There have been various attempts to make the vinyl format portable over the years – from the Audio-Technica Sound Burger to soundwagons in numerous guises – none of which have met with unalloyed success. But now a new model looks like a real contender – not only does it have some serious design credentials, it's made by Thorens, a high-end turntable manufacturer with over 140 years of experience.
The Coturn CT-Two measures 12.5 inches long and 1 inch thick, so it's not much bigger than a piece of vinyl itself. The chassis is made of machined aluminium, and sports a retractable tonearm and built-in phono preamplifier.
Here it is in action.
Often, these kinds of devices are let down by their sound quality. But with aptX HD for hi-res listening over wireless, the CT-Two neatly sidesteps this pitfall. Instead of having built-in speakers, you play your vinyl wirelessly to a Bluetooth speaker or pair of wireless headphones.
Of course it would be more convenient to have a full portable system in one, but if the tradeoff is better sound quality, we're all for it.
The CT-Two is battery powered, and gives you up to 20 hours of use from a single charge. It can play standard 10-, 12- or 7-inch records and has two speeds: 33 1/3 and 45 rpm. You can even integrate it into your home hi-fi system, then sling it in a bag for a trip away.
You don't have to worry about it being damaged during the journey either, as there's a neat travel case that costs £25 extra.
It's the brainchild of German industrial designer (and BMX pro) Benjamin Großjohann, who initially created the CT-01. The CEO of Thorens saw it, loved it and the two went into partnership, establishing a brand called Coturn by Thorens GmbH. It was preceded by the CT-02, which also had Thorens' involvement, but shouldn't be confused with the CT-Two.
It also benefits from a 3.5m headphone output so you can listen via wired headphones, and a 3.5mm line-level output. Thanks to the phono preamplifier, you can connect it to powered speakers, an amplifier or stereo receiver to work as part of a wider system.
How it will perform is anyone's guess. The small platter could hinder it somewhat, though hopefully the electronically regulated DC motor and belt-drive system will help it maintain playback speed. It's also fitted with a moving magnet cartridge which is branded as made by Coturn, and that isn't removable, so you can't swap it out for a different one.
Now we doubt it's going to rival the best turntables for sound quality, and practically it will pose some playback challenges – you'll need to keep it on a steady, level surface for one thing, and stop onlookers pawing at it. But as a high-end curio that proves vinyl can be a portable format, we're all for it.
The Coturn CT-Two is available now for £511 (around $685 / AU$1000).
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