You probably won’t be chilling with wireless earphones and listening to your favourite vinyl, but with the latest gear from Technics, it’s a distinct possibility.
Technology has the ability to change everything, and nowhere is that more true than music.
Everyone listens to music, and these days, they’re probably doing it from their phone, tablet, or computer, leaning on the smorgasbord of digital music services that serve up a seemingly endless supply of music files ready and waiting whenever you need it.
Before, you had to buy all the music you wanted, or wait for it to play on radio. Today, you can listen to it all on streaming, paying for it, or even opting for a free stream on a service if you don’t mind an ad or two.
But it’s not the same as listening to a piece of vinyl.
A different type of listening, records provide a warmer feel thanks to the crackle of vinyl, often paired with a nice set of speakers designed to plug into an amp. It’s a different listening experience, and one technology has impacted positively, too.
In fact, in some of the latest gear, the record player is improving in some unexpected ways.
The Technics SL-40CBT is one such model, getting a built-in equaliser and Bluetooth connectivity, the latter of which makes it possible to listen to a record using either a wireless speaker or even a pair of wireless earphones, of which Technics makes some pretty solid options.
It’s not quite the Sonos integration some record players support, but it’s a definite way to get your vinyl sound over to earphones and headphones sans cord.
The SL-40CBT also includes a direct drive motor to keep the record stable as it rotates, as well as a factory-fitted Audio Technica cartridge. The design of the record player is also made from a variant of wood, MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard), which makes it a little different from the aluminium turntables out in the world, and focused more on the home.
Priced at $1299 in Australia, the Technics SL-40CBT clearly isn’t a record player for everyone, joining Technics’ other relatively high-priced vinyl playing options. However, if you’re the sort of person that wants to send their records to a wireless speaker, or even some cordless earphones you really dig, this is one gadget they’ll suit the purpose when it arrives on October 1.
