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An Unexpected Japanese Brand Just Made a Standout Affordable Turntable

In a surprising move, the Japanese tech giant is getting in on the vinyl renaissance.

Toshiba Aurex AX-RP10 portable record playerToshiba

By Tucker Bowe

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Portable record players aren’t exactly known for high-quality playback. Most aren’t even that portable. In today’s day and age, they’re really only designed for audiophiles seriously committed to listening to vinyl records on the road.

That said, with vinyl’s continued resurgence, portable record players are having a bit of a moment. In the past few years, Audio-Technica revived its iconic Sound Burger from the early 1980s, and at CES earlier this year, Korg revealed an entire line of portable record players.

Now, a new Japanese tech giant, Toshiba, is getting in on the action.

Toshiba Aurex AX-RP10

Toshiba Aurex AX-RP10 portable record player
The Aurex AX-RP10 supports Bluetooth and has a 3.5mm analog input, so it can stream music to a wireless speaker (or headphones) or use a traditional wired connection.
Toshiba

A new portable record player

These days, Toshiba is well known for its a wide range of electronics. But, thanks to its lifestyle brand Aurex, it appears that the company is dabbling in portable record players, too.

The Aurex AX-RP10 is a compact portable record player that is compatible with 33 1/3 and 45 RPM records. The belt-drive turntable features a moving magnet (MM) cartridge and has convenient auto-stop function when the record ends.

Another unique feature is that there’s a rear notch located on the back of the AX-RP10, which can be used for holding and showing off the album cover while the record is playing.

Toshiba Aurex AX-RP10 portable record player
The Aurex AX-RP10 has a built-in battery that promises roughly 10 hours of playback time.
Toshiba

Bring your own speakers (or headphones)

The Aurex AX-RP10 lacks a built-in speaker, so you’ll have to bring your own speakers or headphones to listen to music. It supports Bluetooth, allowing you to stream records to a wireless speaker or headphones. It also has a 3.5mm input jack for a wired connection.

As for runtime, the Aurex AX-RP10 packs a built-in 2,000mAh battery that promises 10 hours of vinyl playback on a single charge. It charges via USB-C.

When ordered, the Aurex AX-RP10 comes with a compact shoulder bag for transporting the record player. Unfortunately, it’s way too small to carry anything else, including your actual records, let alone separate speakers or headphones. So you’ll have to bring another bag for those.

Toshiba Aurex AX-RP10 portable record player
The Aurex AX-RP10 is compatible with 33 1/3 and 45 RPM records.
Toshiba

Price and availability

Unfortunately, pricing information for the Aurex AX-RP10 has yet to be revealed. However, judging against its rivals, it will likely cost around $200.

Look for an official release in late April.

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