Top 10 British turntables from 1973-2023

British Hi-Fi and High End is by far one of the most respected in the world. Our new article provides a detailed analysis of how analog technology has developed on the island from 1973 to the present. It’s time to take a look at Her majesty’s Vinyl.

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10. Linn LP12 (1973)

The most famous English turntable at the time of its release offered a crystal clear and exceptionally rhythmic sound. The sound of the “one-left” model was doing much more sophisticated and expensive devices – no wonder that the turntable received a cult status and was sold in huge numbers. The Linn LP12 has been improved with each new version, this passive machine is still in service, and in the High End version of the Linn LP12 Klimax, it offers both absolute “black” tone and brilliant.

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9. Rega Planar 3 (1978)

Another coup, now in the budget sector of the market – users of the Rega Planar 3 compared the model with direct-drive Japanese mastodons and wondered why they should pay more. The turntable became the most important stage in the formation of the today recognized master of the industry, the Rega company. The third model, again, is produced to this day – and offers an absolutely ingenious design in its simplicity.

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8. Michell Gyrodec (1982)

We say “vinyl”, we mean Gyrodec. The appearance of the device turned out to be so attractive that it instantly became a byword – it was a real pleasure to watch the rotation of the disk with polished weighting cylinders installed at the bottom – as in that joke, you don’t even have to turn on the sound! However, the device turned out to be exceptionally strong in the field of reproduction as well – no wonder that with a certain number of upgrades Gyrodec is present on the shelves in 2023 as well.

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7. Systemdek IIX (1990)

Systemdek IIX heralded a new era – a time when audiophiles began to pay attention not only to the rhythm or sound wall, but also to micro-dynamics and precision in the localization of instruments. The turntable built the perfect stage – and immediately fell in love with a large number of fans of good sound.

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6. Audio Note TT Three (1995)

Based on the design of The Voyd’s spinner (a three-motor suspended chassis model), Peter Quartrup’s unit used a polycarbonate platter weighing only 900g. Traditionally for the firm, instead of choosing a rotational mass, the rotational energy is generated in the drive system – in the end, Audio Note TT Three simply blew it with its luxurious basses. The player is produced to this day – however, its appearance has changed significantly.

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5. Pink Triangle Tarantella (1997)

It’s a pity that the history of Pink Triangle ended in 2003, but in 1997 it made a splash with its Tarantella apparatus. An open, pure sound, a huge amount of air – oh, one could fall in love with such a sound immediately. Well, the design did not let us down – the player also became the center of the interior, and not just a black box.

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4 Wilson Benesch Full Circle (2001)

Apple in the world of vinyl – that’s what the Wilson Benesch Full Circle was called. In addition to the firm precision sound, colored with all the richness of timbres, and surprisingly dynamic, Full Circle also offered a lot of innovations – for example, a carbon tonearm. It’s a pity, but now we are waiting for a super-expensive vinyl flagship from Wilson Benesch, and there is no talk of reviving the release of the junior model yet.

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3. Roksan Xerxes 20 (2006)

The absolutely killer design of the Roksan Xerxes 20 reimagined the traditional passive apparatus and accumulated all the best that we appreciate in analog presentation – from a multi-layer disc to eight levels of anti-vibration decoupling. The modern version of the device (Roksan Xerxes 20 Plus) has become even more spectacular.

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2. Vertere DG-1 Dynamic Groove (2019)

The extravagant appearance of the Vertere DG-1 Dynamic Groove is crazy, and the sound that this relatively simple model produces literally grabs the stars from the sky. A unique tonearm that combines aluminum and polymer in the design, a chic bearing – everything is fine here, and even the price is relatively humane by modern standards.

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1. SME Model 60 (2022)

But this is already a turntable of both an exorbitant price list and an engineering level. SME’s new flagship, the Model 60, offers the ultimate in sound. A redesigned SME 5A tonearm, an aluminum body, a modified version of the branded suspension, a silicone bath for the main bearing – everything literally screams about quality and sets the industry standards for years to come.

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