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TECH FEATURE

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a USB-C port, with a Bluetooth pairing button on the side. The Sound Burger comes with a USB-C to USB-A 1.5-metre charging cable, a mini-jack to RCA cable, and a removable 45rpm adaptor that serves as a handy holding cradle for the tonearm inside. As the name suggests, the turntable opens like a burger bun by releasing a button on the side. On the top is a button for power and one to select either 45rpm or 33rpm, depending on whether a seven- or 12" inch single, or album, is being played. When the tonearm is swung out to the right-hand side, it clicks into standby mode, making room for an album to be placed on the platter. Hit the start button, pull the tonearm out towards the record, and the disc starts spinning. Powered via a USB-C port, the rechargeable battery will last close to 12 hours, giving you plenty of time for a vinyl marathon. If caught short with a flat battery, the charging cable will power the unit up if near a power point to keep the party rocking. But how does the Sound Burger connect to a sound source? There are two ways: the traditional RCA lead route with the included cables, or wirelessly via Bluetooth. For wired connections, the turntable will need to go through an amp or into RCA inputs on powered speakers. Bluetooth pairing to a wireless speaker or powered bookshelf speakers is effortless. The Sound Burger will ‘find’ the speakers when the Bluetooth pairing button on each device is activated. We connected to four different speakers without any issues. The other option for the ultimate personal listening adventure is to connect true wireless earbuds or wireless headphones. Our Bose QC 45s paired in under 30 seconds. Having always owned traditional turntables, listening to Arlo Park’s My Soft Machine wirelessly on vinyl sitting in the back garden does feel a little bizarre, but is strangely satisfying. When it comes to performance, the casual observer could be forgiven for thinking

How would you like your Sound Burger? Well done, please! Words Paul Jones T he same year that Return of the Jedi was filling cinemas across the

the Sound Burger is a gimmick. They would be wrong. Audio Technica is a well-respected name in audio equipment for a reason. This is a bona fide turntable, the equivalent of anything in its price bracket. It sounds as good through headphones as it does through speakers – our speaker picks were the Wharfdale DS2B bookshelf speakers and the

globe, Audio-Technica brought a device to market that ironically looked like it could’ve

been stripped out of the Millennium Falcon . Called Mister Disc in the US and the more captivating Sound Burger in Japan, the battery powered unit was an innovative

Ultimate Ears Hyperboom. The Sound Burger will undoubtedly turn heads wherever you take it. Not only is the retro aesthetic appealing and desirable, it also delivers as a turntable, redefining the vinyl listening experience for music lovers on the move or record enthusiasts who perhaps don’t have the space for a full-sized turntable. In a world where smartphone-streaming rules mobile music, the Sound Burger is a refreshing alternative.

Sound Burger couldn’t have come at a better time. For the uninitiated, the Sound Burger is the ultimate in turntable portability. It’s small, weighs only 900g, and can be easily thrown in a bag or carried in-hand using the strap affixed to the end. The belt-driven turntable is simple to set up straight out of the box. At the rear of the unit are a line-out and

concept designed for taking records mobile. Aimed to compete with Walkman mania, it initially sold well but eventually slipped into the retro tech curio category. However, in a masterful move of audio archaeology, the Sound Burger was unearthed for Audio-Technica’s 60th anniversary in 2022 and reimagined in full 21st century tech glory. With interest in vinyl at fever pitch across all generations, the reintroduction of the ingenious

36 JULY 2023

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