With the rise in the popularity of turntables and vinyl records, it is no surprise we’re seeing new vinyl tech debut at CES 2024. One such announcement is Victrola’s new Stream Sapphire turntable, which allows you to stream your favorite vinyl records to pretty much any device in your home without the traditional complicated vinyl setup.
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The Stream Sapphire is built with audiophiles in mind, thanks to high-quality specs like a bespoke walnut veneer plinth, an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge, and support for 24-bit / 48kHz lossless FLAC audio. However, what really stands out is its Roon and Universal Plug and Play protocol (UPnP) integration, which allows you to stream music to thousands of compatible devices such as Bluetooth speakers, soundbars, and even your smartphone or laptop.
While most of Victrola’s wireless turntables have been only Sonos-compatible before, the Stream Sapphire will allow virtually any compatible device to playback your music, thanks to the turntable’s 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac connectivity. Since Roon integrates with systems like Apple AirPlay and Google Chromecast, you can connect the turntable’s audio to an Apple HomePod or any Chomecast-compatible speaker. Even with all these fancy connections, it still has RCA jacks for hooking up to old-fashioned, wired speakers.
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Vinyl enthusiasts will also appreciate the adjustable height aluminum feet, so you can level the turntable more efficiently and get a more isolated sound. However, since the Stream Sapphire is built with audiophiles in mind, it comes at a high price tag of $1,499.
Victrola also debuted a more straightforward and beginner-friendly turntable at CES it’s calling the Victrola Automatic. For $199, you get a fully automatic turntable with Bluetooth connectivity, RCA outputs, a phono preamp, and an Audio Technica AT-3600L cartridge. What’s unique in this model is a new “Repeat” feature, which will automatically replay whatever side of the vinyl you choose (great for those records where the A-side songs are far better than the B-side ones).
Both of these turntables will be available in the spring.
