Table of Contents
If you have been searching for a genuine Onkyo CP-1050 Review, then here is all of the information that you need. I understand that serious audiophiles want a record player that can be adorned in the living space while offering quality music experience. And I also understand the fact that the search for the right product can be challenging.
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What is Onkyo CP-1050?
It doesn’t matter if you are starting your journey with Vinyl records or have been looking for an upgrade. You should be aware of every tiny detail on Onkyo CP-1050. I have put together a detailed review of the record player so that you can decide if this will be a suitable purchase for you. From advantages to disadvantages to the sound quality that it provides, and a bit of detail on the brand itself, let’s begin!
This is one of the record players that look decent and has been made affordable when compared to the other direct-drive record players. It offers a good sound performance but I can say that there is still room for improvement to go ahead in the competition with other brands.
Little information on the Brand Reputation
Onkyo has been in the business for a few years now and not a novel brand. Although over some time we have been seeing record players being produced, this one from Onkyo is worth a mention. The brand has been known for its design skills and the manufacturing of high-quality equipment.
Onkyo record player CP-1050 at a Glance
One of the best things about the Onkyo CP-1050 record player is that it’s simple. This means that you won’t be encountering any kind of issues even if you are a beginner to turntables. You can track at 3.5 grams that I recommend altering in the way for cartridge change. And this you will find being mentioned again and again in the review ahead, but important.
Onkyo CP-1050 Review: Pros and Cons
- Sturdy build quality.
- The setup is simple and easy to do.
- For the anti-skate controls, the instructions provided are good.
- Extremely resistant to vibrations and knocks.
- The RCA outputs are gold plated.
- Comes with a detachable head-shell.
- The black-wood grain finish seems luxurious.
- 1. You will need to upgrade on the cartridge if you are looking forward to better sound quality.
- Doesn’t support USB recording.
- When it comes to style its borderline generic.
Main Features of the Onkyo CP-1050
Some important features make this turntable an apt choice for beginners. Here are some important ones that you should take a look at and see if it’s suitable for your needs:
Design
When it comes to building quality, this is a solid record player. It has the direct operation and rigid chassis. The direct drive offers stable working and is made to compete with others in this range. Its speed rotation is with 0% deviation and offers an RPM of 33.34. When we compare the price point, this is amazing.
As the set-up is fairly easy, you can be sure to instantly start and stop your favourite music without an issue! This feature is important when you want to rip off the record and add another one while saving time.
It has a DC motor with a control system having a quart lock. The 12-inch platter is made from die-cast aluminium. This offers a stable, smooth, and precise rotation. The motor doesn’t make much noise and the record player has a rubber slip-mat. All in all, when you see the record player, you observe the precise craftsmanship. Also when one combines the deck weight you see that it can effectively reduce the vibration, thus offering an open and clear analogue sound.
It has a classic S-shaped tone-arm that has dual bearings and detachable hard-shell. It comes with a cartridge from the Audio Technica 600 series. This means that it isn’t too bad, but there is some scope for improvement.
Detachable Cables
One of the things that I appreciated immediately is the presence of RCA terminals in the record player. Instead of the usual solution of RCA cables that are fixed and a separate ground table, here you get replaceable Onkyo cables. And there are vital reasons for the appreciation of this feature. Firstly, you get the possibility to upgrade signal cables if you want. Then secondly, I have observed one thing in my experience with other record players oftentimes. There are issues of bad contact with signal cables. Therefore this offers the convenience of replacing the cables and makes everything easier for the owner.
Tone-arm
There is a strong resemblance observed between the tone-arm of CP 1050 and the SL-1210. This has been manufactured by Hanpin, that’s also a supplier for record player parts for many good manufacturers. This has a detachable head-shell and it was one of the features that caught my attention. Honestly, the tone-arm provides an impression of being medium quality when it gets delivered. Mainly because it’s not well adjusted and you will see some slack off the bearing, which makes it little imprecise. But this is not a big problem as vertical and horizontal storage are easy to adjust.
Pickup
It seems that the company decided not to put a lot of money on CP-1050 pickup. This one comes from Audio-Technica and one of the cheap ones. It recommends 3.5 grams of pressure as we mentioned at the beginning of the review as well. The anti-skating stops on 3 grams. This is also not the part where one gets extreme audiophile vibration. But one important point needs to be mentioned that Audio Technica does make some great quality pickups, but this one is nowhere closer.
Upgrade and Customization
As the record player comes with RCA terminals, one can easily upgrade signal cables. As we said earlier you can get a lot of benefits if you decide to upgrade cartridge. And you might even want to consider stylus replacement as well. This shall offer you lighter tracking at around 2.5 grams when compared to the offered 3.5 grams.
Performance
The record player offers good audio quality. The tone-arm offers a low impression when it is played just when taken out of the packaging. But the main reason for this is that it does need some optimal adjustments, and honestly, there are some improvements needed. One of the tips that I can give is to adjust the vertical and horizontal storage as it’s easy. Also, use a screwdriver for making sure that any bearing slack is lessened. This will clear up the audio to a great extent.
Direct- Drive
Another great feature is the Direct-drive that the record player has. This makes sure that you have a clear and clean audio experience. When it gets combined with the quartz-lock system for control, you get a clear window that gives nice sound quality. The platter is made from die-cast aluminum and also has a rubber slip mat that offers protection to the vinyl and nice overall stability.
Best Connections
The record player comes with 2 gold plated RCA phono terminals. This provides the clean right and left channel signals for the external stereo amplifier, A/V receiver, or phono preamp. The company has certainly worked on the quality by making sure that RCA phono terminals are gold plated and thus offer durability.
Verdict on Onkyo CP-1050 Turntable
Speaking of the sound that this record player offers, it is crisp, clear, and also dynamic. I just can’t say of it as unique. It has a decently wide soundstage and the decade of reliability of Onkyo comes into play. This record player certainly performs good enough and justifies the cost that you get it at.
What Do the Customers have to Say?
One of the smartest things that you can do before buying a record table is going through the customer reviews. This gives an idea of what’s good as well as issues that you might face. Although for the most part, the Onkyo CP-1050 seems to have good reviews, here are some customer reviews that you should go through.
- One of the customers says and quotes “ This is the fourth turntable that I have got in the last 5 decades. All of the famous brands like Technica, Panasonic, and Garrard have been used. Some time ago, record players seemed to be dying, but it’s back again. And I decided to get this one from Onkyo after seeing reviews from other customers. It is an awesome purchase in the price range between $ 500 and $ 1000. The spring tension over the dust cover is just right. It’s not extremely tight or loose. One does feel the need for an adjustable speed stroboscope/ control, but you are getting value for money product.”
- Another customer said “ I had been searching for a quality record player for a stereo set-up that I own. Came across Onkyo CP-1050 and got it delivered for $ 199. Even after I did see some bad reviews on Amazon, I decided to give it a try. Apart from the recommended 3.5 grams heavy tracking cartridge, this did become a pleasant surprise. One of the weak links in this nicely assembled, fine operating/looking and quality sounding record player is its tone-arm bearing and the base assembly. However, the brand’s choice for making use of plastic in a crucial tone-arm base tells me that the brand just wanted to make money. Bottom Line, this record player isn’t worth over $ 250 and still can be considered a good choice for casual listening.”
Who Is This Record Player Meant For?
Now, Onkyo CP-1050 will be well suited for you if you are in search of a basic and simple to use the record player. The turntable looks good and perfect for casual use. The varied aspects and features of the record player indicate that it’ll be a nice choice for beginners. But if you are looking for an upgrade to a more professional turntable, you might want to look for other record players.
FAQs about Onkyo CP-1050
How does this turntable connect to the stereo receiver?
The amplifier or receiver has to have PHONO input at the back of the unit. You will not be able to connect the record player to any other input than PHONO. Alternatively, you will require an outboard/external preamp. The PHONO pre-amp gets connected with the record player and amplifier. Then the preamp can be connected with the AUX input of the amplifier/receiver.
Do I need a new headshell to connect an Ortofon 2MRed with this record player?
There is also a version available of 2MRed that also includes a headshell.
Is the record player VTA adjustable?
No. You will be able to see a ring on the base of the tone-arm, that seems for VTA adjustment, but that’s only for the looks.
Is there a need for a transformer or this record player can work at 220V?
This record player works at 120V, therefore there will be a need for a voltage converter.
Does the tone-arm return when the album completes?
No. This is a manual turntable.
Conclusion: Is Onkyo CP-1050 a good purchase?
The Onkyo CP-1050 is one record player that is a must-have if you are new to record players and looking for something in the mid-range price. Whether you select this one or consider competitors, it is going to depend if you are alright with the features that it comes with like direct drive or S-shaped tone-arm with a removable headshell that I liked. The product has received good reviews for the retro design and the European style that makes Onkyo standout from others.
But overall I have to say that Cp-1050 is worth the money that you spend and considering the good sound quality it offers. A key point to keep in mind here is that I recommend you to save some money for upgrading it when it comes to the pickup. You will surely get better sound and music experience like no other. At the price range being offered, this record player is a favourite as you might have already observed it from my detailed Onkyo CP-1050 Review.
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