The Vinyl Jukebox is Back!

The Vinyl Jukebox is Back!

It’s back to the future. Long live the vinyl record. And how can the juke box not be revived? ‘Please mister Please’ sand Olivia Newton John, a few decades ago…. And someone has heard that plea!

There’s just something about the warm sound of a vinyl record.

For the first time in 25 years, record player manufacturer Crosley has decided to go retro and bring back the classic vinyl jukebox player, but with a modern twist. Its CR1209A full-sized Rocket Vinyl Jukebox will be the only jukebox in production.

Its stylish yet classic-looking jukebox is decked out in shimmering gold and chrome with a clear glass top over the record changer and player, so that users can see the rotating wheel of vinyl records after making their selection. The machine will hold 70 7-inch records for a total of 140 separate tunes.

Amid all the futuristic drones and robots zipping around CES (Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas), one company decided to go retro. Crosley, which sells vintage-style phones, radios and turntables, revealed plans to bring back the classic vinyl jukebox. The $12,000 machine—the only vinyl jukebox in production today—will be able to hold 70 seven-inch records. But if you want to go digital, the jukebox will also be outfitted with Bluetooth connectivity and auxiliary input/output.

Users can make their selection using classic numbered red buttons, or via remote control. The jukebox can also be placed in shuffle mode, and will cycle through records until told otherwise.

If you don’t have a enough 7-inch records to fill up the machine or want to hear a specific song, the jukebox can also connect to your device via Bluetooth and auxiliary input allows you to tap into the jukebox’s speakers.

The Crosley Vinyl Rocket prototype B

The front panel features two mid speakers, two tweeters and one 12-inch twin cone bass speaker. The jukebox Crosely showed off at CES was decked out with hits, and it delivered the warm and powerful sound you’d expect from a vinyl record through a nice amp and speakers.

But, it’s going to cost you. The jukebox has a suggested retail price of $11,995. And it also won’t be easy getting one. Crosley plans to have 16 units ready to ship by April or May of this year, so step in line, rich vinyl lovers.

Because most people own 33 1⁄3 rpm records instead of 45s, Crosley has plans to make another jukebox to accommodate those larger records in the future.

While streaming music has been taking over the music industry in recent years, vinyl sales have made a healthy comeback. In April 2016, Fortune reported that vinyl record sales were at a 28-year high. UK vinyl sales reached grew 53 percent in 2016 over the previous year.

What’s a Jukebox? A jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron’s selection from self-contained media (that’s usually 45 rpm records). The classic jukebox has buttons with letters and numbers on them that, when entered in combination, are used to play a specific selection.