miniature crane drives the needle in love hultén’s vinyl player
Love Hultén reimagines the record player as an intentionally overbuilt, semi-absurd machine where sound is no longer just played but actively performed. Commissioned for Rebin Shah, the piece replaces the conventional tonearm with a bright red crane that physically navigates the vinyl surface, shifting the act of listening into a tactile, almost theatrical operation.
A slanted aluminum control panel introduces a set of chunky, color-coded buttons and rotary dials that feel closer to a control console than a hi-fi deck. In crane mode, the user manually steers the needle left, right, up, and down, effectively ‘driving’ the playback across the record. The interface slows the process down, resisting automation in favor of deliberate interaction.
all images courtesy of Love Hultén
exposed mechanics turn listening into spectacle
Encased components, exposed wiring, and a glass dome revealing part of the internal mechanism emphasize Hultén’s ongoing interest in visible engineering. The logic of the system is staged, inviting users to read how movement translates into sound. The crane itself becomes part of the spectacle, hovering above the turntable like a construction tool repurposed for precision listening. The base houses a 2.1 stereo system with Bluetooth connectivity, while a ferrofluid visualizer animates the sound in real time. Beneath the surface, Arduino-driven stepper motors, sensors, and limit switches coordinate the crane’s movement, ensuring the stylus remains balanced throughout playback.
Mounted on a monolithic speaker base with bold red and blue accents, the object balances functional audio equipment with collectible design. It knowingly leans into excess, described by the Swedish artist and craftsman as ‘over-engineered and very stupid,’ yet this exaggeration underscores a serious point: in an era of frictionless streaming, reintroducing effort, error, and control can make listening feel strangely new again.
the crane replaces the traditional tonearm
in crane mode, the needle moves laterally and vertically, turning listening into a manual act
a slanted aluminum control panel lets users steer playback with buttons and rotary dials
arduino-driven motors and sensors coordinate the crane’s precise movement
project info:
name: Crane-controlled record player
artist: Love Hultén | @lovehulten
comissioner: Rebin Shah | @vintage.rebstar
