Vinyl is far from dead. Just ask your most nostalgic audiophile friend, old school uncle, or even Taylor Swift. And for those who prefer vinyl with some modern conveniences, there’s a resurgence of the Sound Burger, Audio-Technica’s portable turntable.
According to the Recording Industry Association of America’s Mid-2022 Report (PDF), vinyl is continuing a trend started in 2020 in which vinyl revenues have surpassed CD revenues — a state of affairs we haven’t seen since 1986, according to the RIAA. PDF ]. The RIAA said vinyl revenue rose 22 percent in the first half of this year to $570 million, outpacing CD sales ($200 million) and representing the largest share of physical music revenue.
Japanese audio brand Audio-Technica seems to have noticed this trend and decided to re-release their Sound Burger portable player. This product is one of several that the company is releasing in honor of its 60th anniversary. Based on the player’s sign, the company only produces 7,000 units.
Debuting in 1980, the original Sound Burger AT727 offered people the opportunity to listen to their 33-1/3 and 45 vinyl records outside the home. However, there were some caveats; the records protruded precariously from the unit and, as noted by SlashGear, the player had to sit on a flat surface during operation.
The new Sound Burger AT-SB2022 is very similar to the old one, but Audio-Technica has added Bluetooth 5.2 support so you can listen to your vinyl through wireless headphones. This time around, there’s a 3.5mm jack instead of stereo RCA outputs, but Audio-Technica also includes a dual RCA adapter.
In addition, bulky batteries are no longer needed as the updated portable player charges via USB-C. Audio-Technica claims the recording will play for about 12 hours before needing to be charged, which it says will take about 12 hours.
As noted by Digital Trends, the original Sound Burger, also known as Mister Disc in some regions, required maintenance by the user to keep the records spinning at the proper speed. But the 2022 Audio-Technica turntable has a DC servo motor driving its belt drive system for “stable rotation,”the turntable’s product page says.
“Designed for both portability and stability, the tonearm uses a dynamic balance system in which stylus pressure is applied through a spring,” the page says. Audio-Technica says its ATN3600L stylus works with the new turntable.
Other features of the Sound Burger include a 50 dB output level and a 20–20,000 Hz transmit bandwidth.
The Sound Burger 2022 is a niche product for enthusiasts who want to indulge their passion for vinyl on the go. The original product retained a cult following of sorts, and YouTubers and their ilk still tout the unique premise and amazingly impressive sound quality.
We wouldn’t be surprised to see the 2022 Sound Burger end up on sites like eBay after stocks run out. You can currently find resold 1980s Sound Burgers ranging from $400 to $550.
Audio-Technica is selling the 2022 Sound Burger for $200.