Vinyl party ? With her StreamCarbon, the American manufacturer of Victrola turntables is renewing itself with a device which, at a time when vinyl sales are in good shape, has many assets to appeal to all generations, and in particular the young people who became last year the biggest buyers of LPs in France (see box). Can be connected to a classic amplifier or a powered speaker, the Stream Carbon is officially the very first in the world to be able to integrate the Sonos speaker ecosystem and this, in just a few manipulations, such as 20 minutes could verify it.
Neo-retro design and originality
It weighs its weight the Stream Carbon: 6 kg! All aluminum and steel, this turntable stands out from other players from the Victrola brand (it was born in 1906!). This one had accustomed us to shaping record players or turntables with a design vintagelike the Revolution GO that we tested… The modern aesthetic of the newcomer – although quite neo-retro with its front with rounded corners – affirms a real desire to think outside the box.
The device, which is belt-driven, exudes quality, both in the materials used and in its impeccable quality of finish. Despite its high weight (and ultimately reassuring), its size (43 x 34.5 x 11 cm) allows it to find its place quite simply on a chest of drawers or a dedicated piece of furniture.
Distinctive sign, its arm is made of carbon fiber. At the end, the Ortofon 2M RED cartridge (an entry-level cartridge which, on its own, is worth the trifle of 99 euros). More original, finally: the turntable has not like so many others a translucent lid on hinges, but a removable and very minimalist black protective cover which will come, when the device is not in use, cover its tray and reading unit. Bias designof course, but which does not allow, alas, to protect a disc being read, this one remaining in the open air.
The warmth of vinyl sound
Integrating a phono preamp, the Stream Carbon has Ethernet and RCA outputs. You can therefore simply connect it to a compatible speaker (like most Marshall living room speakers), without necessarily having to bring out Dad’s old hi-fi amplifier from the garage. The hitch is simple and attractive. Here, it is difficult to claim a hiffist listening, but we are instantly seduced by the signature of the “vinyl” sound, with its comforting presence and warmth, its authenticity, its crackles too. And the need to turn the disc halfway through to read the B side!
The Stream Carbon can read 45 trs and 33 trs, but not 78 trs. If they have been well stored (vertically and away from heat!), family or second-hand LPs will reveal to you that they have not played their last sound… The 33 trs released recently, like those from Orelsan (Civilization), Lomepal (Wrong Order) or Stromae (Multitude), which occupied the top 3 best-selling vinyl records in France in 2022, will deliver their full potential… in addition to the cult of the object.
Labeled “Works with Sonos”
But where Victrola really makes the difference and plays a real step ahead of all its competitors, is its compatibility with Sonos speakers. It is no coincidence that its Stream Carbon turntable arrives on the French market when Sonos launches its new Era 100 and Era 300 speakers… Here, no cable or dock to connect, but a simple integration in the Sonos ecosystem through the Victrola application (which will only be used for that).
And the operation is extremely simple since once connected to the WiFi network of the house, the turntable will directly integrate the audio sources available in the Sonos application. It will only be enough to choose the speaker or speakers on which you want to play it: those in the living room, office, upstairs… On the front of the turntable, the large backlit button can be used, if you agree to let go of your smartphone, to turn up the general volume, in analog mode, in short.
It’s a first and it’s a success! Thus, the certification program “Works with Sonos” has he just found a beautiful ally. Until then, this compatibility was only offered to fairly high-end amplifiers (Pioneer, Onkyo). During our tests, we also appreciated the fact that the Stream Carbon did not need to be near the speakers to which we had connected it. Thanks Wi-Fi!
This innovation is also paid for: 990 euros! It’s expensive, very expensive, whereas a quality vinyl turntable weighted with a phono preamp can be bought for around 300 euros! All the more expensive since the new Sonos Era 100 and Era 300 speakers can now be connected by wire to a turntable, using a small accessory sold by the manufacturer. There remains a gap open for other manufacturers who, we hope, will follow Victrola and its Stream Carbon, to dig (at a lower cost) the furrows of this new compatibility…