Electrohome Archer EANOS300 Record Player Review

I decided to review the Electrohome Archer EANOS300 Record Player because it’s received overall good ratings from customers.

It’s a fine choice for folks who are looking to spend less. It’s simple to use, as well as easy to transport if you travel a lot and it doesn’t take up a whole lot of space.

The Electrohome Archer is not the kind of record player to offer you high fidelity sound, it’s an entry level unit.

Updated Dec 2019 — Currently the EANOS300 isn’t available. So check out the Music Public Kingdom turntable instead (on Amazon). It has some of the same qualities and it won’t break the bank.

Rating out of 6: 5

But it’s perfect for someone who wants to break out their old vinyl collection from time to time.  Its portability is perfect for a student going off to college.

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And if you’re into the vintage look, this record player is a great piece to add to your decor.

The handcrafted wooden cabinet offers durability without compromising on attractiveness.  And the suitcase design gives a nostalgic 60’s feel.

This all-in-one solution is not for you if you’re serious about long-term vinyl collecting. For the same price, something like the Audio Technica AT-LP60-USB Turntable is a better choice unit for a serious novice.

Although, you will need to fork out for a set of speakers with the Audio Technica.

Because it’s portable moving it around is super easy.  Unfortunately, it is not battery operated which would have been a nice extra feature for Electrohome to consider.

There are a few other drawbacks of the Electrohome Archer which I’ll get into in more detail when looking at the most important features.

If by now you still think this record player could be right for you keep reading.

Features of the Electrohome Archer EANOS300 Record Player

So before you go out and spend your dough on one of these record players, let’s take a deeper look at its features and what it has to offer.  Knowing what to expect will help you make the right decision and get the most out of your record player.

Speed

The self-contained record player has a 3 speed transmission.  So playback at 33, 45 and 78 RPM is possible.

It also spins  7″, 10″ and 12″ records.  And like most all-in-one record players it comes with a 45 adapter included for playing those 45’s.

Size

With these all-in-one record players, size really matters.  The bigger the more power and the more sturdy the unit will be.

The Electrohome Archer has a solid build with a genuine acoustic wooden cabinet in a black textured PVC suitcase.

Some record players in this class have a flimsy build, and the Electrohome Archer is in the same class as the Crosley Collegiate and Crosley Nomad where the sturdy build is concerned.

Although this record player is sturdy it’s not overly heavy to move around and it takes up very little space, so transporting it is super easy.
The dimensions are:

18.5(w) x 13.38(d) x 5.9(h) inches and it weighs about 14lbs.

One very cool feature that most customers have raved about is the fact that the lid of the suitcase can be closed while playing a record.

And the lid has support brackets that keep the lid open.  So you have both hands to handle and place the record.

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Drive

Record players in this class are all designed with a belt-driven motor.  And the Electrohome is no different.  One downside of a belt drive is that the platter speed is not as accurate as a direct drive unit and start-up time is longer.

But the upside is that the belt acts as a shock absorber.  It keeps the vibrations from the motor away from the stylus and tonearm.

Unfortunately, the Archer doesn’t include pitch control or any advanced setting controls.  However, this is almost standard with this class of record players.

Electrohome’s website says this unit is fully automatic but it really isn’t.  The unit doesn’t have a start-stop function so you’ll have to cue the tonearm at the beginning of the record.

This is a handy feature for cueing specific tracks but if you’re like me – clumsy – you might consider this a drawback.  Although the arm lever is a nice feature to help you place the tonearm smoothly.

If you have a habit of falling asleep when you listen to your records, you’ll be happy to know that the Electrohome Archer has an auto-stop function.

This means when the final track is finished the motor will stop turning the platter and the tonearm will return to its place.

This really is a great feature and will reduce wear to your vinyl.  Some users have said that the auto-return fails at times.  This could be due to the auto-return just needing a little more time to kick in.

Cartridge and Stylus

Self-contained record players in the entry-level range are all factory fitted with low priced ceramic cartridges.  These can’t be changed or upgraded to a better quality one.

Ceramic cartridges are more prone to skipping so to negate this they usually have a heavier tracking force.  The heavier tracking force can cause damage to vinyls and wear out the stylus faster.

If you’re just a casual listener with a collection of vinyls not in mint condition then this record player is probably fine for you.

But if you listen to your records more frequently or you have some rare gems that are difficult to replace, you should not be looking at the Electrohome Archer but rather something along the lines of the Audio Technica AT-LP120.

The record player comes with a diamond-tipped ceramic needle.  If you need replacement styli for the Electrohome Archer you can pick up a pack of two from Amazon.

Some users have reported taping a dime to the top of the stylus to reduce to improve tracking and reduce skipping.  Before you do this, make sure your unit is level and placed on a sturdy surface like a wood cabinet.

You can use a spirit level to make sure your record player is perfectly balanced.  If all else fails, then only tape a dime to the needle – it should be your last resort.

And while we’re on the subject of styli, it’s worth noting here that playing your 78’s with the standard stylus as recommended by the manufacturer is not something I’d suggest.

78’s have wider grooves and ideally, you want a wider stylus tip.  Try something like the 78 Cerapreme 78 from LP Gear or the 793-D3 from Needles4Turntables.com.

Both of these styli will cost you less than 20 bucks and provide you with a much better experience when spinning those 78’s.

Speakers

The size and position of speakers that come built-in with all-in-one record players are both important considerations.

Size matters here.  And the bigger the better and the more power available.  The speakers on the Electrohome Archer are nothing to write home about.

They’re pretty standard 2 3″ 5W 8Ohm speakers.  However, they are full range and stereo.  The speakers can easily provide music entertainment at your next barbecue or fill a dorm room, bedroom or man cave with decent sound.

Check out this video of the Electrohome Archer playing Elton John’s “Rocket Man” on it’s first run…
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Not bad!

The positioning of the speakers is on the sides of the unit.  In my opinion, this is a drawback since the sound is not as direct.  Speakers positioned to the front are better.  But this might not bother you.

There seems to be a little confusion as to whether headphones can be plugged into this record player.

Some users have reported that there is no option to use headphones for private listening.  However, the Electrohome website clearly states that there is a headphone jack for private listening.

Frills

I like the fact that the Electrohome EANOS300 has zero unnecessary extras like a CD player or AM/FM radio.

It’s made for vinyl listening after all!  The less frills, the less moving parts to cause vibrations.

This won’t make a huge difference to the sound since it’s a very basic unit but if vibrations can be avoided, so much the better.

USB and Connectivity

It’s worth noting that you can’t rip vinyl to digital format with this record player.

It has a USB port but this can only be used to listen to your MP3 digital tracks through the built-in speakers.

You can easily hook up your iPod, iPad, smartphone, tablet or android device for your listening pleasure.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

I want to use external speakers with this record player, can I do that?

There is no input for external speakers.  The AUX is input only.

Can I play new vinyl records on this record player?

Yes, you can play the new 180g and 200g vinyl records on this unit without any problems.

What is the voltage of the adapter.  110v, 220v or multi voltage?

The voltage adapter is 110v.

What is the skip button for?

The skip button is totally is used to skip tracks on your MP3 playing device.  It’s totally separate from playing records.

Should You Buy the Electrohome Archer EANOS300 Record Player?

If you’re looking for an all-in-one portable record player that looks good at an affordable price then the Electrohome Archer EANOS300 record player might be right for you.

The sound quality is stock standard as with most record players in this class, it’s not bad.  If you’re not too fussed about sound and you’re a casual listener then this record player should be sufficient.

If you don’t care about ripping your vinyl tracks to digital format then it won’t bother you that this function is missing from the Archer EANOS300.

Keeping in mind that the cartridge is ceramic if you’re a frequent listener you run the risk of damaging your vinyls.

In which case you should consider the Crosley Nomad or Crosley Collegiate which both have moving magnet cartridges but are still all-in-one solutions.

If you’re a casual listener who only breaks out your vinyl collection once in a while, then this record player should be on your short list.

The cool thing about the Electrohome Archer is that you can play your MP3’s through the built-in speakers.  I think this is a super little record player because it takes up very little space and it’s portable.

If you’ve got limited space or move around a lot and want something to play your vinyls on you should consider this record player.

Updated Dec 2019 — Currently, the EANOS300 isn’t available. So check out the Music Public Kingdom turntable instead (on Amazon).

Still looking for a record player with built in speakers.  Check out these reviews for more options.