Toshiba just launched its Aurex AX-RP10.
That is a portable/compact record player with up to 10 hours of playback and Bluetooth streaming to headphones or speakers.
Toshiba has come up with its own take on Audio-Technica's Sound Burger, the very compact, portable record player. The Toshiba Aurex AX-RP10 is designed to take the party anywhere, and promises easy operation and decent battery life. It's also designed for music fans who don't have much space, so it's an interesting option for student flats and other places where space is at a premium.
Size-wise the Aurex AX-RP10 is bigger than a tape player and a little larger than the Sound Burger too. Inside there's a rechargeable battery with ten hours of play time, and there's a Bluetooth chip for streaming to your Bluetooth headphones or portable Bluetooth speaker. You also get a 3.5mm output for connecting to an amp.
Toshiba Aurex AX-RP10: key features
The Aurex AX-RP10 plays records at 45 RPM and 33 and 1/3 RPM, and its Bluetooth is version 5.4. It's 11 inches by 6 inches by 3 inches and weighs just over a kilogram, so you'll want to pop it in the included shoulder bag to take it from place to place. And of course your vinyl records will add a fair bit of weight too.
This isn't an audiophile player by any means – there's no hi-res streaming option, just standard Bluetooth codecs – but it should sound decent enough, especially through wireless speakers.
One of the most fun features here isn't exactly high tech but I like it a lot – there's a groove at the rear of the player where you're supposed to put your record cover.
We don't yet know pricing or international availability, but if the Aurex AX-RP10 is competitive with Audio-Technica's portable then you can expect to pay around £200 / $200 / AU$416.
