saying those tiny speakers aren't capable of producing a good bass response due to there size. Like listening to music through your cellphone speaker it simply isn't capable of reproducing bass like a HiFi system.

[@darinb.3273]

@@Recordology The ceramic carts. have a tendency to REALLY amplify the midrange of music (1000 Hz) many vocals and some instruments are in this range and come through as if you were standing in front of the speaker output of the raw recording. I cut the 1k using a graphic equalizer when I was younger it hurt my ears because some 1k frequencies were really strong in some music some guitar made my 👂s bleed, that may very well be the harshness you referred to.

[@darinb.3273]

@@Recordology Even though those speakers are rated at three watts I'm will to suggest they are getting more than a watt maybe 2 watts. There isn't even a heatsink anywhere on the amplifier board LOL.

[@RJDA.Dakota]

Yes… at one time.

[@acerbt]

I just got a cruser because I want something to take with me on my up coming travels away from home. Myne doesn't sound like it has the missmatch issues. Sure, my pl50 sounds better but this doesn't sound so bad considdering the use case and price.

[@dr3w399]

The new ones are properly impedance matched

[@norcatch]

I'm certainly into records due to their convenience.

[@abcd1239me]

I have a deluxe one and for what it is, it is fine with me. I do have better sounding turntables as well.

[@bungalowfeuhler1541]

With every kid having Bluetooth headphones these days, this model fixes the Cruisers famed sound quality issues. I still wouldn’t use it for my collectible records. But the main thing I love about modern vinyl is its ability to help kids learn to listen to whole albums and appreciate the album art. The best way for them to do that is by selecting the new records that they want to own. My old collectors items might catch their ear eventually. But they are more likely to discover the dead hobby of truly enjoying albums, if they are allowed to select the brand new, dirt cheap records that their generations artist are putting out. If this things crappy needle bangs the thing up, you’re only out ten bucks. And the audio quality on todays bass-drowned, barely mixed, meant-to-be-played-through-an-iPhone-speaker music, might even improve as the stylus digs a groove into it.

[@radeon76]

this reminds me of the 1978 Fisher Price Turntable Record Player I had lol.

[@Recordology]

We reviewed that… kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmXLqZJ8qq6YetE

[@bichela]

You can power these from a 12v power bank/battery or a car cigarette cord so that makes them nice and portable. Bring your records camping! Or listen to music during a power outage!

[@Recordology]

Actually from a 5v one!

[@CharlesTonkin-v1w]

@@Recordology The earlier Cruiser I believe ran 9V, The CR49 Traveler 12V

[@JoeOrber]

The problem is not only the impedance, but the equalization curve. The equalization curve used in vinyl records since decades ago is the RIAA Eq Curve, which means that when records are produced, the low end frequencies or bass levels are attenuated to reduce inter-groove distortion and skipping, and the higher end frequencies or treble levels are amplified to compensate for the limits of the media due to the rotation speed. When you play the records, you need to equalize the sound with the opposite RIAA Curve, which means to attenuate the highs and amplify the lows, regardless of the signal amplitude.That's why, if you just amplify the sound coming from the cartridge without the right equalization, you get that kind of tinny tiny can sound even through good speakers. A Phono preamplifier or phono input normally includes the RIAA equalization.

[@Recordology]

Yep that’s a good point.

[@radiotvphononut]

Just my opinion; but, I don't care how many features they add to it, a Crosley Cruiser is basically a poorly sounding, cheaply made, overpriced kiddie record player and I've actually had older kiddie record players that sounded better. Of course, I don't expect audiophile quality out of a portable phonograph; but, I expect them to sound better than these sound. BTW, the older USA-made record players are designed to be repaired and they are not held together with "hot snot."

[@douglasallen9428]

You’ve said it! Though if the OEM bothered to use an amplifier that was properly impedance matched for the output of a ceramic phono cartridge, it wouldn’t sound all that bad…..

[@radiotvphononut]

@@douglasallen9428 I read an article where someone upgraded the speakers and built an FET buffer stage to go between the cartridge and amplifier input, and those modifications improved the sound quality greatly.

[@georgeprice4212]

but how do you really feel? 😆

[@xaenon]

@@radiotvphononut Yes. But it's a lot of effort and additional expense on top of the original purchase price, and in the end you're just playing around with a tweaked Crosleyl Cruiser. In fact, I think YOU toyed with the idea of an FET buffer stage in a Cruiser, didn't you? IIRC, you got sort of frustrated and EOL'd it instead.

[@Recordology]

They serve their purpose very well. There are lots of higher end portables with ceramic carts that can be easily worked on. But this not intended for that. The most common misconception is that these are designed to compete with higher end equipment. They are starter units at very low costs and get people started. Nothing wrong with that!

[@salvo3534]

ho scelto audio 1:28 tecnica LPX140 ho sostituito la testina tutta più lo stilo microlinear nudo..e credo che se anche con l'aggiornamento della testina più stilo il.prezzo e quasi uguale io continuo a preferire ATX140

[@Recordology]

Interesting!

[@seanearnest8350]

When you talk about reproduction accuracy it depends on the external components you run to an external audio system.

[@Recordology]

Fair point!

[@sclearance58]

I love my suitcase Crosley! It lead me to my love of turntables and receivers and records! Also I run my whole Crosley on aux in my receiver, it thumps on my expensive loudspeakers . It’s called a cord people! I plugged in my aux a cheap cassette walkman , wow! So get a red and white patch cord on one end with the 3.5 plug on the other end! It will work wonders with a receiver!

[@pacificelectric9447]

Love this channel. I have one of these Crosleys and yes it works good and I like it. No it will not destroy your record after 5 plays as one expert claimed. Here's a tip: replace the stylus with a diamond stylus.

[@larryshaver3568]

someone in the UK has revived Collaro which i was very happy to see they {Philips] really blew it when they swept Collaro under the carpet

[@liang3102]

These suitcase players are a good way to have a record player in every room, and your higher level turntable in the lounge. They do the job just fine and are nice for playing old 45s that might not be in the best condition. They are fun

[@Recordology]

Exactly 🙏🏻

[@dannysvinylrainbow4852]

Got one in burgundy exclusive color for Walmart. Works great but lacks bass and of course A magnetic cartridge. No surprise there

[@mamarobyn]

I don't know if I love Em or hate them but I always wanted the irradescent one they had at Urban Outfitters I just found it at the goodwill for $3 pretty stoked.

[@themadcoachman]

I Purchased a Ricahtec Rtt21 suitcase player for £37 in the UK new , and its great for a starter record player and great for me , because I can't afford a Record player 6x as much and speakers as well

[@RJDA.Dakota]

The first stereo I saw was the one my mother bought. It was a Lafayette ATS 6 with 4 tubes. It was nice for a portable. It had the turntable drop down from a kind of case and speakers were clipped and hinged on to the unit.

[@bradygiltz5160]

In defense of the counterweight...my 1970s panasonic unit tracks at 5.22 grams

[@beerrox711]

Panasonic record players steamroll over records… oddly enough, they don’t get the same amount of hate as contemporary BSRs or todays Crosleys. The Panasonic SG-515 is considered as good as gold despite its many glaring faults, go figure.

[@Trance88]

I really like the look of the new material they're using on this Cruiser. I would have to agree with a lot of people into vinyl that turntables like the AT LP60 should really be where people start their vinyl record collecting journey if buying a new player. I look at record players like this crosley cruiser as more of a "collectable" or "novelty" record player.

[@chongpooka2769]

Leebrown James just got a Clairtone g2. I got one of these for $31 plays my 3 records fine. Changed the stylus and hooked up the soundbar we use for the tv. Records are way too expensive, and cd’s and digital sound better anyway.

[@secondchancejunkyard7946]

Have you thought of making a demonstration video, of a Banpa flip cartridge?

[@Recordology]

I’ve been keeping an eye out for one

[@bichela]

@@Recordology they say the pfanshil P192d is better. It fits into this mount.

[@FRANKM1939]

I have one. Fairly easy to install and the flip over needle is fine. The cartridge itself is still in the low end in terms of frequency range and separation. Worth it if you have a lot of 78's for the convenience.

[@TorontoJon]

I love the concept of the Crosley Cruiser, i.e. an affordable and portable record player that plays 33's, 45's, and 78's (which is why I bought one years ago, particularly to play 78's, but it was not working properly) to introduce new collectors to the vinyl record hobby, but all I ask is for any record player or turntable to be built reliably to play music enjoyably. If they can achieve that, then mission accomplished. Oddly enough, I have a Victrola triple-speed record player/tuner/Bluetooth transmitter (similar to one Recordology reviewed quite a while back) and two Christmas-themed LP&No.1 suitcase triple-speed turntables (like one reviewed by Recordology) that play well and are not dissimilar to Crosley Cruiser suitcase models. Naturally, I wouldn't play any expensive or highly-prized or super-collectible records on the units I mentioned, but they're fine for dollar records from thrift stores for a bit of fun now and then. :)

[@dougbrowning82]

BSR achieved that in 1950, with their introduction of the Monarch series record changers. They were simple and reliable machines that inspired the introduction of the Dansette line of record players. The mechanism in the Crosley is a single disk clone of BSR's micro changer, introduced in the late 1960s.

[@passqualecaiazza7728]

Yes, agreed/ I have an all in one, about 6 years old. Looks nice and has played maybe 6 records and is so slow. Thank god for the CD burner and my older higher end turntables I patch in to burn some CD's for the car. I sure hope these newer models are better, so they don't give new vinyl people a bad impression of vinyl

[@johnb6723]

Good enough for 78s, but not for anything else.

[@clarkesuperman]

If you had issues playing your 78s, it’s because the grooves in the 78s are bigger and require a 3mm stylus, as opposed to the 1mm stylus used for 33/45.

[@CharlesTonkin-v1w]

@@clarkesuperman mil, not MM, they are 2 different things

[@TorontoJon]

For some odd reason, I bought a Crosley Cruiser many years ago and it broke within the first 15 minutes of using it and the cartridge headshell had not been attached securely. That's not to mention the truly toxic smell of the unit that made me feel sorry for all of those Chinese factory workers living day to day with that toxic stench that likely shortened their lives. So, needless to say, I'm not a fan of Crosley Cruisers, but the Crosley C10 made by Pro-ject is decent enough (but I have far better vintage turntables). That Crosley Cruiser of mine has sat crying in its box unused for several years now. ;)

[@Recordology]

The only reason I do this channel is to convert you one day… Someday… Lol

[@radiotvphononut]

Over the years, I've had my hands on a number of Crosley phonographs and they all have that odd "chineezy" smell to them. As far as yours falling apart, that's not uncommon because quality control is basically non-existent. You may get one that is actually "right", the next one may be "in between", and the 3rd one may be a disaster. About the only Crosley self-contained record players that I have any use for are the Stack-O-Matic models and that's more for the novelty of a record changer being made in the 21st century and some of their earlier portables, such as the CR49, were sort of OK; but, most of their offerings that use the infamous Chinese knock-off of a Chuo-Denshi CZ800 ceramic cartridge are junk.

[@normalnate3447]

@@Recordology you helped me not get a crosley

[@bradygiltz5160]

I owned a all in one by victrola and they are better but I had to return the first one due to the speakers being busted out of the first one....the issue with mass production is not good quality control

[@TorontoJon]

@@Recordology I love the concept of the Crosley Cruiser, i.e. an affordable and portable record player that plays 33's, 45's, and 78's (which is why I bought one years ago, particularly to play 78's, but the unit was awful), but all I ask is for any record player or turntable to be built reliably to play music enjoyably. If they can achieve that, mission accomplished. :)

[@bentriulzi1348]

Hey first and foremost thanks for the video. This is exactly what I was looking for. Appreciate the deep dive and all the insights. I want to add my two cents here… before I get thrown out the window for recently buying two Crosley Cruiser Deluxes…I want to say that I was lucky enough to get a very nice AudioTechnica record player for my 16th birthday and also got some Polk Audio Bookshelf Speakers and eventually added a great stereo receiver. Point being I feel content with the quality of my audio setup. Fast forward to today, I happened to be at my local Marshalls and in the clearance section I see two brand new unopened boxes each with the Crosley Cruiser Deluxe and Record Crate Bundle. Price? 25.99 each. Immediately bought them both and will be giving them to a friend and my younger brother who is in college and both of whom want to get into vinyls. This is the perfect starter kit and the functionality will allow them to connect the player to higher quality speakers and the internal speakers as you said are just fine for background noise while hanging out or studying etc. I’m just not sure there is anything out there that would be better than this for 25.99! I agree completely, music and records should be fun and enjoyable. Not a competition folks. I digress… after my impulse buy I found this video and it validated my entire rationale for buying them. Fun, functional, and to help kickstart some new people to get into the vinyl world. Any tips for a replacement needle? Cheers, Ben

[@Parasyte316]

The only big issue I’ve got with crosley is where I’m at the price between an at-lp60 and the crosley cruiser is like $30. And both are usually sold right next to each other. I understand that the CC comes with speakers but my original set up actually costed less than a CC (used first gen lp60 + computer speakers) from there I was able to pretty much upgrade everything on my own pace because the base was good enough.

[@acerbt]

Some people say that the bass is almost if not totally removed on all in 1 systems like that because the company wants to reduce any extra vibration that the low range frequencies could cause but it could also just be the impedance being mismatched.

[@Recordology]

Watch this space for improvements in this area.

[@robbalboni4179]

nice and interesting review of this new generation crosley cruiser record player. they are what they are, not audiophile but fine for first timers getting into vinyl. i have been collecting records since 1976 and have a large amount of 45s and lps. i would not be opposed to getting one of these for the convienience and fun aspect of having an exta record player for playing my 45s and lps in other rooms once in awhile, thanks for sharing!

[@strugglingparodox5709]

I have to strongly correct you on something you keep saying, in reguards to ceramic cartriges. They do not have a signal output equal to ither components, such as a CD player, or a tape deck. Their signal may be strong enough to amplify, but is very weak, and lacks frequency responce. To say that the cart is impedence mached or not, is really not whats going on. Theres way more to it. Back in the day of all in ones, (60s through early 80s) all those bsr record changers with ceramic carts were given a proper preamp to feed that signal through. It sofened the tinny highs, and brought out the lows, making the sound more ballenced. You can, in fact send a ceramic cart signal through a preamp made for a magnetic cart, it just requires a few extra parts to make it work properly, such as, resisters, and capacitirs arranged for the circuit to calm the bass, and make the signal feesable for that tyoe of preamp input. Remeber that red crosley soundburger type record player? It was really distoted, because, it was sending a ceramic cart signal to a preamp meant for a magnetic cart. I have an Optimus SA 155 stereo amplifier. This is the same amp VWestlife uses in a few of his vudeos reguarding record players. It has a selector switch for the differant phono carts. Either way, it goes through the preamp. I bought a Crosly cruiser at Walmart,, close out sale,, for 30 bucks. I tested everything about it. I found out that they designed the electrics to not only cut the lows from the bluetooth signal, and input signal, but they reduce what little bass is produced from the record player. SO,,, i compleatly rebuilt it. I took out the circuit board, and put in parts i had salvaged. New amplifier, from a set of computer speaker i modified a bit. A bass and treble control, from an old stereo years ago. And a phono preamp that was built in an old record player. I added the proper parts to the input of the phono preamp to make it accept the signal correctly. It sounds really good now. I also replaced the crummy speakers with better ones, and even added external speaker jacks where the line out sockets were. I have no rumble feedback issue with the bass i now get out of this. It now has to run on 9 volts, instead of 5, but, its far better then what it was.

[@Recordology]

We will have to agree to disagree. The fact is that ceramics output line level although there is still an amplifier in this to drive the speakers. The first Gen Crosley Revolution (soundberger type) uses a groove tool clone magnetic cart. The second Gen Revolution uses a ceramic. We have reviewed both. Glad you could improve your cruiser…sounds like a fun project.

[@strugglingparodox5709]

@@Recordology ,, all im really tying to say is,, cramic carts can sound really good with the right treatment,, i just get flustered with these suitcase players, and a few other models for not putting in the small effort to make that happen.

[@bradygiltz5160]

That is cool, I haven't heard anyone doing that

[@dougbrowning82]

The original ceramic carts came in three levels of output. Low was about where they are today, medium was line level, designed to play through the audio section of a radio, and high was 3 to 4 volts, to feed the cheap, one tube kiddie players of the day. The advent of cheap, solid state electronics made the medium and high output cartridges obsolete, as it's simple to add amplification stages for the low output carts.

[@markwilliams2434]

I have a 2 year old record player, that has no name brand either on the player or the box it came in, it plays fine but I wish I knew who actually made mine. You know I love music 🎶

[@dougbrowning82]

The majority of these player mechanisms are made by Sunwin.

[@robez457]

Basically in my opinion this is a cheap way to get into vinyl collecting. I know that the audiophiles will tell you that you need to spend at least 500 dollars to get a decent record player. But do you really want to spend 500 bucks on a hobby that you might lose interest in after a couple months. My advice is to spend about 60 to a hundred dollars on a cheap record player and records. If you decide that you are still interested in vinyl after a few months. Build your record collection and save up for a better quality player. My sister has one of these and it’s actually what made me want to get into vinyl. I bought an audio technicia for 130 dollars and I’ve got about a dozen records of my favorite artists. I’ll probably upgrade in about year or two. But for now it’s completely fine

[@Recordology]

Exactly! You nailed it!

[@bradygiltz5160]

Have you seen vwestlife s video about these turntable mechanism? He showed that these can sound awesome if you have the impedance correct

[@Recordology]

Yep that’s what we were saying.

[@bradygiltz5160]

@@Recordology oh haha I didn't get that far in the video yet haha

[@xaenon]

Can confirm myself. I experimented with one of these 'modern' design players, disconnecting the tone arm signal leads and using them to drive a little Radio Shack SA-10 miniamp, which has high-impedance input stages. THere was a noticeable improvement even driving the unit's original speakers. But the most significant improvement was using the SA-10 to drive better/larger speakers.

[@CharlesTonkin-v1w]

@@xaenon I used to connect Aussie made suitcase players to a SA10 amp, I found the sound to be good, one thing I don't like in those compact amps, HMV suitcase and consoles is full time loudness contour, I get in and rip out the loudness caps, on weak recordings that call for vol knob to go past 2/3 the midrange gets honky. The SA10 used to saturate on CD player due to the loudness caps

[@PepsiManX360]

What generation is the CR8005G-BK? I just ordered one for my wife and I’m scared that I ordered the old 1st gen. Thanks!

[@Recordology]

Tracking down the newest ones is tricky and Im not sure how to do it based on model number. You might try reaching out to Crosley.

[@commandertaco1762]

I dont hate the crosley, i just wish it could close while playing

[@johnkaehler4237]

So you did mention that they're tinny and the speakers aren't impedance matched considering that the speakers are fairly standard size for the size that they are. I'd be interested in if it would be possible to modify the crosley with better speakers or even wearing to make it sound better???

[@djblackjackshellac]

I’ve replaced my speakers with SC 5.9 2" x 3.5" Visatons, added a Pfanstiehl “flip” cartridge, a rubber mat, and some internal baffling.The sound is only very minimally improved… I’d say it just makes the tinniness louder 🙁. My MacBook still sounds better. I wish someone would make some custom boards to fix the impedance mismatch. It would make these things very fun and truly worthwhile to pull out of the closet.

[@bradygiltz5160]

I'd like to point something out about the needle wearing it out. It's still amazing that you can play a record 1k time and them have to replace a diamond needle but the record will still sound fine

[@dougbrowning82]

The stylus gets friction the whole time it's playing records, while the record groove only gets friction the instant that the stylus passes it while playing. It's only natural that the stylus is going to wear out long before the record does. A ruby stylus is good for about 100 LP records, sapphire is good for 1,000 records, while diamond leads the pack at 10,000 records. Usually, the color of the stylus holder tells what stylus you have. Red for ruby, green for sapphire, and white for diamond. Althoug it's not universal brand to brand. The difference in wear between a tracking force of 1.5 vs. 6 grams is minuscule. It's only when you get up to 10 grams or more that you'll see any appreciable wear in your records. And those levels haven't been seen since the old, crystal cartridges of the late 1940s and early 50s that were mostly used to play shellac 78 rpm records. Sonotone introduced the 8 gram, ceramic cartridge in the mid 1950s, and stereo cartridges have never tracked more than 6 grams.

[@davidkornblatt851]

Also wow and flutter is noticeable!

[@PreparationH67]

I got started with one of the Innovative Technologies all in ones, before they bought the Victrola brand, and it seemed like the biggest thing holding it back sound quality wise were the built in speakers. Sounded way better when hooked up to some good bookshelves. It skipping when trying to play several modern vinyl releases ended up being its biggest problem for me at the time and is the main reason I don't recommend them to new buyers.

[@grassulo]

I have a little Capehart suitcase player I picked up at Goodwill for $20 it's fine for exactly what it is, as they used to say "cheap and cheerful" it runs off of 5 volts so eventually I'm going to get a USB to barrel jack cord for it and a power bank so then it really will be portable. It'll be great for quickly listening to records I might want to buy like at thrift stores or flea markets.

[@rxvanz]

How do you connect it to a bluetooth speaker?

[@denimru4637]

Good question, I have tried JBL and Bose it will not pair.

[@djblackjackshellac]

I’m wondering why you didn’t send any Bluetooth to the internal speakers. It would really demonstrate, in stark relief, the impedance mismatch. Would you say the impedance issue is worse here than on the Five Below player, and if so, are their any parts from that which could be swapped into this?

[@FRANKM1939]

The internal speakers aren't equipped to receive Bluetooth. More money.

[@djblackjackshellac]

@@FRANKM1939 yes they are, it’s BT in and out.

[@flexxmi]

What about older styrene 45's? How many times can you play a styrene 45 on one of these Crosley players before it destroys the audio quality of the disc? Styrene discs are a much harder and less forgiving material than vinyl and were injection molded versus compression pressed. The styrene 45's were manufactured by the billions for some of the biggest record companies and are easily found in just about any store that sells used 45's. Now that's a video I'd be interested in watching.

[@Recordology]

Look up my slot in mpk review….it did not end well

[@flexxmi]

@@Recordology Okay so how about playing a clean styrene record 30-40 times on this Crosley without blowing the dust off and show the end result. I'd be interested to see if it ends up like Dave Brubeck.

[@dougbrowning82]

Those styrene 45s were not meant to last. They were cheap, mass market singles meant to introduce you to the top hits in hope you would like it enough to buy the vinyl album it came from. Proper singles were pressed on vinyl 45s. The companies that churned out styrene 45s weren't singles oriented labels, they were album oriented. If you bought a pressed vinyl 45, it meant the label was singles oriented and cared about the quality of their product.

[@FRANKM1939]

The 45 RPM players sold by the developers, RCA, used crystal cartridges and Osmium (metal) needles. Very high tracking force of 8 to 10 grams and needle wear measured in low hours. Like 40 or so. The crystal cartridges were bulky and heavy and subject to damage by moist as well as dry environments. Early technology best forgotten. The players only accepted 45's, by the way.

[@CharlesTonkin-v1w]

@@Recordology You sure learnt the hard way, your Duke Ellington chewed up

[@therealhudlesshorseman]

Have the original cruiser that's lasted me close to 6 years now and just received the Plus for Christmas (do recommend at least upgrading the tip). Never had any issues or destroyed records in all the plays and while I will fully admit they are not the end all to be all for record playing, I will say, I see no problem playing mass produced records on a mass produced player. Obviously, you're not going to play a one of a kind, rarity on these bad boys, but you better believe you should play that 30 dollar Run the Jewels album from Walmart until it burns out. They're meant to be played with and have fun and that's exactly what they do.

[@bradygiltz5160]

Crosley cruisers don't hurt your record but they can have design flaws so I always tell people to get a all in one unit

[@hellomeatrobots]

I picked up one of these based on the recommendations of internet audiophiles, and I am extremely disappointed in the lack of face melting it was supposed to induce. I plugged it into an old JVC receiver with the magic "loudness" button and some bookshelf speakers and it sounds shockingly acceptable.

[@CharlesTonkin-v1w]

I hate the loudness button, when vol knob goes past 2/3, the mids get honky

[@stormiezxo6611]

what do u think about Crosley Voyager? pls answear because i bought one today and i'm so scared after all the comments i received :( is it really bad? should i replace my needle to a diamond one already?

[@rexoliver7780]

Normally I am not a Cruiser fan-these TT's could be more useful if it has an internal rechargeable battery power supply.Then you can use it with AC power from the wall wart or without from the internal battery.The wall wart could also charge the battery,too.Then this little TT could be used anywhere!! For cereamic cartridges-they CANNOT drive a line level in directly-the ceramic carttridge needs to be loaded by 1Meg ohm or more.Usual liune level inputs are 200-300 Kohm.So the line amp in the TT just matches the cartridge to the line level input on another amp.In an emergency I have played ceramic cartridges into a line in-but it sounds tinny and weak.

[@TorontoJon]

42:00 That's a perfect description for MDF (medium density fiberboard as you mentioned) as the "SPAM of wood". Hahaha! I wish I'd thought of that. Bravo, Recordology. It could also be considered as the "hot dog of wood". :)

[@jro7075]

I noticed as u was showing player it does looks like it is on springs and I bought the 2nd generation for my daughters and I have used one of their records which was a classical LP to reset my equalizer cause of the many instruments they play it sounded great and not worn so I have no qualms about them so this was a Fantastic Review I give u 6 stars for this vid it was educational and they are good for first timers to records and I believe crosley does a great job on quality so there you go JRo

[@WalmartJedi]

when will you unbox and review the Crosley Ridgemont Entertainment Turntable?

[@inspiredinthedark23]

I haven't been able to connect my bluetooth earphones. Still trying to figure that out.

[@rapturefuturistics1975]

I have a record player with a similar schematic. I wonder how do they adjust the 78 speed from the factory. I saw older models inside on youtube. There is a place for adjustment, in addition to 2 holes on the motor, but for some reason this version does not. On my record player there is a big problem with the 78, instead it is 73.

[@elvisway1]

I bought one of these at Walmart this past weekend in black for 35.00. I looks like that one of yours except it has wood in place of the plastic to hod down the plinth. (Yes I am like you as I want to look inside!) I sounds best with headphones (Apple brand) I really would like to have the Beatles blue player but can't justify buying one as I have four turntables (not counting the new Cruiser). I would like for you to test one if you can get your hands on one. Thanks for the info today.

[@pcallas66]

Don't ask me why but I experimented years ago with my one turntable with a great cartridge on it that wanted to skip on one of my prized albums. I did set it for the recommended tracking force and anti skate but it skipped and it never had done it before on that record and it was a brand new stylus at that time. The record is still in pristine condition in 2021 (this issue happened back in 1993 for me). Long story short I reduced the tracking force by about 1/4 gram and that fixed the skip problem. I realize this is a ceramic cartridge with no tracking force adjustment and my situation was on a Technics SL Q3 which still works great. I replaced the cartridge back in 2010 with an Ortofon Concorde S which sounds amazing for what it is. That stylus was rock solid in its playing.

[@niallneukomm6376]

I just took a photo of one's cartridge and it's all sideway on the protractor and it kept skipping forward. So bad... I had a Victorola and it was aligned... Didn't have that problem at all...

[@nickbitten9910]

Another interesting video sir. Not sure if I would buy one, but as you say they have a purpose and can be the start of the record journey. ( By the way, I have a Fidelity briefcase player from the late 1970's or early 80's and it is built like a tank- might get it serviced and recommissioned). All the best now.

[@scottpeterson7500]

Crosley Cruiser does sound better when playing through some good external speakers

[@larryshaver3568]

i've used plastic needles on tetrad and bsr cartridges they were fine in a pinch

[@Recordology]

Plastic needles?

[@CharlesTonkin-v1w]

@@Recordology BSR had Plastic cantilever needles ST10 type

[@kathycombs1901]

I JUST BOUGHT THIS AND A NEW PRINCE VINYL FOR SOME REASON IT DOESN'T EVEN SOUND LIKE PRINCE WOULD THAT BE THE CROSLEY PLAYER OR THE VINYL?

[@poruchxny_audi0fil]

Definitely the crosley player. It is really cheap-build and sometimes it breaks after few vinyls played.

[@denimru4637]

I might be doing something wrong..I cannot get the player to connect to a Bluetooth speaker. Can you change the stylus to a diamond?

[@Recordology]

Are you positive you have the BT out model?

[@vonburemann9942]

The white cable that connects the record player to the motor broke. I accidentally broke it. Do you know what type of white cables are those??? I can replace them on the white bracket that holds them if I know what type of cable they are. Please help. Thanks in advance

[@larryshaver3568]

the cartridge they use are not at all bad Jordan Pier put one in a Magnavox changer to replace an EV 26

[@charliewallace5542]

I added one as well. My 1972 Magnavox has one I installed and it sounds better than the original.

[@chrisschanneloftechnology4743]

It’s funny that you say Crosley and Victrola are completely different companies and don’t source their parts from the same manufacture but then why the heck do they all look the same? I must be missing some thing and wonder if you could shed some light on that?

[@Recordology]

This is a very good question! They do indeed look very similar until you get them side-by-side and then you notice major differences in dimensions, materials, and fixtures. There are a handful of OEM manufacturers that make suitcase players sold under a variety of brands. I think we did a video a couple years ago comparing two side-by-side and noting the differences.

[@jkmsaturn]

Crosley suitcase is the Travelling Salesman of of the Vinyl Record Industry.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

Might as well say Crosley is the Emerson of our time (or Yorx), for anyone who remembers them, and I've had plenty of their stuff. My first CD player was a portable Emerson model.

[@bichela]

Sounds good. I have a crosley and a Gerrard 210 record changer with a pfhanstihl p132d creramic (I had a msg on it but switched to ceramic because I liked the ceramic sound) and both sound good. Never had a problem with mine

[@mihelgevara5124]

What if you change built in speakers to more powerful? Will this work? Did you think about upgrade this crosley to make sound better? Is it possible? I like design of crosley coupe and crosley discovery but I want to improve the sound quality. What can I do?

[@shonstewart4957]

But you now initially for the case player because I've had some bad experiences with chronically in Victrola type of units but after plugging it into the Bluetooth speaker I am changing my opinion I started with better quality components and then got into the hole-in-one's later so not the best experience but if you're careful and know what you're doing it could be okay still love your channel I saw the first beyond the purple suitcase rated the tour of the castle awesome

[@KevinCostaMusic]

What album was used in this video?

[@Recordology]

Enoch Light “Future Sound Shock”

[@mdwernette]

Dig the enterprise in the background!

[@FRANKM1939]

Nice presentation. I learned how to change the belt on my machine without taking the turntable assembly out of the player cabinet. (I wonder why the instruction manual doesn't cover that?) Thanks for a sensible evaluation of the player. You could have said a bit more about Crosley and others offering a higher level assembly that uses a magnetic cartridge and has counterbalance and anti-skate adjustments. And a bit more than double the price. Even Wal Mart sells them. THANKS!

[@nalinnishant]

Would it work in countries where its 220 V and 50 Hz ?

[@thebottomband]

I followed all the instructions, put on the LP, and closed the dust cover...OOOPS 😁

[@7JANEWAY]

I probably will lose my membership card to the Audiophile Association (aka the Michael Fremer Society) for saying this, but there is actually a place for Crosley Cruisers (CC). There. I said it. Let the rants begin!!! So what is this place where they belong? I’ve always maintained that CCs are perfect for a kid’s first record player. They come in all sorts of colors and designs, so there’s literally something that will appeal to every kid. These designs make every kid feel like this is their own. But what about adults? Frankly, I still say, if you can save up your money, get an Audio Technica LP 60X (the newest model). This can be used with a decent pair of active speakers that won’t put you back a lot of money. But what about those who just can’t afford the LP 60X and speakers? Then, if all you want is a record player, I’d check thrift stores first before buying the CC. You can often find vintage record players that are of better quality than the CC. But if you want to play records, can’t afford the LP 60X, can’t find anything or just don’t want to go to the thrift store, then, yes, get the CC. It will do the job. But start saving so you can upgrade ASAP!!!

[@CharlesTonkin-v1w]

I own some Crosleys A 2014 black bruiser, 3 CR49 and my top TT is LP140XP

[@ayedee6681]

Don't you wish someone would send you a Music Hall Classic ...... I await your review!! :)

[@CaiusRo]

Please buy a dual p series portable turntable. Ceramic cart, tracking at 4,5 but you will ne amazed how good a ceramic can sound. You can find one for next to nothing. Do a comparison video. That would really be interesting

[@LudiusQuassas]

Personally I don't mind them, but if anything I would get me a Portfolio or Anthology instead.

[@michaelbell75]

How do you connect it via BT at 34:00?

[@denimru4637]

How do you connect to speaker? I have tried to pair to a JBL then to a Bose and it will not pair. Do I need direct cable? 3.5 mm

[@maddybrown2320]

I have the Crosley cruiser plus, is the Bluetooth speakers supposed to sound like an iPhone?

[@SoulforSale]

I bought one last Xmas. It died by February.

[@timfaracy754]

I haven't heard anyone say "fresnel" in many years.

[@Recordology]

And some of those bad boys were heavy! The big 12 inch ones! Fun times!

[@TheStorm1380]

I love ❤️ Crosley!

[@grugg3108]

Where does the notion that these mess up records come from? I have a pyle copy, and of course the on board speakers sound bad, but my main concern is- why do so many people say it will mess up my records? It's put me in a spot of bother because I don't know if it will damage my records because I get conflicting information

[@larryshaver3568]

does Crosley sell a 78 needle

[@Recordology]

They do not but there are others.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

@@Recordology I can't fault them there.

[@CharlesTonkin-v1w]

@@Recordology EVG Sanyo MG09 78

[@bichela]

Sounds fine to me.

[@TheStorm1380]

You keep doing what you are doing. I the beginner stage and work ur way up

[@jeremyhamby2989]

I’ve alway thought that if you want sound quality just buy cd’s or digital audio. The sound of vinyl should be different. That’s the point.

[@JackMcSomeone]

Comparing a Crosley Cruiser to a high end turntable is like comparing a 2000s plug and play console to a PS5

[@yamilestrada4203]

HEY MAN INSIGNIA MADE A TURNTABLE it's by Best buys own company

[@Recordology]

That’s cool i will check it out.

[@yamilestrada4203]

@@Recordology question like how soon will u make the video ??