Would You Buy a Vertical Turntable?
While Billy Corgan foresees a "bloody turf war" over streaming and the digitalization of the music industry, that doesn't mean the analog world can't push some boundaries of its own.
A company called Gramovox has launched a Kickstarter for a device called "the Floating Record" that stands LPs on their sides and plays them while giving the illusion that the record is floating in space. The campaign has already raised about five times the original $50,000 goal.
While Gramovox positions vertical record players as their own innovation, Sony actually sold these puppies back in the '80s.
There isn't an advantage sound-wise to using a vertical player, but it does allow you to show off the records you're listening to – and the speakers are integrated into the Floating Record unit, taking up less space than a typical turntable+receiver setup.
Plus, it kinda looks like a set piece from Pee-Wee Herman's house.
Once the Kickstarter fundraising is over, Gramovox will sell the device for $449. Or you can get pre-order one now by pledging $349.