Crosley’s new turntable package promises to be an all-in-wonder, but you should try before you buy

Crosley has announced a new hi-fi package, the Crosley C65 Record Player. In addition to the turntable it also comes with 50W speakers, and its amplifier is switchable so you can use the turntable with external hi-fi components if you upgrade later.

As we've come to expect from Crosley it's a good-looking thing with distinctive retro looks – I'm getting a bit of a 1950s cars-with-fins and diner jukebox vibe – but while the outside is old-fashioned there's a Bluetooth module inside so you can also stream from your smartphone.

Crosley C65 Record Player: key features and price

There's a bit of confusion over the spec here, because while the marketing says the speakers are 50W the specifications on Crosley's own website says that they are 80W (2 x 40W). But there's no confusion over the rest of the spec.

It's a two-speed belt-driven turntable with a pre-mounted Audio-Technica ATN3600L cartridge, a carbon fibre tonearm with adjustable counterweight and anti-skate, and a full-sized steel platter. The plinth is "audio-grade" MDF and it's mounted on vibration control feet.

The C65 is priced somewhere in the middle of the affordable audio bracket, with a RRP of £289 / $299 (about €333 / AU$592), and it'll be sold alongside other affordable turntables in the likes of HMV and similar retailers.

I'm usually a fan of finding the best price online and ordering by post, but this is one I'd suggest trying before buying. When we reviewed the Crosley C62 two years ago – a similarly specified turntable and speakers package from Crosley's C series – we were really disappointed by the sound quality during vinyl playback, with noticeable speed issues.

Hopefully that's something Crosley has addressed for this latest generation turntable.