- New CoolGeek TS-01 launched on Kickstarter
- Automatic turntable with glowing lights within the platter
- A retail price of $299, and it's already fully funded
Like any good tech writer, RGB-tinged gadgetry has infiltrated my home, but there's one piece of kit that still doesn't glow — or didn't glow, but a new Kickstarter project looks set to fix that.
I'm talking about the new CoolGeek TS-01 turntable, which you can take a look at on the crowdfunding site here. It seems to be the first project from the CoolGeek brand, but it's already blown past its HK$100,000 (about $12,000, £9,000, AU$18,000) goal by at least 10 times.
The CoolGeek TS-01 has a retail price of $299, so it's cheaper than some of our favorite affordable spinners, such as the Sony PS-LX5BT, and in classic Kickstarter fashion it's even cheaper if you pledge sooner.
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The 'gimmick' of this turntable — according to me, rather than CoolGeek — is that it comes with some lighting effects, which emanate from the platter. The Kickstarter doesn't say if these are automatic, or customizable in an app, but the latter seems possible.
That's because the speaker supports Bluetooth 5.3 output as well as RCA, so it could theoretically connect to an app.
It's all about ease of use
Judging by the Kickstarer page, CoolGeek has a different idea about the turntable's selling points.
The page points to the turntable's automatic status as a draw, with an included remote ensuring you can control the record player without having to get up and control the arm (other than, presumably, switching records every 20 minutes in time-honored tradition).
It's also a thin creation, with a 28mm profile for the body, not including the dust cover or platter.
The tone-arm is made with carbon fiber but there's no word on the cartridge, even though it seems to have an Audio-Technica logo on it in photos. The Kickstarter page's focus on ease of use, and the price, suggests to me this is designed as an entry-level turntable rather than one for audiophiles.
But given that some of the best turntables are the ones that are easiest to use, that's only a good thing. Their complex set-up can put potential record player owners off, and so a build like this could overcome some hurdles. The RGB is just a nice extra touch.
The Kickstarter campaign is running until May 10, and CoolGeek states that shipping will begin in early July, with units taking up to a month to arrive depending on where you live.
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