Karaoke Machine Buying Guide

With so many options available it can be daunting trying to decide which Karaoke Machine to go for, hopefully this guide will help explain the different types that are available, how they work, and which suits you best….

Disc Based Karaoke Machines
Often referred to as “CD+G Karaoke Machines”, disc based machines are the traditional type that have been around for many years and what most people think of when they picture a karaoke machine. They feature a built in CD Player capable of reading CD+G (Compact Disc + Graphics) karaoke discs and have built in speakers. They will connect to your TV using the old red/white/yellow RCA cables to display on-screen lyrics. So your karaoke disc goes in the machine, sound comes out of the built in speakers and lyrics come up on the TV (sound also comes out of TV speakers if desired). Some machines also have the bonus of a built in screen, meaning they can be used completely stand alone and don’t always need to be connected to a TV.

Many modern day machines also have a Bluetooth feature, meaning that as well as playing discs, you can also wirelessly connect your smart phone / tablet to the machine like a normal Bluetooth speaker, then play karaoke videos on apps like YouTube and sing-along. Please note however, Bluetooth is audio only technology, so the picture from your Youtube Video will not be transferred over to your TV screen.

CD+G discs are the industry standard for disc based karaoke, so any CD+G disc will play on any CD+G karaoke machine and there are lots of discs available covering all musical genres and tastes. Checkout our Karaoke Disc page to browse our collection of CD+G karaoke disc packs.

Disc based machines are easy to setup, simple to use and usually not overly loud or expensive, so are usually best suited to kids bedrooms or small home parties

Disc Based Karaoke Machines, Pros

  • Traditional look and feel
  • Very simple to setup and operate
  • Often have Bluetooth feature meaning can be used in multiple ways
  • Sometimes have built in screen so can be used independently
  • Plays CD+G discs so additional CD+G disc packs can be purchased to suit, perfect for gifts
  • Connects to TV for on screen lyrics and to use TV speakers
  • Available with a choice of different song packages

Disc Based Karaoke Machines, Cons

  • Technology becoming slightly dated
  • Some modern TV’s will not have red/white/yellow RCA input, so will require an adaptor
  • Not as powerful as similarly priced non-disc based karaoke speakers

Disc Based Karaoke Machines, Best Suited For

  • Kids Bedrooms
  • Small/Medium Home Parties
  • Those who want traditional karaoke machine

Popular Disc Based Karaoke Machines…
  

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Karaoke Speakers
The vast majority of “Karaoke Machines” these days are what we would call Karaoke Speakers. What that basically means is they are pretty much just normal Bluetooth speakers that have integrated microphones and karaoke features, like echo, mic volume etc. Unlike disc based machines they have no ability to play content directly, it is just a speaker, so you connect your device such as phone, tablet, smart tv, laptop etc via Bluetooth, play a karaoke video on apps or websites such as YouTube and singalong. This does away with needing to buy and store CD+G discs, instead streaming content over the internet, and there are countless apps and websites offering high quality karaoke content for you to try. Youtube for example has millions of karaoke videos available for free. If you have a fancy modern smart TV with a Bluetooth feature, you can connect your TV via Bluetooth, play a video directly on your TV YouTube app and send the sound through your karaoke speaker to singalong. If your TV does not have Bluetooth it may be possible to connect via “mini jack” cable if your TV has a headphone socket output, and our Karaoke Speaker has an Aux Input

Karaoke Speakers, Pros

  • The modern way to do karaoke
  • More bang for your buck compared to disc based machines
  • Play content over the internet for free via YouTube or other Karaoke Apps
  • Available in low and high power models to suit many different environments
  • Often portable with rechargeable batteries, perfect moving around house or taking outside
  • Can be used as normal Bluetooth speaker when not singing karaoke

Karaoke Speakers, Cons

  • No content playing capability directly on machine, which some people find confusing
  • Cannot be used totally independently as always requires content to be played on external device
  • Not always possible to connect to a TV if the TV does not have Bluetooth or headphone output
  • Always requires internet connection if streaming content over the internet
  • Adverts can be annoying if using YouTube

Karaoke Speakers, Best Suited For

  • Kids Bedrooms
  • Home Parties
  • Tech savvy screen tappers & app lovers
  • Those who want portability

Popular Karaoke Speakers…
   

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Karaoke Players
Disc based but unlike Karaoke Machines, Karaoke Players do not have any built in speakers, they just “play” the karaoke content, hence the name! Essentially they are just DVD Players that will read CD+G Karaoke Discs and have microphone inputs. Karaoke Players are good if you want to be able to play CD+G Karaoke Discs but you already have a good TV Speakers that you want to utilise, rather than using the built in speaker of a karaoke machine. Also Karaoke Players can also be installed more discreetly and neatly than a boxy karaoke machine, so make a nice, simple way of adding karaoke to your existing AV setup. Karaoke Players also usually come advanced karaoke features that normal karaoke Machines do not have, such as record, CD+G ripping, playback of digital files from USB stick and more

Karaoke Players, Pros

  • Simple and convenient way to add karaoke into existing AV Setup
  • Plays CD+G Karaoke Discs and connects to TV for on screen lyrics
  • Connect to TV via red/white/yellow RCA cables, or via HDMI
  • Smaller than box type Karaoke Machines, so can be installed neatly into existing AV setup
  • Utilises TV Speakers
  • Advanced karaoke features
  • Available with a choice of different song packages

Karaoke Players, Cons

  • Disc based technology becoming a bit dated
  • No built in speakers, has to be connected to TV
  • If connecting to surround sound system, the processing time can often cause delay in microphone audio
  • Not portable, not easily moved around

Karaoke Players Best Suited For

  • Adults looking to connect to existing AV setup and utilize existing speakers

Popular Karaoke Players…
 

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Rule Breakers
Like in most things in life, rules are there to be broken, and karaoke Machines are no different. There are a few quite unique products that don’t quite fit into the normal boxes, so require a little bit of further explanation…

Digibox & Pro
Next Generation Touchscreen Karaoke Entertainment that Revolutionises the Karaoke Machine. Uunique devices that combine the technology of a touchscreen tablet with the convenience of an all-in-one high power PA system and wireless microphones, built with robust, high quality components to ensure premium sound quality and durability, this is NOT your average Karaoke Machine. Doing away with traditional CD’s and buttons, instead utilising touchscreen technology, wifi and apps to deliver ease of use and access to content in a way never before possible.

Pros

  • Built in touchscreen screen & rechargeable battery for portable & standalone use
  • Connect to your TV using HDMI.
  • Access millions of apps via the Android App Store, The Digibox is your Karaoke Machine, Movie Player, TV Box, Music Streamer, Games Console, Web Browser, Radio and more
  • Pre-installed karaoke apps giving access to high quality karaoke content
  • 80 children’s karaoke songs & nursery rhymes pre-loaded for instant playback, along with staple apps such as YouTube, Spotify, Netflix, radio & more.
  • Unlike traditional plastic “toy” type karaoke machines, this is built using a premium quality wooden cabinet for improved acoustics and reduced distortion, and
  • professional grade amplifier, PA & equalizer section, allowing for advanced control of your music and microphone levels.

Cons

  • Requires some basic knowledge of using tablets such as connecting to Wi-Fi and downloading apps, so therefore is not recommended for young children or those without experience using touchscreen devices

Best Suited For

  • Home Parties or commercial venues
  • Tech savvy screen tappers & app lovers
  • Those who want the wow factor
  • Those who want portability

 

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Starbar
Turn your Smart TV into the Ultimate Karaoke Machine! The STARBAR is a Soundbar with a difference, featuring built in Wireless Microphones and Bluetooth function, it is your Soundbar, Bluetooth Speaker & Karaoke Machine, all built in to one stylish device. With most modern TV's having amazing apps such as Youtube, Spotify & Netflix built in, it's never been easier to access content directly on your TV. The problem is integrated TV speakers usually sound terrible and sadly for karaoke fans, plugging in a microphone to a TV is not possible. The Starbar solves both of these issues! Simply connect the Starbar to your TV and you've instantly got a high quality and immersive audio system with 2 wireless microphones, meaning you are ready to start singing along to your favourite tunes. Like other karaoke speakers it has no content playing capability of its own, but unlike other karaoke speakers has multiple ways of connecting to your TV

Pros

  • A modern, stylish & grown up way to add Karaoke into your home.
  • All the plus points of a high power sound bar plus the bonus of karaoke functionality
  • Connect to your TV using HDMI, Optical or Mini Jack Aux Cable
  • Integrated wireless microphones
  • Connect other devices via Bluetooth such as phones and tablets and use as Bluetooth speaker
  • Elegantly finished in matt black and with a stunning neon blue light, the Starbar is a stylish addition to any audio visual setup. Can be floor or wall mounted, and the light can be easily switched on/off as desired.

Cons

  • No content playing capability directly on machine, which some people find confusing
  • Cannot be used totally independently as always requires content to be played on external device
  • Not always possible to connect to a TV if the TV does not have Bluetooth or headphone output
  • Always requires internet connection if streaming content over the internet
  • Adverts can be annoying if using YouTube

Best Suited For

  • Home Parties
  • Tech savvy screen tappers & app lovers
  • Those who want the wow factor
  • Adults wanting a stylish way to add karaoke into their existing AV setup

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In case you were not confused already..
It is actually possible to connect a disc based karaoke machine or player into a karaoke speaker and use them together, because disc-based machines have audio outputs and speakers have audio inputs, this is handy if you have a karaoke machine and want to add more power! See some of our Karaoke Packages for examples....