Why You Can Trust CNET Victrola Stream Carbon Is the Turntable Built for Sonos Fans
The turntable connects over Wi-Fi, which promises better sound quality than existing Bluetooth models.
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Victrola on Thursday unveiled the Stream Carbon, the first turntable that connects natively to the Sonos streaming platform.
Unlike previous turntables "designed" for Sonos, the Stream Carbon doesn't need to be physically connected to another Sonos component, and instead connects over Wi-Fi. It can then play to any or all Sonos speakers in your home. In addition to Ethernet and wireless, the turntable also includes a stereo RCA output using the onboard preamp. The preamp is nondefeatable, though, meaning you can't use your own phono preamp if you want.
The manual turntable features a carbon-fiber tonearm and a removable headshell mounted with an Ortofon Red 2M cartridge. The Victrola is constructed from a thick block of MDF and is inset with long rubber feet, which give it a low-slung appearance. At the front of the unit is a universal volume control that can be used to alter the level of the entire Sonos system. Setup for the turntable is via a Victrola app, but the company says once it's installed you can just use the Sonos app.
As far as the competition goes, there are only a couple of other turntables that connect via Wi-Fi, including the $699 Yamaha MusicCast Vinyl 500. The Victrola has a slight advantage because Sonos has a larger install base, though like the Yamaha it can also be used with any stereo system via the RCA outputs.
The $800 Stream Carbon is the flagship in a new range of turntables, the rest of which will be announced at CES. The Stream Carbon is available for preorder today and will be "available widely" in October.
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