Victrola - Carbon Hi-Res Turntable - Black/Silver

INTRODUCTION The Carbon Hi-Res is a definite step up from Victrola’s entry-level models. Components have been significantly upgraded from Victrola’s lower tier line. Upgraded items include: a metal platter, carbon fiber tone arm, and an Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge. Coming from my Victrola T1, the Carbon is a night and day difference in terms of construction and craftsmanship. Everything feels more substantial and premium. USE The premium look and feel don’t stop at the surface. The Carbon is a marked improvement to my Victrola T1. The inclusion of the AptX Bluetooth audio codec is a huge improvement over the standard Bluetooth audio of the T1. The Carbon supports all 3 forms of Qualcomm’s AptX audio codec: APTX ADAPTIVE, APTX HD, APTX SBC. For those unfamiliar, AptX allows for higher transmission rates over the Bluetooth audio protocol. Higher transmission rates equate to more detailed and dynamic audio reproduction. AptX HD utilizes a 24-bit sampling depth, even higher than that of CD. However, it should be noted that to get the highest (Bluetooth) audio quality via the AptX HD protocol, you must have a set of headphones that are also compatible. Ordinary headphones get you basic Bluetooth compatibility, but full HD support requires specific hardware. The added clarity and dynamic range of HD is well worth the investment & comes close to rivaling a direct, hardwired connection. Add into the shear convenience of being wireless, the negligible difference in audio fidelity is well worth the tradeoff. Should you want to hook the Carbon up to your existing audio gear, Victrola has you covered as well. A slide switch toggles the unit between phono output and line level output. You get the option of using an external phono preamp or using Victrola’s built-in pre-amp. Having the either option is a welcome and very much appreciated addition, thereby adding the premium feel and design of the product. NEGATIVES I have 2 gripes. The first. The instruction manual and quick start guide are basic and quite generic. I fully admit that I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but Victrola could do a much better job of explaining the pairing process of the player to headphones. After some trial and error, it all boils down to turning the player on, waiting for the ring around the power button to start flashing blue, then put your headphones, speakers, etc. into pairing mode. The Carbon will automatically find and establish a connection. I never thought it would be so simple but, it is simple and works well. I just wish Victrola would spell it out. It would have saved me some time troubleshooting. Second. The packaging of the magnetic cartridge needs to be improved. Mine arrived in a basic, sealed, plastic baggy. It offered little to no protection from damage during shipment. While there was a protective cap over the needle, there was nothing to protect the rest. With that, mine arrived with 1 of the 4 pick-up wires disconnected. Luckily, I spotted it prior to assembly and with a small set of specialty pliers and magnifying glass, was able to reassemble. CONCLUSIONS Records are much clearer and far more dynamic sounding on my Carbon vs my T1. Honestly, I’m not sure if it the AptX inclusion or the Ortofon cartridge. Either way, my vinyl sounds considerably better than it ever has. While my T1 was decent, the Carbon has addressed the areas where my T1 had left me wanting. With that, I consider the Carbon a worthy upgrade over its siblings. RECOMMENDED

BACKGROUND: I am a 72-year-old guitar playing rock & roller and music enthusiast, who has been collecting and listening to LPs since the early 1960’s. I can even tell you my first LP purchased in 1963: The Beach Boys - Little Duce Coupe. Over the years I have been through an assortment of turntables including a Garrard AT-60, a Garrard RC-210, a Dual 1219, a Technics SP-1300 (should have kept that one!), and now this Victrola Carbon Hi-Res. FEATURES: At first glance, this may appear to be a stripped-down turntable, but taking a closer look, it incorporates some updated appointments that warrant detailing. FIRST: The inclusion of high-definition Bluetooth Codecs (AptX) connectivity may seem counter productive to the core value of listening to vinyl. Personally, I don’t need it today, I plug this turntable directly into a Denon mini-system. But I can appreciate the inclusion for those who may want to wirelessly send the output to a high-end listening device, be it headphones, or a stand alone “party speaker” on a deck for example. And I just might need this feature tomorrow. Sweet to have options! SECOND: The Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge, which is not too shabby, and somewhat of a surprise, for what I consider a better than average entry level turntable. And if you are looking for an easy audio upgrade, you could purchase the upscale Ortofon 2M Blue stylus that will directly plug in and is compatible with this cartridge housing. THIRD: Auto On/Off that will start the platter and end the spinning using just the cue-lever. Not as cool as my SL-1300 that would retract the tonearm turning itself off. But it will do just fine as an alternative if you fall asleep, or called away, while listening. FORTH: Line Level or Phono (or lack of RIAA EQ) switch. Nice feature that eliminates the need for a preamp if your amp does not have the correct EQ input. FIFTH: The Carbon Fiber tonearm. Not certain if it something better than an S-Shaped metal tonearm? But hey you have to admit, it is very unique, looks so cool, and does afford you “bragging rights”. OK, those were the PROs, now is the one CON: The “dust cover” is one that I had not seen before and I was initially turned off by its appearance. It seemed like an afterthought where the designers just pressed a piece of plastic, and deemed it an acceptable cover. Now all very high-end turntables do not have mounted covers. And some include a similar type of limited cover, that because it is not mounted, when records are being played, does not act like a "sail" when up, or cause heat issues when down. Anyway, not having one it is supposed to reduce or eliminate unwanted vibrations or resonate from bass frequencies that shakes up the turntable and tonearm. I'm guessing Victrola is trying to emulate and compete with much higher end turntables. But personally, I am not a fan. Note that some mounted covers can easily lift off their hinges, so that to me would be a much better cover solution. BOTTOM LINE: The Victrola Carbon Hi-Res is an excellent entry level turntable with a few advance tricks up it sleeves. Yeah, in a perfect world, I would prefer a removable hinge-based dust-cover, a pitch (plus/minus %) control, and a counter weight that has 0 to 3.0g increments. Hey, that’s me. But I must admit, this was the easiest turntable I have every setup. And finally, listening to an assortment of my eclectic record collection, they never sounded better. Therefore, this earned a solid 4-Stars.

For some reason i cannot stop acquiring turntables. I am obsessed. I find something different in each one that lets me justify purchasing it. This Vicrola record player features a belt drive system, premium cartridge and stylus, Bluetooth, and a carbon fiber arm. I had to get it. This record player comes well packed and is super easy to assemble. The instructions are on the box lid when you lift it up. The belt is taped onto the platter with a ribbon that helps you attach it to the motor. You attach the cartridge to the arm, screw on the weight and you are ready to go. The weight only needs minor adjusting to be perfectly balanced. But this may take some time if you are not experienced. There is a single button on the front of the unit. It turns on the unit, cycles through line and Bluetooth, and turns off the unit. In Bluetooth mode it immediately goes into pairing mode. I connected it to my Pioneet Elite receiver. I put on a jazz record and was taken away into musical bliss. I then played some classic rock and loved it. The only negative i can think of is the dust cover is not attached. It looks really nice when it's on, but you remove it to play a record and have to find someplace to put it. I don't have a lot of space in my living room, so this is a bit of a chore for me. Overall, i really love this record player. I am using right now as i write this review. It's easy to setup, easy to use, and sounds amazing!

This record player’s modern aesthetic will fit into most homes. While it still has a wired output to your amp/receiver of choice, it also has high-resolution Bluetooth to listen directly via wireless headphones. For a fully-manual record player, this one is simple to use and sounds great. Pros: * Modern aesthetic. * Easy to set up. * Sounds great. * Good wireless codecs and range. Cons: * Minimal dust cover doesn’t protect while playing records. * Fully manual turntable. * No volume control so BT headphones must have them. * No transport controls - might expect the play/pause to at least mute the audio. * No UI for pairing so no way to remove prior pairing or switch headphones. Setup: The whole unpacking experience was pretty good with recyclable materials and cloth-like bags on the various parts rather than the typical clear plastic bags. In fact, there was minimal use of styrofoam or other non-recyclable materials. The basic setup instructions are printed on the top-most cardboard and are more than enough to get completely set up but if you need more, their web site has some helpful videos. First is placing the turntable on the base and then stretching the flat belt to reach around the motor’s spindle. This was easy to do given the removable ribbon that was wrapped around the belt. Next is placing the rubber mat on the turntable. Now on to the needle and the arm. Slide the needle cartridge onto the arm and rotate the lock to hold it on. I thought that the whole red plastic big was to be removed, but most of it stays on the cartridge and only the small bit covering the needle must be removed. Next slide the counterweight on the end of the arm. The last part of the physical setup is placing the 45 spindle adapter onto its home spot and ensuring that all packing material is removed. This record player can connect wirelessly to Bluetooth devices like headphones or speakers as well as wired to an amp or similar. I have a whole-home Sonos setup with a Sonos AMP in the den that is connected to a pair of B&W bookshelf speakers. I decided to plug the record player into the Sonos AMP’s line-in jack so I can use it as a source for the whole Sonos system. The provided stereo RCA cable is really nice and was more than long enough to reach to the Sonos AMP’s input jacks. There is a grounding wire on the provided cable which can connect to the grounding screw on the back on the turntable, but my AMP didn’t have anywhere to attach it so I left it unused for now. I made sure that the switch on the back of the record player was set to “Line” for my AMP (versus the default setting of “Phono”) and there is also a switch to choose whether the turntable automatically stops spinning when the arm is at the end of the side which was already set for Auto-Stop. That was it for the basic portion of the setup. Usage: I’m a vinyl novice as it’s been a good 30 years since I last played a record. Using this record player is pretty straightforward, though - there’s a single button on the front to turn it on or off and choose whether the audio goes wired (white) or wireless (blue). To play a record, everything is manual except for the turntable spinning when the arm is over the record and stopped when the arm is back toward its dock (or at the end of a side if the Auto-Stop switch is enabled). After putting a record on the platter, you have to raise the arm, rotate it into place, then lower it down all by hand. There is a lever to raise and lower the arm off the record, but then you still have to rotate the arm and place it either on the record or back on its dock. Other record players have automatic arm movements and can even store more records queued up for play, but this unit is fully manual which is OK - less to break ;-). Going wired to my Sonos AMP was easy and sounded great both locally through my AMP’s bookshelf speakers and when shared around my home via Sonos. Since this record player also has a Hi-Res BT transmitter, I thought I’d also pair up my old Sennheiser over-the-ear BT headphones. Turn on the headphones and put them in Bluetooth pairing mode, then turn on the record player. The player’s light ring blinks blue while it searches for a device to connect to. I noticed a few other nearby devices showed the Victorola as wanting to pair, but after a bit of a wait, it connected to my headphones automatically and showed a solid blue light for a short while before turning solid white again. Listening via Bluetooth headphones was a simple and liberating experience. Once paired, you just turn on the record player and headphones, load up your favorite record and start listening. One concern to be aware of is that the record player has absolutely no controls or settings for Bluetooth aside from turning it on or off. Even the volume must be controlled from the listening device (headphones or BT speaker), and most modern headphones don’t have volume controls. Fortunately, my headphone do have volume buttons, but if your headphones don’t, you’ll be listening to your records at one volume which probably won’t be to your liking. It goes without saying that none of the usual buttons on Bluetooth headphones for track control will work; no play/pause, skip, etc… It would have been nice if the record player could stop and resume the audio with the headphone’s play/pause function, but it’s basically like plugging in a set of wired headphones that are just just head-mounted speakers and nothing else. I did get some good wireless distance with my headphones and they sounded great with the record player’s high-res audio codecs. Since this is a single-disc manual turntable, you’ll probably get about 30 minutes of wireless listening before you have to return to the player to switch records anyway so you probably won’t venture too far away. You can pair several headphones or BT speakers to this record player, but since there is no user interface on it, you basically just have to turn off one paired device to connect to or pair with another. There’s no ability to switch between paired devices or unpair a device, but it gets the job done. The provided minimal dust cover doesn’t store on the unit or protect it when you’re playing a record. It only covers the platter and the arm and must be stored elsewhere while you’re listening. When you’re done listening and have put away your record and docked the arm, it’s a simple matter to turn off the record player with the power button on the front and then place the dust cover back on. There is a speed control knob for 45/78 rpm, a settings control for anti-skating, and the provided counterbalance weight can be repositioned. Nothing much to it. Conclusion: Simplicity, flexibility in listening either wired or wireless, and great sound. All this plus a great modern look bring old-school vinyl to the modern era.

I was looking for a while to replace an entry level turntable that's connected to a decent amplifier and tower speakers. This makes a world of difference. The turntable is very solidly constructed with an aluminum base and aluminum plate. The arm is made of carbon fiber with a straight design, precisely built with a fairly accurate pre-set weight and an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge. It plays at 33-1/2 and 45 RPM. The cover goes over the plate and arm, it's not an acrylic shell like on other turntables. It uses a belt-drive mechanism (suitable for higher end turntables) with servo motor and implements manual tonearm controls. It stops at the end of the LP but does not lift the arm. I prefer a fully automatic turntable for casual listening, however one might argue that the process of setting the tonearm has its charm. It has anti-skate control. The power supply is built into the turntable. It has a removable 110V cable and RCA inputs (with ground feed) that is selectable for either Phono or Line. Power supply is AC 100-240V ~ 50HZ/60HZ. Quality RCA cables (with ground) are included as well. It also has high end Bluetooth connectivity: Using the latest Qualcomm BT chip, it support the latest BT 5.4 standard with Adaptive Apt-X and HD Apt-X. Not every high end headphone supports these non-standard codecs. The SBC codec is also available for the rest. (AAC doesn’t seem to be supported). The Ortofon 2M Red is a very decent entry to audiophile quality audio. The 2M line is very good, and considered a reference line and since the cartridge between the 'Red' and 'Blue' lines is the same, one can just replace the Red stylus with a 2m Blue stylus for more open sound. In addition, the headshell is replaceable, and the cartridge is mounted on Verso posts and connects via four cables, so the turntable supports replacing the Ortofon 2M series for Audio Technica AT-VM95E or Ortofon OM Series. Note that the counterweight has marks for either the 2M Red/Blue or the AT cartridge. For other cartridges, one would need to measure the counterweight and adjust it with a force scale. Also note that replacing the 2M stylus is the simplest. It comes off by firmly pulling it with no clips and nothing else that could break. The cartridge itself should last for many years. As for sound, in my very biased listening session to records including a heavy press of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of The Moon, using Phono out with a modern Hi-Def amplifier, provides very detailed sound with a touch or warmth, and very good stereo separation. On this album, one can clearly hear the hushed voices and metal clings that are hallmarks of this album as well as the brass through the album. For Apt-X headphones, used a newer press of U2's The Best Of 1990-2000, compared with a High-Res stream as a reference, and very pleased with the sound quality. Now why would I want to use Bluetooth with a turntable? Wireless convenience. Having the Bluetooth circuitry directly on the turntable bypasses the circuitous path to the pre-amp, completely eliminating the need of phono cables. What caught my attention compared to other models is that this already comes with an Ortofon cartridge. Overall, this is a very good starter audiophile turntable. By no means this is an entry level. Being able to properly drive Ortofon cartridges, properly weighed tonearm and solid Aluminum/MDF construction with the latest Bluetooth codecs.