For 120 years, Victrola has been making audio products. Now it’s switching on Auracast, thanks to its latest launch.
The company showcased its new Soundstage speaker and turntable system at the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas. The firm says it will deliver high-fidelity performance for vinyl listeners from a compact, space-efficient design and eliminate the need for separate speakers, amplifiers and other audio components.
The turntable sits atop a speaker system that delivers immersive stereo sound. While it can output audio from the records on the decks, it also has inputs including 3.5mm AUX, RCA, USB-C and Auracast.
This means it can work with computers, TVs and other audio sources as well as acting as both an Auracast receiver and transmitter.
In receiver mode, people will be able to send their own playlist to the speakers making it perfect for parties or listening to quality music.
In transmitter mode, it lets people enjoy the best vinyl sound without disturbing others.
Victrola Soundstage aims to help reshape how records are played
Obviously, Auracast excites us, but the Victrola Soundstage is also looking to the heritage of the audio industry. While many of us rely on streaming services to listen to music, a growing band of people is returning to vinyl.
The Victrola Soundstage is a compact all-in-one design that comes in two finishes – walnut or black – and fits neatly in a home, an office, or as a second system.
The company says that those wanting better sound without a separates system would have to choose between performance and simplicity. The Soundstage aims to remove that trade-off, promising listeners a rich, engaging sound from a single speaker beneath a turntable.
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Clever engineering means that vibrations can be isolated with no compromises to performance: Its own-firing Symmetric Drive Woofer (SDW) features dual diaphragm technology that delivers powerful, accurate bass while cancelling vibrations, keeping the turntable steady for smooth, uninterrupted vinyl performance.
This is coupled with the Soundstage’s Balanced Mode Radiator (BMR) technology, which Victrola says delivers exceptionally wide, even dispersion, creating a spacious, natural stereo image that stays clear and detailed anywhere in the room.
These two innovations mean the Soundstage won’t create feedback loops that can harm sensitive components when in use. The company says this is managed by directing the most harmful low frequencies through the down-firing Symmetric Drive Woofer (SDW) and rear-facing ports, while using a low crossover point with the front-facing Balanced Mode Radiators (BMRs) to keep critical midrange and high frequencies projected forward for clarity, detail and accurate stereo imaging.
What Victrola says about the Soundstage
“Victrola has been building all-in-one listening systems for more than a century, and Soundstage is a natural evolution of that legacy, ” said Scott Hagen, CEO of Victrola.
“While vinyl records continue to resonate with a new and younger generation of enthusiastic listeners, not all of them want a big, complex hi-fi system. So in some respects, Soundstage is a return to form for us. It takes our DNA in making all-in-one consoles and modernises it for the next generation.
“The result is a solution that effortlessly fills a room with great-sounding music, sits neatly under a turntable, plays music from a variety of other sources, and can even stream records throughout the house.”
Compatibility across the range
Victrola says it has a modular approach to home listening, so its devices can be combined to create a system that fits budgets, available space, and listening style.
So the Soundstage can be paired with Victrola’s Wave and Automatic turntables, as well as other audio sources. It can be a standalone wireless speaker or a monitor stand.
It says that whether paired with an entry-level record player or a premium turntable, Soundstage offers a flexible, future-ready path to better sound.
When will the Victrola Soundstage be available, and how much will it cost?
The Victrola Soundstage was demoed at CES in Las Vegas on January 6, but audio fans will have a bit longer to wait before it is available: the firm says it will be released in the summer.
It will have a recommended retail price of $349.99 (£261).
While a US-based company, its products are available in the UK, including Richer Sounds, Argos, and Currys.
They are also available on Amazon (affliate link).
For more information or to order direct, log on to: www.victrola.com.
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