I felt like I was at a live concert.
Suddenly, myApple HomePodsounded tinny by comparison.
Serious sound nerds can spend thousands of dollars on high-end audio equipment and arrays of speakers.
Electrohome
The Kingston is enormous compared to most smart speakers at 12.25 x 17.3 x 13.5 inches.
But its modestly sized compared to an old-school hi-fi setup.
Choose Your Format
Youre spoiled for choice when it comes to input options for the Kingston.
It allows recording onto a USB thumb drive from the phonograph, CD, radio, and Bluetooth.
Unlike smart speakers equipped with Alexa, you cant just tell the Kingston which song to play.
Youll have to fiddle with the controls yourself.
The setup was simple, and I had no problem connecting the Kingston to my iPhone via Bluetooth.
Putting on a record, I was immediately impressed with the sound quality.
The audio filled my living room with sound in a way that no smart rig had.
Electrohome claims that the wood case of the Kingston improves its sound quality.
The tiny imperfections as the needle traces the grooves of the vinyl make each listening session sound unique.
The sound from the Kingston wasnt quite as impressive when I was streaming to the unit via Bluetooth.
At $199, the Kingston is pricier than many smart speakers like the Apple HomePod mini.
