The vinyl market grew by 10.5 percent in 2024 as older generations continued to buy the format of their youth, while Gen Z is reportedly enamoured with the physicality of buying a record that is novel to them in the age of streaming.
But of course a vinyl record is no good without something to play it on, which is why many companies are jumping on the trend and ensuring they are releasing up to date turntables.
The latest of these companies is Majority, a UK-based firm from Cambridge founded in 2012 that produces radios, speakers, soundbars and other audio gear, including its new Folio and Stylo Bluetooth turntables.
The Folio is the cheaper of the pair at £169.95 despite the fact it comes with built-in stereo speakers, meaning you can pick up this unit and be ready to blast some tunes without the need to hook up to external speakers. But of course with Bluetooth 5.3 also included, you can quickly pair the wooden turntable to your wireless speaker.
You also get traditional RCA output ports for hooking up the Folio to external speakers, and there is even AUX input so you can play tunes through the in-built speakers from your phone or tablet.
Another fine modern touch is USB recording, which allows you to record your vinyl records directly onto a USB hard drive in MP3 format, perfect if you have a burgeoning record collection you want to back up or download onto your phone for listening on the go.
The unit uses an Audio Technica AT3600L moving magnet cartridge with a lightweight tonearm and die-cast metal platter to ensure you get a premium playback experience despite the relatively affordable price.
If you don’t need the in-built speakers and fancy a slimmer, sleeker turntable, Majority also just announced the £199.95 Stylo turntable, which uses the same Audio Technica cartridge and has Bluetooth connectivity or RCA depending on what speakers you want to connect to.
As well as the subtler aluminium aesthetics, you’re also paying extra here for a carbon fibre tonearm that Majority says is “engineered for rigidity and precise tracking of the record groove.
“The inclusion of an adjustable counterweight allows users to fine-tune the tonearm balance for optimal stylus pressure.”
The Stylo also promises a premium software to lay your records down on, and like the Folio is fine to play any 33 or 45. However, the pricier turntable lacks the Folio’s USB recording feature.