This viral vinyl player looks like a 1971 Fisher-Price Music Box but with a genuine Audio-Technica cartridge and my Record Store Day haul needs it

Date:
Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Description:
The Play Pro turntable from Tinyl grabbed my attention as soon as I saw it on TikTok.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Every audiophile and avid vinyl collectors favorite day is approaching, and soon Record Store Day 2026 will hit us like a meteor on Saturday April 18
and I for one am thrilled to embrace the chaos for another year.

Ive been busy scouring the official RSD list for the best new presses (Im hoping to snag a Jeff Buckley live album if I can), but its also a perfect time to consider upgrading to one of the best turntables . Speaking of, Ive suddenly been distracted from curating my pre-RSD shopping list after
spotting whats probably the most funky looking vinyl player Ive ever seen,
and I need it to house my growing collection immediately. Feast your eyes on this bad boy! Article continues below You may like The best turntables you
can buy: top record players for all budgets I use this affordable JBL turntable at home and I cant recommend it highly enough for anyone putting together their first hi-fi system 'Perfect Record Store Day prep': Majority's new turntable-speaker combo is surprisingly affordable (and colorful!) The Fisher-Price Music Box comes back to life (Image credit: Tinyl) Blending the maximalism of the 1980s Memphis aesthetic with the nostalgia of the Fisher-Price Music Box (our Audio Editor Becky Scarrott remembers it well
and you can see what she means, because Disney re-released that with it's own twist, last year ), this is the Play Pro turntable from Japanese audio
company Tinyl which, thanks to the magic of the TikTok algorithm, landed on
my For You page. Its as if we were destined to meet.

It's not the first time we've been reminded of the retro musical toys of our youth when new kit arrives, just check out Teenage Engineering's Record Factory , a device that launched a few years ago and that actually lets you record and cut your own records limited to singles of up to four minutes in mono per side, but still

Back to the new Play Pro, and it is the latest turntable to join Tinyls range of audio products, having launched in late 2025/ early 2026. So you can bet its gone straight into my tech wish-list. Its bold design and viral hype add to its grandeur, but dont be fooled, its actually not as pricey as youd think
hows $199 / 165/ AU$342 for a turntable this groovy?

With its relatively humble asking fee, the Play Pro makes for a solid user-friendly vinyl player, so while it wont be as punchy and agile as something like the Pro-ject Debut Carbon Evo (which is also more than double the price), it likely represents the kind of quality more than acceptable for first-timers and vinyl novices. And Sony 's new affordable offering, the Sony PS-LX5BT is also quite a bit pricier, talented though it is. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. The next best entry-level turntable? (Image credit: Tinyl) For starters, the setup isnt overly complicated and intricate. Its plug-and-play system means its simple for beginners to navigate, and the turntable is already fitted with speakers ideal if the complete audio experience isnt a huge matter for you. That said, users online havent raved about its native audio quality, but pairing it with bookshelf speakers has significantly improved the listening experience. And you dont need to spend mega bucks on these either allow me to point to you our roundup of the best stereo speakers .

Speaking of connectivity, you can pair the Play Pro with speakers, and even headphones, via Bluetooth, or use the AUX and RCA imports for wired connectivity. It also gives you the option to stream playlists right from
your device when connected by Bluetooth, though this isnt a huge appeal to
me.

But what surprised me is that its tonearm is fitted with the Audio-Technica
MM AT3600L cartridge, a trusted and reliable stylus, accompanied by an adjustable weight to not only protect the cartridge but to allow you to hear crisp detail no matter the genre. Before now, Id been heavily eyeing up the Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT turntable, and though its not totally off the table as far as options go, you cant deny those come-buy-me primary colors. Itll be the centerpiece of all your dinner party antics and thats enough to sway me. The best turntables for all budgets Our top picks, based on real-world
testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best turntables 1. Best overall: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo 2. Best cheap beginner deck: House of Marley Revolution 3. Best budget Bluetooth deck: Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT 4. Best premium Bluetooth deck: Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2 Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/turntables/this-viral-vinyl-player-looks-like- a-1971-fisher-price-music-box-but-with-a-genuine-audio-technica-cartridge-and- my-record-store-day-haul-needs-it


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