Vinyl is far from dead. Ask your most nostalgic audiophile friend, old-school uncle or even taylor swift. For those who prefer their vinyl with some modern conveniences, there’s the revival of Audio-Technica’s portable record player, the Sound Burger.
According to the Recording Industry Association of America’s mid-2022 report (PDF), vinyl continues a trend that began in 2020, when vinyl revenue surpassed CD revenue — a feat not seen since 1986, according to the RIAA. [PDF]. The RIAA reported that vinyl revenue rose 22 percent to $570 million in the first half of this year, surpassing CDs ($200 million) and representing the largest share of physical music revenue.
Japanese audio brand Audio-Technica has taken note of this trend and decided to re-release its Sound Burger portable player. The product is one of several released by the company to celebrate its 60th anniversary. Based on the plate on the player’s side, the company is producing only 7,000 units.
Debuting in 1980, the original Sound Burger AT727 offered people a way to listen to 33-1/3 and 45 vinyl records outside of their home. There were some caveats though; memories stuck dangerously out of the compartment and as he noted SlashGearthe player had to sit on a flat surface during the operation.
The new Sound Burger AT-SB2022 is similar to the old one, but Audio-Technica has added bluetooth 5.2 support, so you can listen to your vinyl through wireless headphones. There’s also a 3.5mm jack instead of stereo RCA outputs this time, but Audio-Technica also includes a dual RCA adapter.
Plus, since the updated portable record player is already charged, there’s no need for dead batteries anymore. USB-C. Audio-Technica claims that recording playback will last for about 12 hours without requiring a charge, and says it will take about 12 hours to complete.
as mentioned by Digital Trends, the original Sound Burger, also known as Mister Disc in some geographies, required user maintenance to make sure the records kept spinning at the proper speed. But Audio-Technica’s 2022 record player has a DC servo motor that drives a belt-drive system for “constant rotation.” product page he says.
“Designed for both portability and stability, the tonearm uses a dynamic balance system in which stylus pressure is applied via a spring,” the page states. Audio-Technica says so Stylus ATN3600L works with a new record player.
Other features for the Sound Burger include 50 dB output and a 20-20,000 Hz transmission range.
The 2022 Sound Burger is a niche product for enthusiasts looking to embrace their vinyl passion on the go. The original product has retained some cult following YouTubers and the like is still uniquely original and surprisingly impressive sound quality.
We wouldn’t be surprised to see the 2022 Sound Burger end up on sites like eBay once supplies last. Right now you can find 1980s Sound Burgers in Solving 400 dollars–550 dollars range
Audio-Technica sells the 2022 Sound Burger for $200.
