A phonogram, colloquially known as a record player is a classic musical instrument that plays musical records. It brings back memories of the bygone eras, especially the 50s and 60s. In today’s world, those who own a record player are the people who are willing to recreate the magic of the retro era in their living rooms.
A phonogram is an instrument that converts sound energy vibrations into their electromagnetic counterpart. In simple language, a needle-like stylus reads the vibrations from the record or disc rotating on a turntable. Then these vibrations are changed into electrical energy and transmitted. Then the electrical energy/signal generated is reconverted into sound energy by the amplifier and the speakers then produce amplified sound.
A record player can be of two types: it can have a built-in speaker or a separate speaker. The record player with speakers are players with a separate speaker attached to them.
Features Of A Record Player With Built-In Speakers
The features of a record player with built-in speakers is as follows:
1. Convenient And Beginner Friendly
Record players with built-in speakers are more convenient to use than record players with a separate speaker. There is no need to attach them separately to the player through a few cables or wires. Thus the built-in versions are beginner-friendly.
2. Inexpensive
The record players with a built-in speaker are cheap. Thus, these may have compromised sound quality. For instance, in the case of built-in speakers, the cartridges are made of ceramic, which may affect the sound quality
3. Portability And Simplicity
If the speakers are in-built, the entire setup becomes more compact and easy to move around. So if you are looking for low prices and simplicity, this is the right choice.
4. Bluetooth Friendly
Setups with built-in speakers are Bluetooth friendly.
5. Poor Longevity
The record player with built-in speakers is cheaper, and the natural corollary to that is the quality is poor. Hence the speaker and the internal components do not have a long lifetime. Since the chances of removing and repairing individual parts are limited, you might have to replace the entire setup altogether.
Features of a Record Player With Separate Speaker
The features of a record sound player with separate speaker are as follows:
1. Better Sound Quality
Separate speakers produce better sound with more volume as the power is supplied to the speaker separately and more efficiently.
2. Upgradation And Exchange Of Speakers
The separate speakers are units packed with their amplifiers. In case of any problem with sound quality, or for up-gradation, they are exchangeable without replacing the record player.
3. Better Stereo Sound
In the case of stereo players, you can place the left and the right speakers separately and adjust their position for better stereo sound quality.
4. More Expensive
As the record player and the speaker are separate units, the cost of the cabinet, labor, etcetera, are increased. Even when you buy both of them, their price comes to be more than the single unit with both player and speaker. Add to this the cost of attaching cables, the sockets for the same, etc.
Conclusion
So, to conclude, you can say that record players with built-in speakers and those with separate speakers both have advantages and disadvantages. The players with in-built speakers are cheap and portable, but players with separate speakers are more expensive but have better sound quality. If you are a fan of good sound quality, you should go for a record player with separate speakers, and if you lack space and money, you should go for a player with a built-in speaker.