Digitnow Bluetooth Suitcase Turntable Review

Suitcase turntables can’t be beat for portability.

The problem is that they’re all low quality. Of course, that also means a low price.

The Digitnow Suitcase Record Player With Bluetooth is no exception.

But it stands out above most competing models. It made our list of the best portable record players, though it is toward the bottom of that list, not the top.

It is a good option if you want a budget model or portability. But it’s generally not the best option. Let’s take a closer look and find out why, and also which alternatives might be better.

 

Digitnow Suitcase Record Player Review: Overview And Features

Digitnow did not do anything groundbreaking with the design, but the addition of SD and USB ports is unusual for a suitcase player. That gives it a huge advantage if you want to rip your vinyl collection to MP3.

But if you don’t, there are honestly better options. I realize it is objective, but I just don’t like the look of this model as much as some of the competing models (we’ll get into this more below), especially since many of them have tons of color and design options to choose from.

Apart from the two additional features, this turntable has all of the standard features you find on any competing model. There is nothing else surprising and nothing missing.

Overall, the quality is about on par with competing models as well. The speakers are a bit weaker than some others.

We generally prefer two other models (again, see below), but that is primarily because those brands have a longer history of making decent budget players and because they both have a ton of color options.

Let’s take a look at the main features.

 

Features

• Fully-automatic belt-driven turntable — less noise distortion from the motor, so better sound quality
• 3.5mm auxiliary input slot — allows smartphone or tablet connectivity
• Can play records at speeds of 331/3, 45 and 78 RPM — will play any record
• Built-in stereo speakers — no need for additional equipment (but speakers are not great)
• Headphone and RCA jacks — connect to external speakers or headphones
• Bluetooth capable — connect smartphone or tablet wirelessly
• USB and SD slots — rip your vinyl to digital format

 

Design

At first glance, you will see a portable suitcase style player with a vintage briefcase look. But if you compare it directly with other suitcase record players, you will notice that this one is a bit lighter than most.

Obviously that makes it more portable, but it also means it is not a sturdy and durable. The color choices also leave a lot to be desired. You have a white and an orange model

 

Bluetooth Capable

Speaking of the Bluetooth capability, it is important to note that it is input only. This means you can use it to connect to a smartphone or other device, in order to play music from that device through the record player. In essence, it functions as a receiver.

You can not, however, connect to a pair of Bluetooth speakers. This may not be completely clear from the product description. It is fairly normal in budget player that they are input only.

But you can use a Bluetooth adapter to connect to Bluetooth speakers. Learn how to connect your record player to Bluetooth speakers here.

 

Inputs And Outputs

The Digitnow turntable has the same inputs and outputs as most other suitcase units. That means it has a 3.5 mm auxiliary input (or line in) to connect to a smartphone or other device and play music off it. It also has a headphone output. I’m sure you can guess what that is for.

Finally, it has RCA outputs, which allow you to connect to external speakers. You’ll need to connect to an amplifier first (or a receiver or other component that contains an amplifier) or to a pair of self-powered speakers. The turntable contains an internal preamp.

 

USB And SD Ports

What sets this model apart from other suitcase style players is the inclusion of USB and SD ports. These allow you to record your vinyl collection to a digital format. You can also play files from a USB drive or SD card through the record player.

 

Speakers

The record player also comes with two small built-in speakers. As you would expect, these speakers aren’t exactly powerful enough to handle your entire audio system or for use during a party, but they’re loud enough for casual use.

Built-in speakers that are too quiet is a common issue with suitcase type units. The speakers in this one are actually a bit worse than most. Personally, I would only ever use the speakers if I had no other option.

Whenever at home, I would connect the unit to a receiver and play my music through a set of real speakers. And if in a location that has real speakers, I would hook up to those, instead of relying on the built-in ones.

 

Three Speeds

This record player can handle 33, 45, and 78 RPM, for playing 7, 10 and 12 inch records. It comes with a speed switch that you will need to manually change based on the type of record you’re playing. This is fairly standard. Most modern record players play all three speeds, or two at the very least.

 

Cartridge And Stylus

The cartridge and tonearm are nothing special and neither is the stylus, to be honest. Both are low quality, which is what you expect from a suitcase player.

 

Performance

The Digitnow suitcase turntable performs pretty well for a suitcase style player. But that isn’t saying much.

Suitcase players are notoriously low quality. While this one is better than most (but not the best), it definitely does not produce the type of sound quality you get from the best record players. Bluetooth turntables can be good, but most are not amazing.

Granted, you can improve the sound a lot by swapping out the cartridge and stylus (and probably the platter and entire tonearm as well) and by hooking the unit up to an amplifier and external speakers via the RCA outputs.

But if it’s excellent sound quality you’re after, you should not be looking at suitcase players anyway. These models are designed to be portable.

Get them if you want a record player you can take with you when you hit the road. Do not get them if you want to enjoy your vinyl collection from the comfort of your home. There are far better options for that at only a slightly higher price.

 

Comparison To The Competition

The Digitnow record player is a good choice if you want a vintage briefcase style model that you can take on the road. But it is honestly not the best choice for that. And if you’re looking for a player to keep in your home, it is not a good choice at all.

If your main priority is a suitcase type of record player, then there are several other models we prefer. The best two are the Crosley Cruiser and this one from Victrola.

Those two models are very similar and they both have several advantages over this one from Digitnow. First, they are both more solidly built. They also weight a bit more as a result.

They also have far more color options to choose from. Specifically, there are 22 different Crosleys and 33 different Victrolas. There is definitely something for everyone.

Neither of these units has great speakers, but they are a bit better than the Digitnow speakers. The competing models don’t play radio and they don’t record vinyl to MP3 using a USB or SD port, but they are better made and sound better.

If you want a player to keep in your home and you are considering this one because of the low price, don’t. There are far better options.

If you can afford to pay a bit more, the Audio Technica AT-LP60 is a much higher quality unit for not much more money. If your budget is more limited, take a look at this one from Jopostar.

If you really want a suitcase style record player, check out our Crosley Nomad turntable review. It is also a retro styled suitcase player, but a step above the ones mentioned here. Naturally, it costs a it more too.

 

Digitnow Briefcase Turntable Review: Conclusion And Rating

The Digitnow Suitcase Record Player is one of the best suitcase type players, but not quite the best. If you love the design, go ahead and get it. Otherwise, we recommend one of the above-mentioned alternatives.

With this turntable, you get all the standard inputs and outputs and it plays all three speeds. It is lighter than most similar models. Its biggest weakness are the built-in speakers and its biggest selling points are the USB and SD ports and the radio.

Considering the low price, this is a great buy and it gets a good score just for that. But since there are competing models that sell for a similar price and are slightly better, the final Top Record Players rating is a bit lower at 4 out of 5.