The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Had to grab your attention...I was in Sam's Club yesterday and saw these retro phonographs...Then I saw the Victrola name on the box....We only thought the Victrolas were discontinued years ago...

Looks very much like re-badged Crosley and perhaps Project ? There's a line of these in different models. One looks like it has a Project looking tonearm. I wouldn't be interested in them.

I'm getting dizzy looking at the photo

Kind of amazing actually that after all these years have passed, someone still sees value in using that name to sell a turntable.
Just proves the fact that Eldridge Johnson was a marketing genius for the ages.

briankeith wrote:I'm getting dizzy looking at the photo

it was taken on an iPhone 6 plus. Pictures from anything Apple consistently get displayed sideways or upside down.

...funny, but when I right-click the image, and select "view image," it displays upright:
I've seen the "Victrola" brand name on at least one other modern record player; this one -- https://www.amazon.com/Victrola-Nostalg ... B00UMVW4VA

From what I can tell, it's another re-branded Crosley. Judging from some of the customer reviews -- many of which echo my own experience with a Crosley record player -- it's an electronic equivalent of a Crap-O-Phone.

OF

I wonder if the trademark on "Victrola" has expired ?

( ironic too, that they chose the name that originally passed on their chance to get-in on the ground floor of electrical recording... )

Is it safe to play all three types of records - 33, 45 and 78 - interchangeably on these using the same needle that comes with the machine? I know the earlier electric portables commonly used in schools that could play all three types had a double stylus that flipped to play either vinyl or 78... but these newer contemporary machines I think only have a single needle stylus.

Depending on the cartridge supplied with this thing, there may be larger 78 styli available. I think there's even one being made for those cheap retro looking Crosley machines.

Sean