The days of dismissing Crosley as nothing more than a throwaway turntable for teenagers are fading fast. You can find their gear everywhere now—from big-box retailers to the music and movie section at over 700 Barnes & Noble bookstores. At the same time, Audioengine has carved out a reputation as the little “engine” that could in the desktop loudspeaker space, with a surprisingly deep lineup of Bluetooth speakers, passive loudspeakers, and powered subwoofers.
Walking into synagogue on Monday night before Rosh Hashanah, I wasn’t expecting to be thinking about audio news. It’s not exactly an easy time to be a Jew anywhere, and my mind was on heavier things. But Audioengine pinged me with word of a new partnership with Crosley, and I’ll admit—I was intrigued. Like a lot of people, I already own their speakers. I’ve picked up two pairs for my college-age kids, and I’ve got another two pairs holding down the fort at home.
Crosley in 2025: From Starter Turntables to Mainstream Vinyl Lifestyle Brand
Crosley isn’t just pushing out cheap portables anymore. They’ve built a catalog of more than 64 turntables and turntable-based systems, most of which come bundled with some form of speaker. The lineup runs from the new C65 turntable player to the C8 and C6 models—machines that clearly borrow their DNA from other established brands, right down to the pre-installed Audio-Technica MM cartridges.
And it doesn’t stop there. Crosley also sells CD players, tabletop radios, cassette decks, powered Bluetooth speakers, media stands, and enough record storage options to remind you they’re not just in the “first turntable for your niece” business anymore.
A Partnership Built Around Real-World Listening
This collaboration isn’t about reinventing the wheel—it’s about making it easier to roll. Audioengine’s compact speakers like the A2+, HD3 Next Gen, and HD4 Next Gen are already fixtures in small apartments, dorm rooms, and desktops where space is tight but good sound still matters.
Pair that with Crosley’s reach and reputation, and you’ve got a partnership that understands how most people actually listen to music in 2025: at home, in small spaces, without the patience for overly complicated gear. The goal is simple—bundle turntables and speakers that just work, so more listeners can drop the needle and hear vinyl the way it’s meant to be heard.
The Bottom Line
What comes next will matter more than the press release. Bundles are fine, but the real win would be fresh gear—new Audioengine speakers in those bolder color finishes they’ve been rolling out, Crosley stepping up with higher-quality turntables, and maybe even a proper external phono stage that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Better yet, build the phono stage right into a new Audioengine model and make life even simpler for the people this partnership is targeting.
At the end of the day, Crosley gets some much-needed credibility, but it feels like Audioengine is the bigger winner here—they’ll finally get the kind of distribution push that could put their speakers in front of a far wider audience.
Related Reading:
- Tiny Vinyl: The 4-Inch Record You Didn’t Ask For Taking Up Shelf Space At Target, Because What Every Music Fan Needs Is A Record That Fits In Their Pocket
- Are We Hitting Peak Turntable? Pro-Ject E1.2 Aims For Audiophile Sound Quality For Under $350
- Audioengine Releases HD3 Next Gen Wireless Speakers For Your Desktop
- Audioengine HD4 Next Gen Review: Bluetooth 5.3 And AptX Upgrades, But Is It Enough?
- Audioengine A2+ Next Gen Anniversary Edition Arrives In Matte Orange — Because Your Desk Speakers Weren’t Loud Enough Already
