Sound Burger portable record player returns from the ’80s with Bluetooth, USB-C - Ars Technica

2 years ago 36

Like a vinyl walkman —

Audio-Technica brings backmost a cult classical to currency successful connected vinyl's 2nd act.

- Nov 1, 2022 5:03 p.m. UTC

Audio-Technica's 2022 Sound Burger.

Enlarge / Audio-Technica's 2022 Sound Burger.

Vinyl is acold from dead. Just inquire your astir nostalgic audiophile friend, old-school uncle, oregon adjacent Taylor Swift. And for those who similar their vinyl with immoderate modern-day comforts, there's the revival of the Sound Burger, Audio-Technica's portable grounds player.

According to the Recording Industry Association of America's Mid-Year 2022 study (PDF), vinyl is continuing a inclination initiated successful 2020, erstwhile vinyl gross surpassed CD revenue—a authorities of affairs we haven't seen since 1986, according to the RIAA [PDF]. The RIAA reported that vinyl gross grew 22 percent successful the archetypal fractional of this twelvemonth to $570 million, outpacing CDs ($200 million) and representing carnal music's largest gross share.

Japanese audio marque Audio-Technica has seemingly taken enactment of this inclination and has decided to rerelease its Sound Burger portable grounds player. The merchandise is 1 of respective that the institution is releasing to observe its 60th birthday. Based connected a sheet connected the player's side, the institution is producing conscionable 7,000 units.

Audio-Technica says shipments of its niche, constricted  variation  grounds   subordinate    volition  commencement  arriving connected  November 26.

Enlarge / Audio-Technica says shipments of its niche, constricted variation grounds subordinate volition commencement arriving connected November 26.

Debuting successful 1980, the archetypal Sound Burger AT727 offered a mode for radical to perceive to their 33-1/3 and 45 vinyl records extracurricular of their homes. There were immoderate caveats, though; records stuck precariously retired of the portion and, arsenic noted by SlashGear, the subordinate needed to beryllium connected a level aboveground during operation.

The archetypal   Sound Burger.

Enlarge / The archetypal Sound Burger.

The caller Sound Burger AT-SB2022 looks overmuch similar the aged one, but Audio-Technica added Bluetooth 5.2 support, truthful you tin perceive to your vinyl done wireless headphones. There's besides a 3.5 mm jack this clip astir alternatively of stereo RCA outputs, but Audio-Technica is besides including a dual RCA adapter.

Additionally, there's nary longer a request for clunky batteries, arsenic the refreshed portable grounds subordinate charges implicit USB-C. Audio-Technica claims the grounds play volition past for astir 12 hours earlier needing a charge, which it says volition instrumentality astir 12 hours to complete.

As noted by Digital Trends, the archetypal Sound Burger, besides known arsenic Mister Disc successful immoderate geographies, required idiosyncratic attraction to marque definite records continued spinning astatine the due speed. But Audio-Technica's 2022 grounds subordinate has a DC servo centrifugal driving its belt-drive strategy for "stable rotation," the grounds player's product page says.

"Designed for some portability and stability, the tonearm employs a dynamic equilibrium strategy successful which stylus unit is applied done a spring," the leafage says. Audio-Technica says its ATN3600L stylus works with the caller grounds player.

The stylus is user-replaceable.

Enlarge / The stylus is user-replaceable.

Other specs for the Sound Burger see a 50 dB output and a 20–20,000 Hz transmission band.

The 2022 Sound Burger is simply a niche merchandise for enthusiasts who privation to clasp their vinyl passionateness connected the go. The archetypal merchandise has maintained somewhat of a cult following, with YouTubers and the similar inactive touting the unsocial premise and amazingly impressive sound quality.

The grounds   subordinate    weighs 2 lbs and measures 11×3.9×2.8 inches.

Enlarge / The grounds subordinate weighs 2 lbs and measures 11×3.9×2.8 inches.

We wouldn't beryllium amazed to spot the 2022 Sound Burger ending up connected sites similar eBay aft banal runs out. You tin presently find 1980s Sound Burgers being resold successful the $400$550 range.

Audio-Technica is selling the 2022 Sound Burger for $200.

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