Auna Verticalo SE Retro Turntable Review

The Auna Verticalo SE Retro Turntable is a vertical all-in-one record player designed for people who want their records to be seen as well as heard. It combines upright vinyl playback with built-in speakers, DAB+/FM radio, Bluetooth, USB playback, AUX input and clock-radio functions.

This is best understood as a lifestyle music centre rather than a specialist hi-fi turntable. The DAB version covered here corresponds to Auna’s Verticalo SE DAB, product number 10034590, which matters because there is a closely related non-DAB model with different documentation.

It will appeal most to casual listeners, gift buyers and anyone furnishing a bedroom, study or small living space. Buyers with valuable records, upgrade ambitions or a strong focus on sound quality should treat it more cautiously.

The defining feature is the upright platter, which turns the record into part of the room’s décor while reducing the footprint on a shelf or sideboard. The wood-finish cabinet, fabric front and LCD control area give it a retro music-centre character rather than the look of a conventional component turntable.

Because the record plays vertically, Auna uses a magnetic adapter or puck to secure the disc to the platter. This is a practical necessity, not just a styling detail, and it should be fitted carefully each time a record is used.

The unit includes front-panel controls, a rear power switch and a rear speed control knob. The manual-backed controls cover mode selection, standby, play/pause, scanning and pairing, alarms, sleep timer, tuning, volume, menu access, presets and snooze.

Its build is convenience-led and compact, at approximately 35 x 38.5 x 25 cm and about 3.2 kg. No reliable official information was established for platter material, tonearm material, cartridge type, tracking force range or anti-skate adjustment, so it should not be judged as an upgradeable hi-fi deck.

Vinyl playback covers 33 1/3, 45 and 78 rpm, so the main record formats are represented. The 78 rpm setting is useful on paper, but the correct stylus for shellac 78s was not verified, so it should not be assumed safe for valuable older discs without further confirmation.

The Auna is also a DAB+/FM radio with station scanning and presets, with up to 20 stations saved in DAB or FM mode. Clock, alarm, snooze and sleep-timer functions make it more like a compact bedside or study music system than a turntable-only product.

Bluetooth is supported, with the manual clearly describing playback from an external Bluetooth device into the unit. Some marketing suggests broader wireless connection options, but Bluetooth output to speakers or headphones was not clearly confirmed in the reviewed manual evidence, so buyers should check the exact seller’s unit if that is essential.

USB MP3 playback, a 3.5 mm AUX input and a 3.5 mm headphone output broaden its everyday usefulness. Official marketing also refers to vinyl-to-computer MP3 recording, but the manual evidence reviewed only clearly supports USB MP3 playback, so recording should be treated as an unconfirmed extra rather than a core reason to buy.

Initial setup is relatively simple: place the unit on a stable, flat surface near a mains socket, connect the supplied power supply, switch the rear power button on and use the front-panel standby control. The manual advises keeping it away from strong magnetic fields and using a stable surface, which is especially sensible for a vertical player.

For records, select phono mode, fit the disc, secure it with the magnetic adapter, choose the speed on the rear control, remove the stylus guard, release the tonearm lock and use the cue lever. That process is not difficult, but it is more hands-on than playing music from a Bluetooth speaker.

DAB/FM use involves mode selection, scanning and presets, while Bluetooth input requires selecting BT mode and pairing from an external device. If the clock or alarms matter, remember that unplugging the unit clears those settings according to the manual.

For day-to-day use, the Verticalo SE DAB is intended to be straightforward: choose the mode, secure the record with the magnetic puck, set the required speed and lower the tonearm with the cueing lever. The manual states that the tonearm stops automatically at the end of a record, which is helpful for casual listening.

No measured speed-stability data is available from the supplied evidence, so firm claims about wow, flutter or pitch accuracy would be inappropriate. The presence of 33 1/3, 45 and 78 rpm speed settings gives broad compatibility, but the vertical format may be less forgiving of warped, dusty or unusually heavy records than a standard horizontal turntable.

Connectivity is versatile for a compact system, especially if the main aim is to move between vinyl, radio, USB, AUX and Bluetooth input. However, RCA outputs were not verified, and the headphone socket should not be treated as a guaranteed fixed line output for a hi-fi amplifier.

The radio and clock functions add real practicality in smaller rooms. One limitation is that the manual states time and alarm settings are cleared if the unit is unplugged from the wall outlet.

The sound should be considered in the context of an all-in-one record player with compact built-in speakers. Based on the supported design and owner themes, it is likely to be adequate for background listening, radio, casual vinyl playback and small-room use, rather than serious hi-fi listening.

The small cabinet and integrated speaker system are likely to limit bass weight, stereo separation and overall scale compared with a conventional turntable used with separate powered speakers or an amplifier. Owner feedback is mixed, with many buyers finding the sound acceptable for casual use while more demanding listeners criticise bass, loudness and refinement.

The unknown cartridge type, unverified stylus model and lack of confirmed tracking-force or anti-skate adjustment are important caveats. Anyone concerned about record wear, stylus choice or long-term vinyl care should consider a conventional turntable with a known cartridge system instead.

Used as a decorative music centre, its sonic expectations are easier to satisfy. Used as the centrepiece of a serious vinyl setup, its limitations become much more significant.