New portable record player lets you listen to vinyls anywhere, without a turntable

Creators claim it’s the world’s smallest wireless vinyl player

Vinyl purchases outstripped album downloads for the first time ever last week, so it seems fitting that a modern solution for playing records is on its way.

The sturdy looking RokBlok is a small box with built-in speakers that plays records placed on any flat surface by riding around in circles on top of them.

A small needle on the bottom of the box tracks the vinyl’s grooves, while rubber wheels facilitate the all-important motion.

Simply place the box on top of a record and pull its lever up to start the music. It can be stopped by holding your hand above it.

The device’s built-in speakers can play music natively, but for a louder sound bluetooth technology enables connection to wireless speakers or headphones.

Clocking in at a little over four inches in length, and weighing only 3.2oz, it’s designed to be highly portable- a stark contrast to the traditional turntable.

According to its creators, the device’s weight is distributed evenly over the wheels to make sure the needle won’t damage the record by widening its grooves.

The product is touted as a fun and portable way to play vinyl, but the creators admit that it can’t compete with a high end turntable when it comes to audio quality.

Pink Donut, the San Francisco-based company behind RokBlok, launched a Kickstarter campaign for the product earlier this year, with a pledge target of $50,000 (£40,000).

The idea has been well received, and the goal has been reached with more than a month left to go.

Shipping is estimated begin in September 2017, with the device retailing for $99.