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Is Crosley a problem for Vinyl revival?

Where you at Dude, I have a couple of tables that I never use, if its not to expensive I could ship one to you.
 
Let's face it, real gear isn't for everyone. Some people have no interest in setting up a table, positioning speakers, wiring everything, etc. They only want to hear the music and the Crosley allows them a plug and play solution.
I personally don't get it at all. The Crosley tables I saw at Newbury Comics were around $100. The system in my signature minus the CD player ( which I purchased new in the 90's) was $95. I actually enjoyed the researching and hunting to find the deals, it's like a sport to me. The idea of just grabbing any old thing off the shelf on the way out of the record store is crazy.
 
tnsilver said:
I think it's actually hard to find a good disc on a thrift store. I got bad experience with that. I got Mike Oldfield's 'Tubular Bells' where the disc is so worn out, there's no guitar playing on part 1. It's like a studio mix. Weird! What was I expecting from a 1973 LP... :crazy:
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Finding great disc at thrift stores is quite common, in fact where do you think they get their supply from people like you and anyone else. When an audiophile dies it is quite likely that his records will go to a thrift. Now the hard part of finding good LP's would be to beat me to them!;)
 
Modern records are not dumbed down for Crosley playback. Unlike the old days, modern ceramic cartridges are poorly made (over 80% defective rate) and have major compliance issues too often (which ruins records along with too high tracking forces they use). Once upon a time, we had high quality, medium output ceramics which tracked at 2-3 grams and were gentle on records, those days are gone. So much of the reasons why some LP discs are so hard to find is the wear inflicted on these records by poor equipment, poorly maintained, and bad styli. Modern Crosley all in ones have tracking forces in and near 7-12 grams. Which is 5 grams too high, and poorly designed tonearms with horrible bearings and too short.
 
And they were remarkably generous in their rating, even though they agreed it would ruin your records, mostly because of the high tracking force.
 
Dude111 said:
Im stuck listening on a crosley because I cant find the replacement cartridge for my 1968 player!! (That cartridge isnt being made and I havent been able to find it)


THE BEST SOUNDING RECORDS ON THIS THING ARE 78s!!!!

When I play my 78s they sound EXCELLENT!!! -- I believe the needle might be cut for 78 to be honest!!!


They made this thing to try and "look old" so it would make sense I gather to make the needle best for 78 (THEY SOUND AS GOOD AS THEY DO ON MY 1968 PLAYER)
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I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but I don't think you've heard a 78 played on a true 78rpm stylus. I know my system isn't optimum either (Audio Technica AT-PL120 with a Shure V15 Type II cartridge with a Shure N78S stylus), but it will sound a lot better than a Crosley. I bought one of the Crosley jobs about 15 years ago for the simple fact it had the 78rpm option and I had a handful of 78's that belonged to my grandmother. They are not equipped with a true 78rpm stylus which means the stylus is not sitting in the groove correctly, so you're not hearing the best sound possible. Most of your older ceramic cartridges had an option to use a "flip" needle which meant one side was for 16/33/45, but the other side you could literally flip over and have a 78 stylus.
 
Hot off the press, breaking news
Ronald1973 said:
I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but I don't think you've heard a 78 played on a true 78rpm stylus. I know my system isn't optimum either (Audio Technica AT-PL120 with a Shure V15 Type II cartridge with a Shure N78S stylus), but it will sound a lot better than a Crosley. I bought one of the Crosley jobs about 15 years ago for the simple fact it had the 78rpm option and I had a handful of 78's that belonged to my grandmother. They are not equipped with a true 78rpm stylus which means the stylus is not sitting in the groove correctly, so you're not hearing the best sound possible. Most of your older ceramic cartridges had an option to use a "flip" needle which meant one side was for 16/33/45, but the other side you could literally flip over and have a 78 stylus.
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Who would have guessed that?
 
I think Crosleys would be better if they had a little better turntable equipment, like say comparable to the Audio-Technica LP60. As a compromise to keep the cost down, they could cut the CD player, MP3 player connection, etc. People buying Crosleys are buying them primarily for the turntable and not the ability to play modern media which most people likely already have superior systems for. One thing Crosleys offer that nobody else does is that faux-vintage look, like something from the 1940s or 50s, and I think thats one of the things that attracts people to them. They are a nice fixture in your living room. They just need to improve the turntable. It doesn't have to be audiophile quality but it should be reliable enough to handle the weight of the records and should not ruin records after a few plays like Crosleys do.
 
The biggest point here is that most of the Crosley's (IE Cruiser, Collegiate, etc) are not, nor were never meant to be, a turntable. They are record players. If one reviews them based on the characteristics of a turntable (counterweight, anti-skate, true interchangeable magnetic cartridges, metal tone arm, full sized metal platter, light tracking weights, better build quality), yes, they fall far short. While if one realizes that record players have been popular with younger listeners since maybe the late 40's, are relatively inexpensive devices designed for portability, and were never, ever, designed for serious listening, they are fine for what they are.

Why don't the people burning them on YouTube (yes, literally burning them), fail to take this into account?

Anything that gets someone into listening to vinyl is good. And no, contrary to popular urban myth perpetuated on the Internet, and by zealots like Michael Fremmer, your vinyl will not be carved up after 5 plays. There is still to this day vinyl that was played back in the 50s and 60's, played on record players with heavy tracking ceramic cartridges with sapphire styli, that plays fine to this day, and did not suddenly become scrap plastic after 5 plays.
 
Arthur Smith said:
The biggest point here is that most of the Crosley's (IE Cruiser, Collegiate, etc) are not, nor were never meant to be, a turntable. They are record players. If one reviews them based on the characteristics of a turntable (counterweight, anti-skate, true interchangeable magnetic cartridges, metal tone arm, full sized metal platter, light tracking weights, better build quality), yes, they fall far short. While if one realizes that record players have been popular with younger listeners since maybe the late 40's, are relatively inexpensive devices designed for portability, and were never, ever, designed for serious listening, they are fine for what they are.

Why don't the people burning them on YouTube (yes, literally burning them), fail to take this into account?

Anything that gets someone into listening to vinyl is good. And no, contrary to popular urban myth perpetuated on the Internet, and by zealots like Michael Fremmer, your vinyl will not be carved up after 5 plays. There is still to this day vinyl that was played back in the 50s and 60's, played on record players with heavy tracking ceramic cartridges with sapphire styli, that plays fine to this day, and did not suddenly become scrap plastic after 5 plays.
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I would be fine with Crosleys if they didn't ruin records...and they could handle the weight of heavier records. I ruined a few records with my Crosley when I was first getting into vinyl. Just playing the record likely won't ruin it, but let's say it skips, or you drop the needle on the record. A Crosley will really mess it up and it will be unplayable. I've accidentally dropped the needle several times on my Audio-Technica LP120 and have never ruined a record, but destroyed records every time I did it with my Crosley. Also, after three weeks, my records started playing flat because the motor couldn't keep up. Turns out, the 160? gram records from the 1950s were too much for it to handle. That's why people dislike Crosley's.

I honestly think its a great concept and would be all for it if they would simply put equipment at least as quality as the Audio-Technica LP60 in it. The LP60 isn't a high-end turntable by any means and audiophiles will scoff at it, but it does what it was designed to do. They could probably easily get by with that with the savings that would result from something as simple as removing the CD player and MP3 jack (because who is going to use those awful Crosley speakers for that?).

It would be great if somebody would bring back a 1940s-50s style record player that was actually quality. I LOVE how Crosleys look. I am all about the vintage look. I just wish they made a product that would at least do its primary job; play records. I don't think that's too much to ask.
 
Hopefully if you have found AK and signed up as a member you have lost your Crosley. I'v made a few dumb choices in my life and I'm far from perfect, fortunately I never bought a Crosley. Say what you want there is nothing redeeming about a Crosley, they are the bottom of the barrel of turntables/record players and absolute junk made by the junk men to sell to the unsophisticated buyer. And yes the Crosley and their ilk do damage records, lets stop making excuses for Crosleys and the stupid people who buy them.
 
Ronald1973 said:
don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but I don't think you've heard a 78 played on a true 78rpm stylus.
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No buddy your probably right...... I have only heard them on those FLIP style needles (flip them and its a 78 tip)


Im just glad my Crosley doesnt hurt my records.....I have seen ppl saying it can easily damage them!!

But I must say ALL MY 78S (Even my full size 78s (Same size as a 33)) sound excellent!!! (I swear this needle on this is a 78 needle!!)

I have one 80rpm record also (That one I can barely hear (needle too small)) I think its made out of wood!!!
 
There were machines way before the Crosley that were far more brutal on vinyl than they are. Correct me if I am wrong, but many of those recordings are still being played by vinyl enthusiasts today. I think the myth that Crosleys's carve up vinyl is just that- a myth.
 
Arthur Smith said:
There were machines way before the Crosley that were far more brutal on vinyl than they are. Correct me if I am wrong, but many of those recordings are still being played by vinyl enthusiasts today. I think the myth that Crosleys's carve up vinyl is just that- a myth.
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:lurk:
 
Arthur Smith said:
There were machines way before the Crosley that were far more brutal on vinyl than they are. Correct me if I am wrong, but many of those recordings are still being played by vinyl enthusiasts today. I think the myth that Crosleys's carve up vinyl is just that- a myth.
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Pretty much,
All generated from snob mentality from the ones that need something less than what they own to pick on.
 
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