Is the Crosley C65 the best turntable you can buy for under $300? I put it to the test to find out

The Crosley C65 is an affordable and stylish turntable that has impressive sound performance. It’s very easy to set up, and the included bookshelf speakers provide great sound. The addition of Bluetooth connectivity is also ideal, as you can rely on this as your main audio setup, and the range of controls at the front of the unit makes you feel like you have a say over how the music is played.

However, I ran into some issues with the player’s bushel due to the weight of the steel platform, but it was a pretty easy fix as I screwed everything tightly into place. I also noticed that the dampening feet weren’t entirely effective, so you need to be careful not to bump into the turntable.

To find out more about my experience with the player aand if it’s one of the best record players you can buy, you can read this full Crosley C65 review.

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Crosley C65 review: Specs

Crosley C65 review: Price & availability

The Cosley C65 is available to purchase for $299 / £289 at Amazon, and there is a one-year warranty included. It comes in a walnut color that is very chic, but may not be suited to everyone’s interior decor.

As with most products from the brand, the C65 is an affordable option for anyone starting on their vinyl journey or looking to upgrade from the suitcase-style record players we were all fooled into buying in the 2010s.

The C65 is a lot cheaper than other beginner turntables like the Rega Planar 1 Plus, which will set you back $599, but doesn’t have a lid like the Crosley. The U-turn Orbit Special, on the other hand, starts at $549, but if you want a wooden finish, like the standard look of the C65, then the price creeps up to $749 — yikes. The Crosley provides a premium effect at a fraction of the cost.

Crosley C65 review: Design

The Crosley C65 is undeniably good-looking, but that’s honestly no surprise. If there’s one thing Crosley is known for — and good at — it’s making retro and stylish audio gear. This turntable is a masterclass in embracing vintage style with a modern edge — an aesthetic that’s filling up interior design feeds on Pinterest right now.

The turntable measures 29 x 14.5 x 8.3 inches and includes two external bookshelf speakers. It’s great to have bookshelf speakers included, as buying them separately can add to the cost of your setup pretty quickly, like the Edifier R1280T. Although they are cheap at $149, it’s an additional cost that you won’t have to worry about with the Crosley, whereas the U-turn Orbit Special requires you to have separate speakers.

Both the turntable base and speakers have the same walnut wood finish to tie everything together. The wires that connect them aren’t very long, so the setup needs to be pretty close together — unless you use your own wires to make the connection longer.

It uses a full-size steel platter, with a 12-inch rubber slip mat that sits on top. It’s worth noting that on my unit, the weight of the steel platter was pushing down the bushel in the centre of the turntable. To stop this from happening, I unscrewed the bottom of the turntable and tightened everything up. It was annoying but a quick fix.

To the right is the aluminum tonearm, which has a cueing lever and an adjustable counterweight. The arm uses an Audio-Technica cartridge with a half-inch mount, which is interchangeable, and a Crosley NP5 needle that can be replaced if needed. It also comes with a 45RPM adapter.

There’s a clear lid that closes over the unit to protect it from dust, although this is a standard inclusion with turntables. The C65 unit has dampening feet at the bottom, which are loaded with springs, meaning it can move without any knocks. This is to reduce any interference. I didn’t find this effective, as when the storage unit the player was sitting on got bumped, the record would skip, so just be mindful of your movements.

Controls

The controls on the Crosley C65 are very easy to use. There are knobs on the front of the turntable, which add to the retro styling. Here, you can control the connectivity settings, rotation speed, volume, pitch and power.

Crosley C65 review: Features

The Crosley C65 is a two-speed belt-drive turntable that can be switched between 33⅓ and 45RPM. The turntable comes with a 45RPM adapter, which can be used with seven-inch vinyls with a larger centre hole. It can also be used over Bluetooth, which I will talk about in a second.

To make things a little easier, if you want to connect your own speakers to the turntable, there’s a built-in switchable preamp. You can toggle between phono and line connections using a switch at the back. If you’re using the bookshelf speakers that come with the C65, you need to have this set to phono.

Connectivity

As I mentioned earlier, the Crosley C65 comes with bookshelf speakers that connect to the turntable with RCA wires. These are pretty short and don’t look cluttered when set up, as everything can be tucked away neatly. However, if you want to space everything out a little more, you’ll need to get your own, longer RCA wires.

You can use the setup as a sound system and connect to the turntable via Bluetooth. It’s so easy to switch from playing your records to streaming playlists, and it gives me the best balance of retro and modern. This is a handy feature if you’re tight on space and don’t have room for a speaker system and a turntable. I’ve found it to be a great all-in-one solution.

Crosley C65 review: Sound quality

After testing with a variety of different albums, I was impressed with the sound quality of the Crosley C65 and the bookshelf speakers. Considering the budget-friendly price tag (for a more professional setup), I couldn’t ask for more.

To test out the bass capabilities, I listened to A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out by Panic! At The Disco, which has driving basslines and some more techno aspects. The speakers did a great job of supporting the deeper tones, and everything sounded clean without distortion. I could also adjust the pitch if needed, but I thought the setup did a lovely job of authentically replicating the tracks as it was.

Next, to try out the mids, I listened to Being Funny In A Foreign Language by The 1975, which is filled with punchy guitar riffs. Everything sounded powerful, and the vocals weren’t lost either. The instrument separation across all of the tracks was also impressive.

Finally, to check out the treble, I played Help! by the Beatles. The bright sound of the instruments and vocals across all of the tracks sounded impressive here. The soundstage was very wide, and the separation between the main vocals and backing vocals was very prominent.

Crosley C65 review: Verdict

The Crosley C65 is an affordable and easy-to-use turntable that comes equipped with bookshelf speakers, making it a great option for anyone who needs to save on space. It also helps that it’s incredibly good-looking with a retro style that complements the vibe of playing all your favorite albums on vinyl. The sound quality is also very impressive, with good replication across all frequencies.

However, it annoyed me that the bushel in the centre of the player pushed down due to the weight of the steel platter (though it was easily fixable). I also found that the dampening feet weren’t entirely effective at mitigating interference from small bumps to the unit.

At the end of the day, this turntable is an awesome choice for anyone looking to upgrade from their first turntable to something with a more premium sound and feel without breaking the bank.