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This Beautiful Turntable Hi-Fi System Is Also Refreshingly Affordable

Don’t want to get an all-in-one turntable? This is the next step up.

Crosley C65 turntable and speaker systemCrosley

By Tucker Bowe

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Crosley specializes in affordable all-in-one turntables, which are designed as a kind of “one-stop shop” for those looking to dip their first toes into vinyl.

Well, now the company has released a flagship turntable and powered speaker system for those who want to take the “next step up” … but, keeping with the company’s ethos, it still won’t force you to break the bank.

Crosley C65 System

Crosley C65 turntable and speaker system
The Crosley C65 is a plug-and-play turntable and powered speaker system.
Crosley

Turntable and powered speaker combo

As you probably know, the big problem with true all-in-one turntables, which have a powered speaker built into the turntable’s base, is that they often don’t sound great. The speaker vibrates, shakes the turntable (and its stylus) and degrades the audio’s fidelity.

By pairing a separate powered speaker system with the turntable, such as the Crosley C65, you get a better-sounding vinyl system that remains very easy to set up.

Crosley C65 turntable and speaker system
The powered speakers also support Bluetooth, for the times you don’t feel like listening to vinyl.
Crosley

Vintage vibes

The Crosley C65 combines a belt‑drive turntable with a pair of powered bookshelf speakers capable of delivering 50 watts of stereo sound. Both have a matching walnut finish. For times when you don’t want to listen to vinyl, the system also features built-in Bluetooth.

According to the brand, the system “blends modern design with vintage vibes.”

As for the turntable, it features a full-size steel platter, an aluminum tonearm with a cue lever, a DC motor and resonance‑dampening feet. It comes with a pre-mounted Audio-Technica ATN3600L moving-magnet cartridge. And it’s capable of playing  33 ⅓ RPM and 45 RPM records.

Crosley C65 turntable and speaker system
The C65 comes with a pre-mounted Audio-Technica ATN3600L cartridge.
Crosley

A hi-fi upgrade path

The C65 system is quite upgradable, too.

It features a switchable phono amplifier, allowing you to upgrade the turntable by adding your own phono preamp if desired. This also allows you to add the turntable to an existing hi-fi system. Crosley claims that the cartridge can be upgraded over time as well.

According to the brand, “the whole [C65] system represents a step up as an upgrade path from all-in-one record players.”

Crosley C65 turntable and speaker system
The C65 system, both turntable and powered speakers, come in a matching walnut finish.
Crosley

Price and availability

The Crosley C65 is still a very affordable system — it costs just shy of $300. It’s available now from the company’s website, as well as several authorized retailers.

About the Author:

Tucker Bowe has been on Gear Patrol’s editorial team since 2014. As a Tech Staff Writer, he tracks everything in the consumer tech space, from headphones to smartphones, wearables to home theater systems. If it lights up or makes noise, he probably covers it.

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