Crosley Taking On U-Turn

i think Crosley deserves its place in the market. It never positioned itself to be a HIFI turntable maker, but interests young people into play records.
Maybe its original sin is the ceramic cartridge using too much tracking force? it never proves destroying records in a few spins. I suspect in the 50s,60s, tracking force used to be the same if not greater.
Now it listens to the market and provides an entry level turntable with MM cartridge and all that adjustments that a new comer needs to get better sound. At $200, what do you expect for a convenient solution. Plug it in your active speakers and play.
Below is taken from the manufacture's overview on amazon:
"We get our moniker from Powell Crosley, a pretty radical guy from the 1920s who knew music was for the people and created a radio for everyone. In keeping with his tradition and entrepreneurial spirit, we decided the vinyl experience was also for everyone. Our first turntable was released in 1992, when CDs were still king. Naturally, everyone thought we were nuts. But now, after over 30 years of bringing stylish music to the people, we’re one of the biggest manufacturers and trendsetters of the new-millennium Vinyl Resurgence.

This is our mantra. Expression is a part of everything we do, not bound by time or age. From art to clothing to spaces, even the things we share on the internet are all part of our worldview. Why should music be any different? Colorful and fun, sleek and modern, funky and eclectic: there’s a Crosley for everyone.

Crosley is stepping up to a new stage. We’re listening to music, to the world, and we’re listening to you. Taking cues from awesome feedback from music lovers everywhere, Crosley is taking on the future with a heart of adventure. With the evolution of the C-series, we’ve turned a new side, and the needle’s ready to drop. Tune in with us, it’s going to be a wild ride."

They don't say their products are for "audiophiles". I respect them for promoting the vinyl resurgence. There should be a place in the market for them.
 
Regarding the plinth, they say in product description:
Starting with the plinth, Crosley wanted to create a more substantial look so they used a bigger piece of audio grade MDF and wrapped it in handsome Walnut veneer with subtle branding.

Hope they are not lying.
 
That Heyday looks very nice especially for the price. Considering they have an interchangeable cartridge and adjustable counterweight alone, with a reasonably attractive design, plus the electronic convenience, it's actually pretty killer.

I don't mind new basic turntables coming out at all, other than the fact it cuts into my refurbished vintage sales. ;)

I'm sure there are others here who have noticed it too; tuned up vintage tables are not as easy to sell as they were a year or 3 ago. I still think they are on average better investments but with the proliferation of decent new ones for less money it's harder to convince neophytes of that. That's ok, I'll still tune them up for you if you ask!

:)
 
We can all be snobs and look down our collective noses at TT and the brand, but I applaud them for a) capturing a bigger slice of the market than anyone else and b) clearly stepping it up a notch or two to attract slightly more serious buyers.

I reckon it could be a popular Xmas stocking stuffer this year and well done to them. Take it for what it is, probably $200 well spent for a beginner or a retro present for grandpa to play his old records that have been stored for years in the basement.
I totally agree and can’t understand the silly member comments about a $200 turntable. And comparing it to a VPI model is totally ridiculous. It is aimed for a market that nobody here should be taking shots at.
 
Good for Crosley. I'll bet you could surprise some people with that turntable if you put a better cartridge in it.
In fact, if anybody here bothered to check Crosley's website, there are a number of turntables, real turntables, for sale with the Crosley name on them. OK, some of them look like they're made by Pro-Ject but whatever.
I'd have probably been happier with one of Crosley's $200 turntables than the Moth Alamo S I wasted money on 15 years ago.
 
I know nothing about the Crosleys. But, I bought an "Entry" level TT back in '76. It was a cheap Pioneer PL12D. With cheap looking woodgrain vinyl and an Empire Cartridge. I still have it and use it all the time. Works perfect. Sometimes they can fool you, I guess.
 
The cueing lever is a must for any table

Damn it, my AR XA will need to go on prozac now :confused:

I may still get a base model U-Turn to check out, then pass it along to a niece or nephew. I have been wanting to see what they are about.
 
Last edited:
New is about the only thing going for it IMHO - tonearm looks rather cheap and cheesy, vinyl veneer, speed adjustment pots on back that require a screwdriver but no strobe. Platter looks very lightweight. don't know about suspension. For 200 smackers, there are a gazillion vintage decks you can buy that will blow this thing away. But I'll give Crosley kudos for giving it a go, and they will probably sell many of them. My 3 cents
 
New is about the only thing going for it IMHO - tonearm looks rather cheap and cheesy, vinyl veneer, speed adjustment pots on back that require a screwdriver but no strobe. Platter looks very lightweight. don't know about suspension. For 200 smackers, there are a gazillion vintage decks you can buy that will blow this thing away. But I'll give Crosley kudos for giving it a go, and they will probably sell many of them. My 3 cents
I'd go vintage, too, but there's a certain amount of DIY ability involved with vintage turntables.
 
I agree regarding the less than impressive quality of these tables but you have to realize us old-guys buying 40 year old turntables off of Craigslist is a teeny-tiny percentage of the population.
For someone who may be looking to dip their toes into listening to vinyl, a complete, feature equipped usable table that is readily available is something we should applaud.

The issue I have with the u-turn offering is the base model doesn’t have a cueing lever which for new users I can only imagine the issue that can cause and by the time your done upgrading the u-turn, now you’re looking at $350 which can buy a classic vintage table like a pioneer pl530.
 
Most of you are missing my point. I'm not comparing this to a VPI, any vintage table or any other brand. I'm not saying that this is or isn't a quality turntable. It's about Crosley marketing a turntable very similar to a U-Turn Orbit for much less money with the added features that people have said they want for no extra charge. If I wanted to buy an entry level table and only had $200, I would seriously consider buying this because of all the included features. The basic U-Turn is the same price and doesn't have cueing, detachable head shell, adjustable anti-skate, built in preamp, adjustable speed pots and you have to remove to the belt to change speeds. Hats off to Crosley for giving people what they want and I hope they continue to market better quality tables.
 
Most of you are missing my point. I'm not comparing this to a VPI, any vintage table or any other brand. I'm not saying that this is or isn't a quality turntable. It's about Crosley marketing a turntable very similar to a U-Turn Orbit for much less money with the added features that people have said they want for no extra charge. If I wanted to buy an entry level table and only had $200, I would seriously consider buying this because of all the included features. The basic U-Turn is the same price and doesn't have cueing, detachable head shell, adjustable anti-skate, built in preamp, adjustable speed pots and you have to remove to the belt to change speeds. Hats off to Crosley for giving people what they want and I hope they continue to market better quality tables.

Looks like you been on this site long enough to know that things always trend “high and right” :D
 
It's not a slight flaw in wording, it's a factual error. Wood veneer is not the same thing as wood grain vinyl, just like stainless steel is not the same thing as aluminum foil. When I read
wood veneer plinth (I see you edited your post to change the wording), I immediately did a google image search to see what it looked like. From the photos, I could see that is is not wood veneer.

My observation wasn't meant to be personal. I didn't know if the wording was yours, or you were rattling off the feature list from the manufacturer's product description.

The reason I focused on that particular "feature" was your assertion that this is a potential U-turn killer. U-turn actually does offer versions of their products with real hardwood bases:

shopping


Of course the vinyl clad Crosely costs less. I'd expect it to.

I only changed one word. I would consider that a slight flaw in my wording but technically you are correct.
 
Not being hung up on vintage I can say, "That Crosley sure looks like a lot of TT for the money". Sure you can peruse the local CL and buy a vintage whatever which after some maintenance and repair will work well. However, most new LP aficionado's don't want something that needs to be searched for and when found cleaned up and/or fixed to work. They want something new that works right out of the box. I applaud Crosley for making something that appears to be a bargain. Plus, it won't ruin those precious LP's.

I think that a lot of you forget that as hobbyists, fixing, refurbing and the "hunt" is considered to be part of the game. This is especially so if you worship at the alter of vintage.
 
Did anyone watch the "review" of the Heyday turntable? I'm sorry, but I didn't come away with any real information about the turntable that I couldn't have gotten reading the description.

I'd love to see someone actually get into the build quality a bit more. What does the motor look like? What material and weight is the platter? What is the gimbal and tonearm/headshell made from? Plastic plinth? Etc.

Also, is it only me or does the reviewer look a little hamfisted?

I guess for $100 I wouldn't expect much, but $100 gets a lot of vintage turntable in my area. In the end these turntables are a marked improvement over the entry level junk previously available. If my daughter was interested in pursuing vinyl, I would give the Heyday a look with some powered speakers. Alas, she's not old enough to be interested yet. Maybe I'll see if Target has a display model next time I'm there.
 
I am kind of happy about this, and while yes, for most of us, built in preamps are not a plus, that is not the case for a all people. I have a couple coworkers who recently have been wanting to get into vinyl. They know I have a mild obsession, so they came to me to get advice on the matter.

Note: these are people with not a lot of disposable income and virtually no audio equipment to speak of. No receiver/integrated amp (definitely not separate pre amp and power amps), mostly using headphones or small bluetooth speakers. Both coworkers were surprised to learn about phono preamps in general.

The first coworker has ordered their turntable from Amazon, but it is on backorder. All of the ones they were looking at had a built in preamp and bluetooth as that was easiest for them to get into right now. Yes, I know you can get good vintage cheaply, but they were not so interested in that as they were not interested in getting a receiver yet or having to buy a bunch of different pieces.

For the other coworker, I may be willing to part with one of my turntables (I have four, but only three are in systems), and then help them with getting a used receiver from the thrift store or something like that, if they are willing to go that route.

However, the point I am trying to get to is that I want them to start to enjoy vinyl. Yes, I admit there is a chance I would not enjoy vinyl on their systems, but they might as they have not heard better vinyl systems (mine is by no means top of the line, but it is decent). If they enjoy it, they may want to later save and upgrade to having separates, to having better tables and cartridges, to having better speakers.
 
I'm not sure that I see where Orbit cuts corners - as is stated here once in a while. One person says they cut corners, and often that post if followed up by disappointment that certain features aren't included in the Orbit base price. Seems like they're pretty straight forward in what they offer. If you want some improved features, they'll give them to you, but the TT will cost more with these improved features.

Crosely can do what they want and I'll support their efforts. I do think they're fighting brand reputation though. Kraco, Lloyds, Goldstar, etc. would have the same undertaking in order to convince the public they were serious about high-end gear. If I were them, I'd market under a new name. I wouldn't even put, "by Crosely" after it.
 
Back
Top Bottom