The Andover SpinPlay Is a One-of-One All-in-One Record Player

6 min readThe Andover SpinPlay is an all-in-one record player, which means it has built-in speakers. They are often seen as an affordable entry point for record lovers, but rarely coveted (or even respected) by hobbyists.Given that reputation, I was surprised when I tested the SpinPlay. The sound has surprising warmth, and the speakers are quite powerful.And the benefits are clear if you don’t have room for a full hi-fi setup: The compact build is a great fit for apartments and small rooms that can’t accommodate tower or bookcase speakers.For as long as I’ve been testing record players, I’ve been suspicious of all-in-one devices. They remind me of the cheap briefcase Crosleys sitting in the corners of my most hipster-ish friends’ rooms. As I’ve tested more and more turntables, I’ve come to realize that those players had a whole suite of problems: Their ceramic needles would damage the vinyl, their platters often spun with a wobble, and the speakers did not sound like much. For all these reasons and more, all-in-one record players generally aren’t held in very high esteem by most audiophiles, vinyl collectors, and in my case, an L.A. teenager hanging out in his friend’s basement.So now, when tasked with testing a “premium” all-in-one, I was quite wary of what I was about to endure. But the Andover SpinPlay managed to win me over. It’s easy to use, but offers versatility by offering both vinyl and digital playback options. Most importantly, its three-sided speaker gets decently loud and sounds suitably warm. It far surpassed my admittedly low expectations, and has shown me that all-in-ones can make sense for record lovers when you’re short on space or don’t want to fork out another few hundred bucks for the right preamp and speakers.ProsSpeakers on the sides and the front provide bigger, more holistic soundComes with a remote control for easy playback from anywhereConsAutomatic record stopper occasionally shut off before albums were finishedKey SpecsBelt or Direct DriveBeltWeight20.5 lbDimensions18 x 6.75 x 6.75 in.Speed Options33 rpm, 45 rpmAll-in-One Means (Almost) No SetupOne of the benefits of an all-in-one is… well, it’s all put together already. In somewhat unprecedented fashion, setup for the Andover SpinPlay took, and I kid you not, three minutes. You don’t need to route any wires or connect it to an amp setup. You just plug it in, turn it on, and put a record down.Tom PriceThe entire record player is compact enough to carry.That said, I did spend a little time adjusting the speaker to get it to sound just right. Between toggling through different listening options and adjusting the bass and treble, there was a small learning curve. In all honesty, you don’t necessarily need to make the adjustments to the sound that I was making, but it’s definitely a nice way to add some depth to your music and a great way to customize your listening experience to the album you have on. It wasn’t a major issue, though. I figured out everything with a quick read-through of the user manual.Tom PriceThe dial is simple to operate and controls volume and listening modes.Size-wise, the SpinPlay borders on portable, though I wouldn’t say it would be the first thing that comes to mind. It’s around 6.5 inches tall, 13 inches long, and around 18 inches wide, and weighs just over 20 pounds. It looks very similar to a thick briefcase when closed up. It isn’t made to be portable, though: The lid doesn’t lock, so I had to carry it from the bottom like a birthday cake when I moved it from room to room. But it’s close enough that you could toss it in the car and bring it to a friend’s place, or up to a vacation house for the weekend. Just be careful how you handle it.The SpinPlay features an internal belt drive system, which I was happy to see. While direct-drive players are great for DJs and beat-matching, I prefer a belt-based player, which spins a little smoother, with reduced vibrations, for more consistent sound. The SpinPlay specifically features a feedback control system called “IsoGroove,” which helps reduce and isolate vibrations generated by the speaker. Vibrations are a primary cause of disturbances to playback. They can cause the stylus to pick up on the shakes and create a warbled sound or even skips or skating. Especially with a speaker generating bass underneath the platter, the likelihood of vibrations is much higher. To its credit, the record played smoothly with no discernible issues, even at high volume. In general, the SpinPlay runs well and operates quite smoothly.Tom PriceThe Audio-Technica cartridge is high-quality and easily replaceable.Not all of the SpinPlay’s eccentricities are so helpful. For example, it features an auto-stopping function, which is designed to preserve the integrity of the stylus. I generally like having auto-stop, but the SpinPlay’s is a bit… ambitious: It tends to stop a bit early. Especially for vinyls that use the majority of available space, it may stop as much as 15 seconds before the end of a record.The Speakers Aren’t Half BadAll-in-one speakers are generally dismissed by audiophiles because of their speakers, more than the turntables themselves. In my experience, they just don’t sound as good as a turntable and a quality set of speakers. I don’t have a perfect ear for telling the fine differences between speakers, but even I can tell that they tend to sound flat, and can’t maintain clarity at high volume.But Andover has seemingly cleared that hurdle. It features three speakers in its base: one in front, and one on each side for proper stereo playback. Having both front and side drivers gives the speaker a bigger sound than I expected from an all-in-one player.On top of that, it sounded relatively clean. Listening to Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind,” the piano sounded crisp and clear from the very first lonesome note. His belting voice comes out strong, and you can even hear the strain in the back of his throat when he hits, “been high on the Rockies under the evergreens.” The melancholy and pride still resonate. By the time the chorus hits with the booming bass, drums, guitar, and sax, I was drawn in.Mind you, this still doesn’t compare to the sound you’ll get from external powered speakers. The system sounds a little flat compared to most of the record players I’ve recommended in the past, which were connected to a pair of powered external speakers. Even with the three speakers, I wasn’t getting an immersive sound that envelops the room or at least my immediate surroundings, even when I turned it up. Still, I wouldn’t kick this record player out of my listening room, and that’s an accomplishment in itself.It’s Not Just for VinylWhile the point of the SpinPlay is to play vinyl, you absolutely can also use it as a digital speaker to stream music from your phone or laptop. It connects to digital devices via Bluetooth or USB, giving you a decent-sized stereo speaker system wherever you set it up. In fact, the remote features play, pause, and skip buttons specifically for digital playback.While this is not nearly as portable as most portable Bluetooth speakers, it does add a ton of utility. With the speakers built in, you don’t have to “reserve” your record player for when you want to break out the vinyls. Hobbyists won’t need the excuse, but it may bring you peace of mind if you’re new to the habit.Who Should Buy the Andover SpinPlay?While I was happily surprised by the SpinPlay, I’m not going to tell you that going with an all-in-one is always your best choice. There are plenty of traditional turntables and speakers that cost around the same or less, and deliver better sound when connected to good speakers. It sounds good enough to justify its slightly expensive price tag for the right kind of record fan. Its compact, semi-portable construction makes it a very solid choice for small listening rooms, new collectors who don’t want to deal with external speakers, or even for those who want to bring their record player to locations beyond their home. It’s very easy to use, so beginners will have no trouble with the eccentricities of turntables, and you will get enough nuance out of its speakers to get something out of the format. If that sounds like you, this may be a solid fit.Shop the Andover SpinPlay Record PlayerOther Record Players We’ve Tested and RecommendTom Price is a reviews editor for Popular Mechanics while also contributing to Runner's World, Best Products, and Bicycling. Here at Popular Mechanics, Tom loves testing out home appliances, smart tech, gear for city life and outdoor adventures, small gadgets like watches and multitools, and anything else you can find piled up at his hoarder's nest of a desk. Prior to working here, Tom attended NYU, graduating with a degree in English and a minor in creative writing. He also wrote for Best Reviews, The Daily Beast, and other publications covering tech, fitness gear, gadgets, and lifestyle products. Furthermore, he covered startup news, pop culture, and even professional wrestling. To follow more of his work, check back here for new stories.