Andover SpinBase Speaker Systems Bring A Compact Vinyl Setup To The UK
Want to put together a vinyl system but short on space for an amplifier and separate speakers? Andover Audio’s SpinBase 2 and SpinBase MAX 2 are powered speaker systems designed to sit directly underneath your turntable. They are arriving in the UK through distributor Henley Audio, priced at £349 and £549 respectively.
Each combines speakers, amplification and a phono stage in one box, with Bluetooth and wired connections for other sources. You still need a turntable, but the idea is to make the rest of the system easier to fit into a bedroom, home office or small living space.
Quick Reference
Products: Andover Audio SpinBase 2 and SpinBase MAX 2
Type: Powered speaker systems designed to sit beneath a turntable
UK Prices: £349 for SpinBase 2 and £549 for SpinBase MAX 2
Amplification: 70W for SpinBase 2 and 100W for SpinBase MAX 2
Connections: Built-in phono stage, line input, optical input and Bluetooth
Extras: Remote control and subwoofer output on both models
Availability: Available now in limited quantities through Henley Audio’s authorised UK retailers
A Vinyl System With Fewer Boxes
A conventional vinyl setup can involve a turntable, a phono stage, an amplifier and a pair of speakers, although some products combine several of those jobs. SpinBase brings the amplification, phono stage and speakers together underneath the record player.
The built-in phono stage handles the small signal from a compatible turntable cartridge, preparing it for amplification. That can remove the need for a separate phono box, while the powered speakers mean you do not need an additional amplifier.
Keeping Vibrations Under Control
Putting a turntable on a speaker would normally raise a question: what happens when vibrations reach the stylus? Those vibrations can be picked up and amplified again, creating acoustic feedback.
Both models use Andover’s patented IsoGroove technology. The company says this is designed to control vibration and help prevent feedback when the turntable sits directly on top of the speaker system.
Choosing Between The Two Models
SpinBase 2 is the smaller and less expensive option. It has 70W of amplification, two oval woofers and two tweeters, arranged to spread sound across a claimed 270-degree area. Its cabinet is 83mm high, and the quoted frequency response is 60Hz–20kHz.
SpinBase MAX 2 increases the amplification to 100W and uses four 3.5-inch woofers alongside two tweeters. It retains the 270-degree arrangement, but its cabinet is taller at 108mm. Its quoted frequency response extends down to 50Hz, compared with 60Hz for SpinBase 2, indicating greater bass extension on paper.
More Than A Turntable Speaker
Bluetooth gives you another way to listen when you are not playing records, while line and optical inputs allow other compatible sources to be connected. Both models include a remote control and a subwoofer output, so adding a separate bass speaker is an option later.
For someone building a first system, the main attraction is having several jobs handled by one compact unit. When budgeting, remember that the £349 and £549 prices cover the speaker systems; a turntable is an additional purchase.
Price And Availability
SpinBase 2 costs £349 and SpinBase MAX 2 costs £549. Both are available now in limited quantities through Henley Audio’s authorised UK retailers, with further stock expected in the run-up to Christmas.
What The Terms Mean
Powered Speakers: Speakers with amplification built in, so they do not need a separate power amplifier.
Phono Stage: A circuit that boosts and corrects the signal from a record player’s cartridge before it reaches the main amplifier.
Woofer And Tweeter: Speaker drivers that handle lower and higher frequencies respectively.
Frequency Response: The range of low to high frequencies a product is specified to reproduce. These figures alone do not tell you how it will sound in your room.
Acoustic Feedback: Sound or vibration being picked up by the turntable and fed back through the speakers.
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