TECHWEEK
Many audiophiles don’t pay too much attention to the appearance of their systems and their components. The main thing is to play well. However, audio manufacturers invest a lot of time and money into the design of their models. And turntables are the kind of equipment where designers have a place to turn around.
We have selected ten turntables that we think deserve a place in any system, not only because of their sound, but also because of their stunning appearance.
8. AVM R 5.3
Price – 7 400 euros
The main visual feature of the AVM Rotation R 5.3 is the LED illumination of the platter. The switch responsible for the backlight is located on the bottom left, when it is pressed, the acrylic disk is illuminated from below in purple-turquoise color, its intensity can be adjusted using the same switch. The next design element that immediately draws the eye to the turntable is AVM’s own chrome-plated 10″ tonearm.
7. MoFi Fender x Mofi PrecisionDeck
Price – 4 000 EUR
The idea to finish the turntable body with Fender’s signature guitar lacquer led to the birth of a turntable that you want to not only listen to, but simply look at. From a technical point of view, the model is also very interesting – it is a two-speed belt turntable with a Delrin composite disc, a 10-inch aluminum tonearm with Cardas wiring and a pre-installed MoFi MasterTracker cartridge. Anti-vibration feet designed by Harmonic Resolution Systems, the turntable weighs 11.5 kg.
6. McIntosh MT2
Price – 6 500 euros
The junior model in the assortment of the American company turned out to be, perhaps, the most beautiful. The player features a strict case design with a glass top panel and green backlight. The tonearm on the cardan support is made of duralumin, ceramic bearings work in the vertical plane, and sapphire bearings in the horizontal plane. The spinner supports 33.3 and 45 rpm, the disc is made of polyoxymethylene and is supported by a steel bearing with a bronze thrust pad. The turntable comes with a Sumiko Moonstone MC head, and the total weight of the turntable is 13.2 kilograms.
5 Burmester 217
Price – 23 300 euros
The classic design of the German manufacturer’s equipment is a lot of chrome and white metal. The player uses a belt drive, and the disc is driven by two motors at once. The massive platter, like the body, is made of aluminum, and the 9-inch gimbal-mounted tonearm is equipped with a composite material tube with unidirectional fibers. The kit comes with a branded MC-head with a needle sharpened by Shibata. The total weight of the turntable is 31.5 kilograms.
4. Rega Planar 10
Price – 5 300 euros
The player with the missing case looks like an alien from the future. The model features a ceramic platter and an almost weightless body made from TANCAST 8 composite foam sandwiched between two layers of phenolic resin HPL material. The power supply and motor control unit is called PSU10 and is enclosed in a separate case, its design repeats that of the company’s new generation of electronic components. The complete tonearm is a proprietary RB3000, featuring the tightest possible tolerances.
3 Bergmann Galder
Price – 27,000 euros (with tonearm)
The perfect example of Scandinavian design. The Danish company’s Galder turntable is equipped with a platter air bearing – a metal spindle is centered in a polymer cage with the thinnest air layer. This solution minimizes vibrations and contributes to rotational stability. Vacuum is used to press the record against the platter. The body of the turntable is machined from an all-aluminum billet, the combined disc weighs 11.8 kg, the turntable itself weighs 38 kg.
2 Shinola Smokey Robinson
Price – $3,000
Turntable co-produced by VPI and the American brand Shinola, specializing in the production of motorcycles, watches and leather goods. The turntable has been a huge success with audiophiles, unfortunately it has recently been discontinued. Natural wood, as well as aluminum and steel, are used as body materials. The kit included an Ortofon 2M MM cartridge, a gimbal-mounted tonearm and a leather mat.
1. Bang & Olufsen Beogram 4000C Recreated Limited Edition
Price – 10,000 euros
The wonderful Beogram 4000 turntable, designed by Jakob Jensen and revived as part of the Classics project . Employees of the company found 95 copies of the legendary turntable all over the world, carefully restored them and supplemented them with modern functionality. The model has a built-in phono stage with outputs on RCA connectors and a 3.5 mm minijack. The turntable design has also undergone minor adjustments – the aluminum elements were anodized in champagne color, and the turntable table is now made of solid oak. I got a model and an improved dust cap. The tangential arm remained original, only a new higher quality cartridge was installed.
[ratemypost]
