In its range of vinyl turntables, Victrola offers models 100% compatible with the Sonos ecosystem. This allows you to listen to your vinyls without having to connect anything to a speaker. We tried it.
Today, when we talk about listening to Music, we readily think of Apple Music, Spotify or even Deezer. Streaming is so easy to use and so financially accessible that it has become an obvious reflex. As for physical media, there is still a segment that is on the rise: vinyl. As recalled by the figures provided by the SNEP (National Union of Phonographic Edition) in September, revenues generated by vinyl exceeded those of CDs during the first half of 2024. A first since the 1980s.
This appetite for the great black record can be explained by several factors, starting with that of the collection. Vinyl records are beautiful objects that we love to display in our living room. The same goes for the turntables, some of which have a nice design. On the market, the manufacturer Victrola is one of the oldest, which does not mean that its products are not up to date with the latest technologies. As proof, its catalog offers turntables 100% compatible with Sonos systems, a real plus for those who are equipped.
Victrola Stream Carbon automatically connects to Sonos speakers
Port Ethernet
The Victrola Stream Carbon is equipped with an Ethernet port to improve playback from the Internet. Useful if your network coverage is poor.
Connecting your vinyl turntable to wireless speakers may seem contradictory. This is an observation that is understandable, since vinyl is intimately linked to the art of the purest listening, which implies a turntable connected, with a wire, to an amplifier, itself associated with a pair of speakers. The Victrola Stream Carbon can take on this role, since it is equipped with an RCA port (with an integrated preamp). But it offers a fairly unique option in its category: the possibility of listening to your vinyls on your Sonos speakers placed throughout the house – thanks to the Internet.
Therefore, when you install the Stream Carbon for the first time (there are very few assembly steps), you have the opportunity to connect it, from its application, to your Sonos system. We then choose a default playback speaker for automatic connection when switched on (just bring your arm above the record to start playback). Victrola has thought of everything, including a button to manage the speaker volume directly on the turntable. From the Victrola application, which has an unimpressive design and which you no longer need to launch after configuration (fortunately), you can manage the streaming parameters in the event of a faulty connection (by adjusting the delay).
Obviously, for everything to work properly, it is necessary to have sufficient bandwidth, as well as good network coverage. During our few days of use, there was no hiccup, even though the board, the modem and the speakers are not in the same room (you still have to be careful not to move the board too far from the modem) . That’s the magic of this proposition: nothing prevents you, thanks to the Sonos ecosystem, from starting playback on the default speaker and then transmitting it to another speaker (or group of speakers), arranged elsewhere. For example, you can enjoy your vinyls in your bathroom, if a Sonos speaker is installed there.
Good point: despite the very technological nature of this turntable, the charm of vinyl remains, with these characteristic little crackles which do not go by the wayside, and this velvet finish which gives so much warmth to the black pad. It’s all there in terms of acoustic precision (the Sonos speakers are very capable, especially when you have a pair in stereo), although the audiophile niche will undoubtedly turn to a more traditional solution.
A high-end turntable, with beautiful finishes
In addition to its streaming playback capabilities, the Stream Carbon is adorned with beautiful finishes and completely suitable packaging. We are talking about a turntable launched at €1,000, equipped with an aluminum top and a veneered MDF wood structure. This is a big plus for stability, with a plate that does not move when placed on a flat surface. The design is sober, with black and silver which does not make it a rustic-looking product.
Note that the cover is completely removable and only serves to protect against dust when you are not using the Stream Carbon. In addition to being strange, this choice somewhat spoils the designers’ efforts to offer a beautiful turntable. With this makeshift “hood”, it no longer looks like much. We understand the idea of abandoning the hinges at the rear to attach a more classic cover with another protection solution. But the one suggested by Victrola is far from convincing.
As the name of the product indicates, the Stream Carbon is based on a carbon arm (read: ultra-light), topped with an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge – which has a good reputation – and equipped with a counterweight provided (there is nothing to adjust). The Stream Carton, which has a belt drive, can play 33 or 45 rpm vinyl records. A button allows you to engage either speed and a puck is provided to fit discs with a large hole in the middle. Everything is there, then.
