Vinyl records have made a comeback, with sales surpassing CDs. Record players have also adapted to the modern age, with new companies entering the market and even Sonos adding a line-in input for record players. While traditional record players have not seen much innovation, there are still options available for casual listeners. However, Dutch company Miniat's innovative Wheel record player uses infrared technology and can be played standing up or hung on a wall. The Wheel 2 costs 1999 euros and the Black Wheel costs 3800 euros, making it a luxury item for audiophiles. Despite the high cost, record players offer a unique analog experience in a world filled with digital technology.
1. Vinyl has made a comeback.
2. Vinyl sales have been on the rise for years, and since 2020, sales of the record player have increased by 30 percent, generating twice as much revenue as CD sales.
3. Sonos has built a line-in input into the new generation of Sonos Era speakers to benefit from the success of the record player.
4. Dutch company Miniat has developed a record player called The Wheel with infrared scanners and controls that allow it to be played standing up, hung on the wall, or used lying down.
5. The Wheel has a higher price point (€1999-€3800) and is designed for audiophiles.
6. The CEO of Sonos has spoken with The Verge about how record players prefer to play their records on a Sonos system.
7. Several companies, including IKEA, now produce record players with built-in speakers and Bluetooth capabilities.
8. More expensive record players from the 1970s and 1980s could start and stop automatically.
9. Most record players on the market today are pre-amplified, which means that an amplifier is no longer necessary.