Have you fallen prey to the allure of suitcase turntables? They sure are eye-catching, aesthetic, and conveniently portable, ticking off all the right boxes for a stylish vinyl setup. But before you fall head over heels for their charming exterior, let’s take a closer look under the lid and see how these suitcase turntables might be playing tricks on your precious vinyl records (the holy gospels of music) or even your discerning ears.
In this era of renewed interest in vinyl, we’ve seen an explosion of feature-packed audiophile speakers and turntables, with classic designs making a comeback and brand-new units gracing every price point. However, as the saying goes, “a rising tide lifts all boats,” and the surge in record collecting has also ushered in a rather lacklustre addition: the so-called ‘suitcase’ turntable. These all-in-one setups, with their kitschy, colourful casings concealing budget components, might appear tempting at first glance.
With built-in speakers, suitcase players offer unparalleled convenience and a nearly plug-and-play experience for vinyl enthusiasts. The dream of lounging in a park, spinning records as you picnic, suddenly becomes attainable. Considering that even entry-level turntables often necessitate additional purchases like speakers and sometimes an amplifier to kickstart your listening experience, the low price tag on these suitcase models becomes even more alluring. It’s no wonder they’ve garnered such popularity.
Yet, beneath the surface allure lies a multitude of drawbacks that outweigh their convenience, ease of use, compactness, and affordability. Let’s jump directly to the question on your minds – Are suitcase turntables bad? In a word, yes. Suitcase record players are detrimental both to your vinyl collection and your auditory pleasure. Anyone who cherishes their vinyl records should think twice before entrusting them to a suitcase turntable. But don’t trust us blindly, we’ll debunk every reason for you!
Styling the Stylus – Gone Wrong
When it comes to suitcase turntable systems, there’s a notorious troublemaker in the mix: the needle, or stylus, that comes pre-installed. These needles play a pivotal role as the first point of contact in the delicate dance of transferring sound to and from the record, channelling it through the turntable, and finally serenading your ears through the speakers. Now, these default needles bundled with all-in-one suitcase setups are, to put it bluntly, abysmal. They possess a knack for wreaking havoc on your beloved vinyl collection, leaving a trail of unsightly scratches that not only mar the appearance of your records but manifest as pesky pops and cracks that rudely intrude upon your musical experience.
While it’s perfectly normal for records to undergo some wear and tear, especially with frequent spins, the sinister twist with these suitcase needles is that they accelerate this process, causing an alarming degradation in sound quality after just a handful of listens. A subpar needle will offer a bland sound profile, robbing you of the rich dynamics and crystal-clear highs, mids, and lows that a superior piece of equipment would deliver. The icing on the cake, or rather the bitter pill to swallow, is that these suitcase turntables come with their stylus permanently affixed. This means you’re stuck with that dismal sound profile for good. And when the inevitable occurs, and your stylus wears down, it often translates to saying goodbye to your records and the entire suitcase setup instead of simply swapping out for a new needle.
Speaker Speaks A Lot
Speakers, oh how we adore them! But we’d rather not cosy them up with our turntables. You see, most suitcase-style turntables come bundled with one or two speakers right there in the same unit. Now, while it might seem like a convenient package deal, it’s a bit like having a rowdy neighbour living right next door to your sensitive turntable needle – and this proximity can only lead to problems. The trouble begins when the music emanating from those built-in speakers decides to do a little dance with your needle. The result? An unwelcome feedback loop, a cacophonous duet of déjà vu, where the needle picks up the sound from the speakers and plays it back with a slight delay. The outcome? Nothing short of a distorted nightmare will make you question whether you accidentally purchased a defective record.
Now, let’s not forget that speakers, by their very nature, are not shy when it comes to generating vibrations. These vibrations can turn your pristine audio into a muddy mishmash and even tempt your record into a little skip. And here’s the kicker: skips not only sound horrendous but also pose a significant risk of etching those dreaded scratches onto your cherished vinyl. While vibrations and the needle’s mischievous flirtation with unwanted frequencies can occasionally plague even the finest of loudspeakers, there’s a silver lining. Having separate speakers detached from the turntable unit grants you the power of relocation. You can whisk those speakers away to a safer distance, minimizing the potential for these sonic disturbances and granting yourself the gift of a pristine, crystal-clear listening experience. It’s akin to orchestrating a symphony from a conductor’s podium, where you have control over the elements to create harmonious music. Unfortunately, with a suitcase turntable, this symphony remains a dream, and the discord persists.
Format Mismatch
Vinyl records are meant to be played on sturdy, stationary turntables. Good record players deserve a dedicated spot, sometimes even an entire room, devoted to the art of listening to music. Suitcase record players attempt to apply the format of portable media like CDs or tapes to vinyl, but vinyl’s fragility and lack of portability make this a mismatch.
Here’s some more information from Reddit’s Rabbithole
Now, In your quest for the perfect turntable, don’t be swayed by the apparent simplicity of suitcase models. There’s an abundance of affordable decks on the market, such as Audio Technica’s LP60X or Denon’s DP29F, offering user-friendly setups without compromising your listening experience. The only additional requirement is a pair of speakers. While this may slightly increase the cost, your cherished vinyl and precious ears will thank you in the long run. Don’t let the allure of a colourful case lead you astray; invest in quality for a richer musical journey – begin with us at Drocer Record!
An Electronics Engineer & A MBA in Marketing Graduate, Kinjal Gosar is a passionate audiophile herself. Starting her career at India’s biggest Consumer Electronics Retail Chain, her technical knowledge is amazing. Classic Rock has been a huge part of her life and her love for Music has always been evident in all her work. A vinyl collector herself, she loves spreading the joy of analouge while giving nothing but the best to her fellow vinylheads.
