Toc – The Vertical Record Player
For those of us who still feel a little retro in our hearts with kids who’re too embarrassed of the old Gramophone – here’s the best of both worlds. Roy Harpaz, an industrial designer, came up with the Toc, a modern marvel that plays vinyl records – old, warped, with varying sizes – with the same old analogue sound quality that we all love so much thanks to a linear tracking system. With an egg-shaped body of CNC cut Walnut wood, the Toc easily sits into any modern interior setting and with an LED panel on its front as well as a remote to control it – it looks quite easy to use as well. 
Apart from its unique looks and how well it blends old school into the contemporary 21st century home, one of my favourite features is the fact that you can skip records on it! With a touch of a button, a sensor inside the device scans the tracks on each vinyl and plays the track you want. Now whether this product really works or is making tall claims is yet to be figured as what we see here is just a prototype but there’s a pretty decent list of buyers waiting for this product to hit the markets already and we can see exactly why!
By: Shamita Chaudhry
Shamita Chaudhary is a former assistant editor at Arch2O and the driving force behind India’s sustainable construction movement. An architect and circular economy expert, she founded the Malba Project in 2021 to combat construction and demolition (C&D) waste in Indian cities through research, advocacy, and practical action—an effort born during a striking 2018 trip to Manali . Over at Arch2O, Shamita leveraged her editorial acumen to spotlight circular design strategies and environmental stewardship. Her writing and insights challenge architects to rethink not only how we build, but how we dismantle—and rebuild—toward a more regenerative future.