If you think record players are impractical in the Age of Streaming Every Song Ever Written from Your Smartphone, avert your eyes.
Because this is the vinyl lover’s solution to portable music.
It’s called the RokBlok, and it’s a small box that rides along the grooves of a record, acting as both a needle and speaker for audio playback. How it works is simple: record players work by spinning vinyl at either a speed of 33 ⅓ RPM or 45 RPM. As the the disc rotates, the needle reads the music. The RokBlok essentially works in reverse: riding a box over the record while it drags the needle along with it.
While RokBlok claims itself to be the “world’s first infinitely portable, wireless record player,” those growing up in the ‘70s might remember a gag gift called the VW Soundwagon. Do not be confused: the Soundwagon was the world’s first actual miniature on-the-go turntable.
The big difference? In addition to having its own built-in speaker, the RokBlok plays nice with Bluetooth. So, you could actually get some decent sound quality. But at this point, it’s not really a matter of sound quality, is it?
The RokBlok is currently on Kickstarter. Click here for to preorder now.
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