The EAT C Sharp turntable certainly looks the part for £2500 including tonearm, how does it sound? Janine Elliot spins some vinyl. More »
Unfortunately we were unable to make the Stylus Show which showcased all that is vinyl but Hifi Pig reader Grant Birch was kind enough to take a few pics on our behalf. Thanks to Grant and we hope to be there next year for what many are saying was a great Hifi show. More »
Continuum Audio Labs say they are pleased to announce the introduction of their new analogue playback system, the Obsidian turntable and Viper tonearm at High End Munich 2016.” Designed by a team of engineers and designers whose expertise spans the disciplines of physics, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, vibration control, and industrial design, the system represents a major accomplishment in terms of sonic performance, mechanical sophistication, and aesthetic design” says the company’s latest press release.
Continuum CEO, Dr. Murali Murugasu, observes the significance of the Obsidian and Viper when he commented, “Having already established landmark designs such as the Caliburn and Cobra, creating a new design that would advance analog playback was a formidable challenge. Not only do the Obsidian and Viper do so on their merits, but doing so at its price is truly an accomplishment.”
The Obsidian utilizes tungsten in key points including the arm post, contact points for the arm suspension, and bearing ball and shaft. The bearing itself utilizes a magnetically opposed (but non-floating) design. The net effect of these constructs is that all platter resonances are below 10 Hz.
Beneath the platter and suspension lies the motor. Dubbed “The Quiet One”. For obvious reasons, this motor was specifically designed for Continuum Audio Labs. Speed stability comes from a 35mm, 60-volt zero-cogging DC motor that was designed and manufactured specifically for optimum performance with Obsidian’s platter mass and physical harmonic characteristics. The motor is controlled by a servo amplifier running at 53.6 kHz and has the highest power currently available in a motor of its size. Noise is addressed through the use of graphite brushes which provide the current conducting capacity required to drive a heavy platter and a specially designed damping system that attenuates brush noise.
Drawing on the familiar contoured shape popularized by the Cobra tonearm, the company utilized the latest finite-element analysis (FEA) software to create a tonearm with the “optimum stiffness to mass ratio in order to minimize unwanted resonances. In the Viper is a sapphire “V”- jewel paired with a hardened stainless steel pivot. The swash plate rides on damped miniature bearings manufactured to ABEC 9 standards, the tightest tolerance (0.0012 mm). A 30mm adjustable tungsten central tower provides a massive, stable support for the tonearm.
Finally, the Obsidian is set-up to allow the owner to add a second tonearm of virtually any length or design.
The Continuum Audio Labs Obsidian and Viper will be on display in the Constellation Audio Room (MOC, Atrium 4, 1st Floor, Room F-118) from May 5 – 8, 2016.
The US retail price of the Obsidian is $35,000 and $10,000 for the Viper. Deliveries to worldwide markets are scheduled to begin in Q3 of 2016.
Read more news about Munich High End 2016 Here and Hifi Pig’s coverage of last years High End Munich here
McIntosh Laboratory is proudly donating a one-off Alice Cooper MT5 turntable (usual price £7,495) to Cooper’s Solid Rock Rock & Roll Vampire Bash charity auction in Arizona, USA, this Sunday April 24th 2016, at Las Sendas Golf Club, Arizona, USA. 
The unique Alice Cooper MT5 features a custom-made version of the turntable’s famous black glass faceplate, specially designed for the event. The fascia incorporates classic McIntosh design cues, such as brushed-aluminium end caps, plus an illuminated ‘Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock’ logo.
Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Rock & Roll Vampire Bash charity auction includes a cocktail reception, silent auction, dinner, live auction and live entertainment featuring Alice Cooper and friends: Alex Lifeson (RUSH); Danny Seraphine (Chicago); Tommy Thayer (KISS); Frank Sidoris (Slash); Neal Smith (Alice Cooper), plus comedians John O’Hurley and Jeff Allen.
The charity event directly benefits Solid Rock and The Rock Teen Center. Tickets are $250 per person and are on sale now. Visit alicecoopersolidrock.com/events/7 for more information.
With its parallel tracking arm and LED lit platter, the £4700 Pre Audio GL-1102N Turntable hailing from Poland certainly looks a little out of the ordinary. Will it prove to be just that or something extraordinary? Janine Elliot finds out for Hifi Pig. More »
It’s been ten years since Avid Hifi launched the Acutus Reference was launched and now they have announced the Acutus Reference Mono SP turntable.
Conrad mas of Avid said “We have re-designed the amplifier stage way beyond most audio amplifiers and enabled twin mono operation to power each motor coil. Not limiting performance to save cost the new power supply is truly mono, employing the contents of two full Reference power supplies.”
There are two 1000VA mains transformers, twin regulated power stages, two massive capacitor banks and double soft start boards housed into casework matching the company’s Reference Pre and Mono amplifiers.
The Acutus Reference Mono SP will debut at the forthcoming Munich High-End Show 2016.
The Acutus is offered in three levels of performance and existing owners will be available as an upgrade.
Prices are expected to be:
ACUTUS REFERENCE MONO SP TURNTABLE £ 25,000.00
REFERENCE MONO SP UPGRADE FROM ACUTUS SP £ 15,000.00
REFERENCE MONO SP UPGRADE FROM REFERENCE SP £ 12,000.00
It’s been ten years since Avid Hifi launched the Acutus Reference was launched and now they have announced the Acutus Reference Mono SP turntable.
Conrad mas of Avid said “We have re-designed the amplifier stage way beyond most audio amplifiers and enabled twin mono operation to power each motor coil. Not limiting performance to save cost the new power supply is truly mono, employing the contents of two full Reference power supplies.”
There are two 1000VA mains transformers, twin regulated power stages, two massive capacitor banks and double soft start boards housed into casework matching the company’s Reference Pre and Mono amplifiers.
The Acutus Reference Mono SP will debut at the forthcoming Munich High-End Show 2016.
The Acutus is offered in three levels of performance and existing owners will be available as an upgrade.
Prices are expected to be:
ACUTUS REFERENCE MONO SP TURNTABLE £ 25,000.00
REFERENCE MONO SP UPGRADE FROM ACUTUS SP £ 15,000.00
REFERENCE MONO SP UPGRADE FROM REFERENCE SP £ 12,000.00
Ok, so we ran a news item today about the €895 Atmo Sfera turntable which has no platter so to speak and we came across another unusual turntable design, this time in the form of the $399 Gramovox that plays records vertically…and has built in speakers.
The Gramavox plays 33s and 45s and has RCA outs so you can play it through a conventional hifi set up.
It is a belt drive design that has an acrylic platter and comes complete with tonearm and a AT95E so it plays out the box with no set up.
Tech Spec’
- MDF construction
- Fully-adjustable Carbon-Fiber Tone-Arm w/ dynamically set tracking force
- AT95E Audio-Technica Dual Magnet Cartridge with Elliptical Diamond Stylus
- 2″ Neodymium Full-Range Stereo Speakers
- Built in phono stage with RIAA equalization curve
- Onboard 2x15W Stereo Audio Amplifier, Tripath TA2024 Class-D / Class-T architecture
- Manual Belt-Drive System (33 ⅓ or 45 RPM)
- A/C Synchronous motor
- Low resonance, high mass, acrylic Plinth and Platter
- RCA Line Out
- Headphone Jack
- Universal AC to DC power supply compatible with US standard 60 Hz, 110/120 VAC or European standard 50 Hz, 220/240 VAC (Snap-in power plugs are included for operation in countries around the world)
- 17″ Wide x 10″ Deep x 16″ Tall
- 14 lbs.
- Vibration Damping Feet
Audio Deva have a Kickstarter campaign for their €895 Atmo Sfera turntable (complete with arm and cartridge)… but the Atmo Sfera is no ordinary turntable because it doesn’t have the platter that would seem like a pretty essential part of any vinyl spinner.
Audio Deva claim that the classic turntable has drawbacks inherent in its design citing “heavy weight, size, playing mechanism and vulnerability to vibration” as issues and claim their design eliminates the problems associated with conventional turntables.
With 36 days to go the Italian company has raised around €15 500 of their €40 000 funding target.
Tech Spec’
Turntable
- Platterless design, a unique design where the record spins in air
- Belt-Driven, Two speed (33/45 RPM) turntable
- Small, low torque bipolar motor, driven by a synthesized, sinusoidal wave
- Microprocessor controlled operation
- Bluetooth® stereo connectivity with embedded RIAA phono preamplifier
Tonearm
- Carbon fiber, static balanced Tonearm
- Effective arm length: 228 mm – Arm overhang: 15 mm
Cartridge
- Pre fitted Audio Technica AT 95 E MM Cartridge
Other Features
- Low resonance, CNC machined, Anticorodal Aluminium plinth
- CNC machined Ergal Shaft
- Vibration damping feet
- No setup required with the fitted cartridge
- Dimension (base only): 12″ x 11″ x 4″ or 31 cm x 28 cm x 10 cm
- Weight: 6.5 lbs. or 2.8 Kg
- Universal Power supply: 110-240 V / 50Hz / 60Hz
Russ Andrews is introducing a dedicated turntable RCA phono cable.
With the huge resurgence in turntables witnessed over the past couple of years and the monumental rise in sales of vinyl, “Russ Andrews has developed the TT-1 cable to help this new wave of vinyl enthusiasts get the best out of their turntables” says the company’s recent press release.
TT-1 is a fully shielded design, derived from the Kimber Kable flagship Select range and uses high-purity copper coax geometry and a multi-stranded core.
Fitted with Kimber’s UltraPlate™ Phono plugs, the TT-1 is also available with optional burn in, DCT (deep cryogenic treatment), Super Burn In and with the company’s MiniZap technology incorporated into the cable.
Many modern turntables no longer require a dedicated ground connection, but for those that do, Russ Andrews is including a separate 2.5mm2 grounding wire fitted with 4mm spade terminals with the TT-1, making it suitable for use with a vast range of turntables.
Peter Bevir, head of product development, says, “No one can have missed the vinyl revival, it’s the story on the lips of so many and is blazoned across social media on a daily basis. The figures for vinyl album sales from the bpi and turntable sales from GfK show just how popular this, arguably purest, form of music reproduction is. So we thought, ‘with so many people enjoying what vinyl has to offer why not help them get the most out of their collections and new turntables?’ ” He continues, “The TT-1 is a cost effective means of connecting a turntable to a phono-stage – or direct to an amplifier if either unit has a built in phono-stage – that really allows the music to shine and highlight just why vinyl is such a good medium for musical enjoyment.”
TT-1 is available direct from Russ Andrews at £104 for a 0.5m pair.
Roksan Audio’s Radius turntable (review) has been updated and released as the Radius 7.
Roksan Audio are acknowledged around the world as pioneers of analogue technology, with over thirty years of experience and success in the market, starting with their iconic Xerxes record player (see the review of the latest Xerxes incarnation).
The Radius 7’s Perspex construction boasts the same innovative, decoupled dual-layer plinth design but in a new precision-machined ‘glass-effect’ finish. The same striking shape of the plinth layers remains, but as with previous Radius designs this is not only to help the look, but also to control resonance and reduce effective mass.
The decoupled drive motor employed in the Radius 7 is a completely new design, engineered from scratch using trickle-down technology from Roksan Audio’s flagship speed control for the Xerxes record player, the RPM. It’s an exceptionally precise device, featuring a very high accuracy, temperature-compensated crystal speed control system, which maintains pitch-perfect speed stability for both 33 and 45rpm, irrespective of voltage variations. The added benefit to this new system is manifest in the new aluminium alloy pulley, which utilises a single rung; as the Radius 7 is capable of automatic speed changing. To add further visual appeal, a bright yet un-intrusive LED is built-in underneath the motor assembly and illuminates either blue (33rpm) or red (45rpm) to show the current platter speed.
The Radius 7 has the same acrylic platter as the Radius 5.2. The platter rotates on a precision- machined hardened steel bearing ball that sits within a brass housing that contains Roksan’s LX-7 bearing oil, with ultra-low friction properties for reduced resonance.
In the UK, the Radius 7 is supplied as standard with the Roksan Nima tonearm. The Nima is a low-friction, uni-pivot design. The Nima is carefully assembled by hand and boasts the same internal wiring as Roksan’s previous flagship tonearm, the Artemiz.
SRP £1,900.00
The Radius 7 will be available in the UK from March 2016.
Technical Information
Radius 7
Main Bearing Spindle:Precision-machined stainless steel
Main Bearing Housing:Precision-machined solid brass
Main Bearing Ball:Precision case hardened steel
Pulley:Precision-machined aluminium alloy
Platter:Precision-machined acrylic
Motor:Custom-made 24 pole synchronous
Speeds:33.3 & 45 rpm
Power: 90-240V / 50-60 Hz
Rumble: < -75dB
Wow & Flutter: < 0.04%
Dimension (W x D x H):400 x 350 x 150mm
Weight: 7kg
Nima Tonearm
Bearing:Stainless Steel Unipivot
Bearing Yoke: Acrylic
Arm Tube:Aluminium Alloy
Headshell: Acrylic
Effective Length:240mm
Overhang: 17.5mm
Headshell Offset Angle: 22.9°
Effective Mass: 10g
Mounting Hole Diameter: 23mm
Recommended Cartridge Weight: 5 – 12g
Recommended Tracking Weight: 1.5 – 3.5g
Janine Elliot takes a listen to Roksan’s latest version of the iconic Xerxes, this time in its 20Plus guise and with the Caspian RPM Speed Control and innovative Pug tonearm. Price for this package is £5825 More »
Elipson Audio has announced the introduction of their first ever range of turntables. Entirely designed, developed and manufactured by Elipson in France, the Alpha and Omega versions are said to be the world’s “first premium turntables offering the option of wireless technology whilst retaining audiophile specification and sound quality”.
The new Elipson turntable can work on any voltage and any frequency in the world, from 100-240V and 50-60Hz and boasts “Digital Sinusoidal Signal Synthesis” which ensures optimum RPM. Speed is automatically controlled and a “digital slope” is employed to avoid belt skating and ensure motor reliability. The “Motor Suspension Device” is an additional device designed to suspend the motor and eliminate vibration.
Compatible with all MM/MC cartridges, Elipson has also developed its own Orbital Torsion Tone-arm which they say offers perfect precision, whilst integral torsion adjustment is controllable for anti-skating.
The RIAA preamps featured on the top models in each Alpha and Omega ranges feature an integrated preamp/phono-stage, whilst the flagship models also feature a Bluetooth APTX wireless transceiver, allowing the listener to stream their vinyl to a BT speaker system … or you can transfer the signal via the Opto-isolated USB output and record your vinyl onto a Mac or PC.
There’s a total of seven models in the line up. The entry level OM50 features a matt black finish PVC chassis with a pressed steel plate and Ortofon’s OM5 cartridge. The Alpha range features a similar spec but uses an OM10 cartridge, polyamide centralizer, RCA interconnects and preamp with BT and USB options. Top of the range Omega versions boast an acrylic lacquer non-scratch finish chassis in gloss black, white or red, a high density glass plate, a machined aluminum centraliser, a Carbon fibre tone-arm together with the pre-amp and BT /USB options.
Elipson’s new turntable range will be officially launched in Room 412 at the forthcoming Sound & Vision Bristol on 26th February and available thereafter from March 2016. UK SRPs will range from £199 for the entry level Alpha 50 up to £499 for the flagship Omega 100 RIAA BT USB model.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Crosstalk: >60dB
Signal / noise ratio: > 82dB MM / > 78dB MC
High end RIAA integrated preamp*
Bluetooth aptX*
Opto-isolated USB output allowing vinyl recording on your Mac or your PC*
Dimensions: W450 x H120 x D380 mm
*Depending on the model
Korean company Nasotec Corporation recently got in touch with Hifi Pig to introduce us to their Swing Headshell that looks pretty interesting for all you vinylistas.
This ‘Swing Headshell’ has a very soft and flexible joint designed to make your cartridge always align with the tangent of the groove circle. The joint precisely machined joint has small miniature bearing inside making the “swing” of the headshell very smooth and sensitive which Nasotec say will ensure the stylus keeps delicate and unbiased groove tracking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASezaLkTaVs
Nasotec say that the Swing Headshell will reduce tracking angle error when installed properly and should give a better sound quality than fixed headshells.
The company also claims that most of the vibration from the cartridge will be dissipated at the joint and should reduce arm resonances.
In effect Nasotec say that the Swing Headshell acts almost as if it were another, and very short, tonearm and will offer up a more stable stereo image than fixed headshell cartridges.
The company y also say that adding the Swing Headshell to your arm will extend the life of your stylus.
The Swing Headshell is available in three different styles to suit different tonearm and cartridge set ups and costs from $295 to $335.
Pro-Ject Audio Systems announce their latest release, the 2 Xperience Acryl which will replace the Xperience 2 Pack.
The 2 Xperience Acryl boasts the same clear acrylic plinth as the 2 Pack, however, it also boasts some technical tweaks that bring it into line with Pro-Ject’s latest standards.
The perimeter belt-drive concept is based on over twenty years of turntable design experience, but the motor is a newly updated design inspired by the 2 Xperience SB, which was released in 2015. The new motor is therefore driven by a purpose-engineered AC generator PCB, which in turn is powered by an efficient DC power supply for optimal rotational and speed stability.
The 2 Xperience Acryl’s transparent acrylic plinth is acoustically inert, the thick black precision-balanced platter is also resonant-free, and topped with melted vinyl records for the ideal turntable mat. The three aluminium coned feet are TPE-damped for a further reduction of unwanted resonances.
The 2 Xperience Acryl is fitted as standard with the 9cc Evolution carbon fibre tonearm. The tonearm is then finished with the Ortofon 2M Silver moving- magnet cartridge, which boasts silver voice coils.
The package is also neatly finished with a screw-on record clamp and a sturdy dust cover.
SRP £950.00
In further news Pro-Ject announced the2 Xperience SB S-Shape that takes all the same innovations and improvements of the 2 Xperience SB design, but utilises a brand new S-Shape tonearm to give vinyl enthusiasts a more versatile record player.
The S-Shape tonearm is made of a special alloy of aluminium with very high internal damping properties, for reduced resonance. The bearing design allows for pin- point mounting of the premium vertical race bearings, while the horizontal ball bearings are rigidly mounted yet easily adjustable. The rotational anti-skate mechanism is inspired by the anti-skate system used on the flagship Signature 12 tonearm.
One of the principle benefits of the new tonearm is found in the high-quality detachable headshell.
The 2 Xperience SB turntable has a large plinth, high-quality main bearing and thick, vinyl-topped sandwich platter. The new precision motor is driven by an efficient DC power supply and regulated by a built-in electronic speed changer offering easy switching between 331/3 and 45RPM, but it also acts as an AC generator for the motor to ensure a clean and stable power signal.
An acrylic dust cover, silver screw-on record clamp and expertly engineered coned feet finish off the turntable.
SRP £1,299.00
Roksan Audio have been considered a leading force in the analogue audio world since their first product, the Xerxes record player, was released in 1985.
The Oxygene 30 Turntable boasts an elegant, minimalist aesthetic inspired by the popular Oxygene range of hifi electronics. But beneath its striking gloss-white exterior is an innovative design that draws heavily from the Xerxes 20Plus.
The Oxygene 30 utilises a complex, multi-layered, four-piece plinth design with a new high-mass mounting block for housing the motor. The new motor mount ensures that unwanted resonances from the motor are transferred into the block and significantly attenuated before reaching the top plinth. It also improves motor alignment for optimal belt tension and reliable speed stability.
The central objective behind the multi-section plinth is to isolate the core components of the turntable, allowing not only the motor, but also the tonearm, cartridge and record platter to perform at the highest possible standard. Between the plinth layers, high-quality isolating materials are used for tuned decoupling.
The Oxygene 30’s two-piece platter utilises a solid aluminium alloy, which forms a completely dampened, resonant free surface when the inner and outer platter are combined. Like the Xerxes 20Plus, the Oxygene 30 also uses a removable spindle cap, which reduces bearing noise transmission through the record surface.
The Oxygene 30 is supplied as a package in the UK; just install your preferred cartridge and you’re ready to integrate it into any vinyl-ready hi-fi system. The turntable is supplied as standard with Roksan’s XPS-7 power supply/speed controller, and inside the box is a Pro-Ject 9CC Evolution tonearm. The engineers at Roksan have worked extensively to accommodate this popular 9” carbon fibre tonearm on the Oxygene 30, including the development of a brand new mounting plate.
The Oxygene 30 turntable perfectly represents the ethos behind the Oxygene range, as well as Roksan Audio’s wider brand philosophy. The overall design is compact yet highly resolved, and the sound performance is striking in its clarity, detail and musicality. The Oxygene 30 is a new must-consider product in the world of high-end vinyl playback.
SRP £2,500.00
Pro-Ject Audio Systems have completely renovated their popular RPM series of turntables throughout the course of 2015. The final adjustment to the range has now been confirmed, in the form of the brand new RPM 5 Carbon.
Designed to replace the award-winning RPM 5, the RPM 5 Carbon takes a technological, audible and aesthetic leap on from the standard set by its predecessor.
The plinth and decoupled-motor design has been chosen due to the performance benefits discovered with the range-topping RPM 9 Carbon and RPM 10 Carbon. The low-resonance plinth is finished with a premium quality gloss and topped with carbon fibre. The chassis contains a new inverted platter bearing with ceramic ball for minimal rumble. The whole plinth sits on top of three adjustable spiked feet to further keep resonance away from the record surface.
The thick acrylic platter is acoustically inert, to ensure the purest playback of any vinyl record. The platter is driven by a fully-detached 15V AC motor, to offer a smooth and consistent rotation thanks to the, DC-driven AC generator built into the motor housing.
The RPM 5 Carbon is supplied with the 9CC Evolution tonearm pre-installed. The 9CC Evolution boasts a 9” one-piece carbon fibre tube and inverted bearing design. The heavyweight assembly and TPE-damped counterweights ensure unwanted resonances are swiftly drawn away from the signal wires. The tonearm is terminated to a junction box, and a quality set of RCA interconnect cables are supplied in the box.
The RPM 5 Carbon is available in three high-gloss paint finishes – black, red and white. UK customers can also have a Quintet Black cartridge pre-installed by their dealer for an additional £400.00, saving
£249.00. The RPM 5 Carbon is supplied with a screw-on record clamp.
SRP £899.00
The RPM 5 Carbon is available in the UK now.
Read the Hifi Pig interview with the President of Pro-Ject Heinz Lichtenegger
Ian at HMF Solutions brought this rather splendid looking turntable to our attention. It’s the Acoustical Systems “The APOLYT” and it’s limited to just twenty two units worldwide.
As well as a host of other innovative features the APOLYT features a unique custom designed air-suspension system which is “based on optical table designs, but featuring a most advanced air-spring-capacitor-induction suspension system with a resulting resonance frequency below 0.5 Hz.”
It has up to 4 of these tonearm bases offering the user great flexibility and choice of tonearm/cartridge combinations.
The APOLYT is designed and manufactured in Germany.
Technical specifications:
– platter weight: 58 kg
– chassis weight: 188 kg
– 4 motors – motors weight 26 kg
– powersupply weight: 38 kg
– net weight: 388 kg
– shipping weight: 580 kg (delivery in 8 flight cases)
– dimensions (w x d x h): 108 cm x 69 cm x 128 cm
– wow & flutter: below 0.01% (W.R.M.S)
– speed: 33 1/3 rpm and 45 rpm – all speeds w/ precise adjustment option
– operation voltage: DC-operation and selectable 100 / 120 / 220 / 230 / 240 V – 50/60 Hz
– drive: belt drive, custom aramide belt AND symmetrical idler-drive
– power consumption in operation: 0 W, in re-charge logic mode: 120 Watt
Adjustments:
– user choice / selectable: 1, 2, 3 or 4 arm bases
– user adjustable – build-in – air flow and air pressure for optional air-bearing tonearm
– user adjustable tuning resonance frequency
Features:
– automatic levelling
– optional 2 shelves incorporated for phono stage / line stage – full isolated within the air spring frame.
– platter based on bi-radial, full aero-static, air-bearing – vertical and horizontal.
– complete plinth and optional integrated rack suspended on true air-spring-induction-field suspension with resonance frequency below 0.5 Hz.
– speed quartz controlled and user adjustable +/- 5%.
– double belt drive AND double idler-drive – user selectable and engaging/disengaging on push button.
– center of moving mass resting in bearing plane.
– platter inertia 38x of Micro Seiki SX-8000 platter.
– compound platter featuring definite energy transfer and internal liquid dampening.
– center of platter mass identical with plane of bearing/rotation = perfect resting mass principle.
– compound arm bases with identical energy transfer concept as platter.
– super fast exchange of arm boards.
– no possible build-up of static energy during play.
– both double motor-drives powered by custom amplifier and pure DC-power supply.
(battery sourced with automatic recharging and automatic redundant AC-power supply)
Options:
– optional additional speeds: 16 2/3 rpm and 78 rpm
– optional wooden or smoked glass side panels – detachable
– optional rack front cover choice of prime wood veneer or smoked glass
– acrylic dust cover
– optional 24kt plating or polished chrome finish on selected parts (frame, dome caps)
The American built VPI Prime turntable has a novel 3D printed arm included in the £3750 asking price. Janine Elliot takes a few discs for a spin.
Read the full review of the VPI Prime turntable.
The American built VPI Prime turntable has a novel 3D printed arm included in the £3750 asking price. Janine Elliot takes a few discs for a spin. More »
Air Audio Distribution are introducing a new brand of Moving Coil Cartridges to the UK market called Hana. 
Hana means “brilliant and gorgeous” in Japanese.
The Hana brand cartridges are hand made by the Excel Sound Corporation in Tokyo, Japan; who have been making cartridges on an OEM basis for 50 years, specialising in MC types.
Hana is launching with four new MC cartridges, two with elliptical diamond styli and two with a nude natural diamond Shibata-stylus. 
All four use high rigidity aluminium cantilevers and cross-shaped armatures, providing a ‘brilliant and gorgeous’ sound, with excellent tracking, tonality and stereo presentation.
| Hana MC Cartridges Specification | ||||
| Model No. | HANA-EH | HANA-EL | HANA-SH | HANA-SL |
| Stylus | Synthetic Elliptical |
Synthetic Elliptical |
Nude Diamond Shibata |
Nude Diamond Shibata |
| Cantilever | Aluminium | Aluminium | Aluminium | Aluminium |
| Output level | 2mv/1kHz | 0.5mv/1KHz | 2mv/1KHz | 0.5mv/1KHz |
| Output balance | <2dB/1KHz | <2dB/1KHz | <1.5dB/1KHz | <1.5dB/1KHZ |
| Vertical Tracking force | 2gr | 2gr | 2gr | 2gr |
| Trackability | 60μm/2gr | 60μm/2gr | 60μm/2gr | 60μm/2gr |
| Channel separation | 22dB/1KHz | 22dB/1KHz | 25dB/1KHz | 25dB/1KHz |
| Frequency response | 15-25,000Hz | 15-25,000Hz | 15-32,000Hz | 15-32,000Hz |
| Impedance | 130Ω/1KHz | 30Ω/1KHz | 130Ω/1KHz | 30Ω/1KHz |
| Suggested load Impedance |
47KΩ | >400Ω | 47KΩ | >400Ω |
| Cartridge weight | 5gr | 5gr | 5gr | 5gr |
| Body Colour | Moss Green | Moss Green | Black | Black |
The line-up is as follows:
Hana EL Low output elliptical diamond styli, output at 0.5mv/1KHz £276.00
Hana EH High output elliptical diamond styli, output at 2.0mv/1KHz £276.00
Hana SL Low output Shibata diamond styli, output at 0.5mv/1KHz £447.00
Hana SH High output Shibata diamond styli, output at 2.0mv/1KHz £447.00
As the vinyl revival keeps on rolling forward, Ian Ringstead takes a listen to the £599 Pro-Ject RPM3 Carbon turntable. More »
VPI wanted to get back to their roots with the Prime and to create a table that offers quality hi-end sound while taking advantage of improvements in technology. The Prime has been designed to have a curvier and more attractive appearance than other turntables and yet has the footprint to accommodate a 10 inch 3D printed tone arm.
The Prime is said to be a doddle to use… press the start button, move the tone arm into position by hand and then lower the needle with the special lever. The needle will then softly drop into the groove and the performance will begin. The attention to detail in the construction of the Prime ensures that the operation and playback is as beautifully smooth as you would expect from a super table.
The 3D printed arm represents a step forward for Prime says the company’s press release, as the improved technology and increased volume in printing and supply allowed VPI to create the tone arm that they wanted and at a lower than usual price.
The Prime is the first solo performance design by Mat Weisfeld (the son of VPI’s founders and all round nice guy) and is equipped with an ultra-low noise 500RPM motor, the 3D tonearm and isolation feet and record clamp – all tooled especially for the Prime.
RRP: £3,750
Features
- 10 inch 3D arm
- VTA Tower for VTA/SRA on the
- Classic 20 pound platter and
- Outboard 300 RPM motor
- New “Prime” feet which offer improved isolation and better mechanical grounding.
- Stainless Steel/Delrin record
- The Prime is also available as a package with the SDS, Synchronous Drive System.
Tech Spec
The Turntable:
- Chassis made of black textured vinyl over MDF with an 11 gauge steel plate bonded to the underside.
- Four solid Delrin corner assemblies designed for isolation and mechanical grounding.
- A 300 rpm 24 pole AC synchronous motor capable of high torque and quiet operation installed in a separate aluminium and steel machined
- Inverted bearing – hardened stainless steel shaft, 60 Rockwell chrome hardened ball, spinning in a phosphor bronze bushing and sitting on a PEEK thrust disc.
- 20 pound damped platter machined from 6061 aluminium to +/- .001” in a 39” circumference
- Motor pulley has an accuracy of +/- .0005”
- Wow and flutter: >.1%
- Speed Accuracy: >.03%
- Rumble: >85db down
- Overall Dims 21 3/8″ x 15 3/4″
- Footprint is 19 1/2″ x 13 3/4″
- 54 lbs packing
The Tonearm:
- Pivot to spindle: 258mm
- Effective length: 4m
- Overhang: 4mm
- Offset angle: 19.98
- Average RMS distortion: 311%
- Internal wiring: premium Discovery wire, optional Nordost
- New design 3d printed one piece body for the ultimate in resonance
- Full length copper shielding tube
- Adjustable side weights for finer azimuth
- Built in “Easy lift” finger
- Offset stainless steel counterweight for
- Easy setting of VTA/SRA in thousandths of an inch, calibrated and
- Adjustable anti-skate.
Available Upgrades:
- Periphery Ring clamp
- HR-X Centre Weight
- Synchronous Drive System (SDS)
- Single Motor Flywheel (must be used with SDS).
Ian Ringstead gets all biblical about his love affair with the black stuff.
“I then had an epiphany moment and saw the light. Turntables were being written about again in the hifi mag’s and manufacturers were making real efforts to produce better decks, arms and cartridges. ”
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Nakamichi TX 1000 Turntable
In this month’s instalment of Retro Bites where we focus on classic and vintage audio, Janine Elliot takes a look at the Nakamichi TX 1000 Turntable. More »