Gadgets: Retro look, modern sound

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The multiple media format Century 6-in-1 Music Center from Victrola has a retro look to play music from many generations. Along with the functionality, it's an attractive addition to any family room.

Front and center is a three-speed turntable. Then add a cassette player (remember those?), CD player, a pair of built-in Bluetooth speakers and a 3.5mm aux input. With Vinyl-Stream Bluetooth output, you can send the music to your own wireless headphones or external Bluetooth speaker. You can also stream from Bluetooth devices to the music center's built-in speaker.

For more than 115 years, Victrola has made turntables and music-related home-use products. So it's no surprise that the first thing you notice about the Century 6-in-1 Music Center ($149.99) is its attractive yet retro, timeless appearance. It combines decades of music media.

Setup is simple, taking only a few minutes to unpack, power up with the included AC adapter, and play. One-inch legs can screw into the bottom of the 16.14-by-14.92-by- 7.8-inch music center but aren't required. It just depends on where you keep it.

The sound out of the speakers is clear, bass-filled and captures the sound you would want out of vinyl. It broadcasts from the speakers placed behind a soft fabric grill on the front. Sure, it doesn't sound like a $1,000 sound system, but it sounds fine for what you expect to play classic music. As mentioned, it quickly works with external speakers to get more room-filling sound. It also has RCA and headphone outputs for direct wired connections.

Playing records is what's fun with the 3-speed (33 1/3, 45, and 78 rpm) belt-driven turntable. It has a 7-inch platter and a fixed counterweight. An ITNP-LC1 cartridge is included. Overall, operating it is user-friendly. A control knob, playback buttons, controls and an LED indicator are as easy to use as any.

CDs are loaded on the left side, cassettes on the right, and all the controls are on the front. The Century 6-in-1 Music Center is available in black, natural and walnut finishes.

Another Victrola model, the Century Signature+ 6-in-1 Record Player ($249.99), has many of the same features but adds enhanced stereo speakers, an illuminated clock on the front panel, and 18-inch floor-standing legs in addition to the shorter feet.

It's no secret that vinyl has made a comeback, but adding cassettes and the fading world of CDs is a great combination. Being one of those who still has my original records and cassette tapes from my youth, along with way too many CDs, this is a dream come true.

If only the next model included an 8-track player, it would complete my music world.

https://victrola.com/collections/all/products/the-century-6-in-1-wood-record-player