We haven’t always been enamoured of Crosley’s cheap, suitcase-style all-in-one record players, but its new flagship turntable is a different beast altogether.
The Crosley 65 turntable package comprises a belt-driven deck and a pair of external bookshelf speakers, making for a system which, according to Crosley, “fuses retro design with today’s audio innovations.”
The sleek C65 turntable features a full-size steel platter alongside an aluminium tonearm and resonance‑dampening feet, teasing a solid, reliable performance for users seeking an easy, plug-and-play vinyl system.
The turntable comes pre-fitted with an Audio‑Technica ATN3600L moving magnet cartridge, which can be switched out if you want to upgrade your turntable’s sound.
A switchable phono amplifier design means you can add the C65 to your existing hi-fi system or active speakers.
The C65 also offers Bluetooth 5.1 streaming and delivers 50 watts of stereo sound with its external speakers.
This turntable system is capable of playing at 33 ⅓ and 45 RPM speeds, and includes a 45 RPM adaptor, a slip-mat, dust cover, cartridge alignment protractor and spare NP5 stylus in the box as standard.
Alongside the C65, Crosley has unveiled the super-affordable Miles record player. This record player is a more familiar Crosley design with built-in speakers, with this turntable pitched as an ultra-budget entry point for those starting out on their vinyl adventure.
Crafted “with both simplicity and performance in mind”, the new budget spinner promises user-friendly operation and accommodates three record speeds: 33 ⅓, 45, and 78 RPM.
The Crosley C65 turntable system with speakers is priced at £289 / $299, while the Crosley Miles record player will set you back £114 / $99. Both are available now.
We’ve reviewed a few of Crosley’s suitcase-style turntables with built-in speakers in the past (such as the Crosley Cruiser and Keepsake), praising their convenience but finding their sound quality to be poor, with exceedingly heavy cartridge tracking weights that will damage your records quickly. We are curious to hear how the flagship Crosley C65 in particular performs, however, as having the speakers separated from the main turntable could go a long way in rectifying our previous experiences.
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