BRINKMANN
Brinkmann turntables provide the ultimate analogue playback experience when it comes to vinyl records. In terms of engineering excellence, build quality, ultra-high precision tolerances, visual elegance, and ultimately performance, Brinkmann is recognized world-wide as one of the very top turntable manufacturers in existence. Michael Fremer echoed those words in his review of the Brinkmann Balance turntable when he said it is “one of a handful of the finest turntables being made today“.
Vinyl record playback is an exceedingly delicate and massively complex undertaking. The undulations in the record’s groove are so miniscule that even loud music passages produce less than a millivolt of signal. Most importantly, in addition to producing only tiny amounts of voltage, tracing these grooves produces all sorts of unwanted vibrations. As records are cut at precisely 33 1/3 revolutions per minute, they therefore must also be played back at exactly the same speed; otherwise pitch will be off. This explains the most important requirements for proper playback: (1) Accurate and consistent speed; (2) Gentle groove tracing; (3) High level of immunity from external and internal vibrations; (3) Ultimate quietness and low friction of platter and tonearm bearings. Since the early 1980s, Helmut Brinkmann has unrelentingly pursued these design criteria with the best engineering capabilities available. That’s why today Brinkmann turntables provide the ultimate level of analogue performance.
There are five Brinkmann turntable models all of which incorporate the same engineering excellence and build quality that Brinkmann has become famous for. The models are the Bardo, Taurus, Oasis, Spyder and Balance turntables.
GOLD NOTE
Gold Note builds a complete range of analogue products including turntables, tonearms, cartridges and phono stages. Their product range goes from more basic high quality models to absolute reference level analogue equipment of the highest quality. Unlike many manufacturers these days, they build everything in-house at their factory in Florence, Italy.
Gold Note has five turntables in their lineup going from the cost effective yet high quality Valore model right up to their Mediterraneo Reference . Their intermediate models are the Pianosa and Giglio turntables both of which have a similar elegant design and represent one of the most beautiful designs in turntables world wide period. We have the Giglio turntable with B-5.1 tonearm and Dynavector 17D3 cartridge on demonstration in our studio and it is really something! A fast, dynamic and tonally dense sound that is warm yet filled with so much life and detail. And the curved Italian walnut plinth makes this turntable a real beauty. For not too much money, this turntable set-up lets you experience the vinyl playback of your dreams. You’ll just want to play more and more records!
Both the Giglio and Mediterraneo feature a curved solid Italian plinth laminated to a 3mm stainless steel plate which is then bonded to a 20mm polished black acrylic top plate. This carefully designed differential material construction provides extreme rigidity and totally eliminates resonances. As a bonus, this construction also provides an absolutely elegant and striking look.
LUXMAN
The Luxman PD-151 Turntable. “ My goodness. Does this baby sing.” That’s what Ken Kessler said in his 2019 review of the PD-151. We whole heartedly agree and we also agree with the many other accolades he made in reference to the turntable. In fact, in our opinion, this is the best performing turntable we know of at this price point. The PD-151 does it all when it comes to sound. It provides a big, bold presentation with lifelike detail. Timing and bass reproduction is excellent. Speed stability is rock solid due to the new high performance brushless DC motor that the Luxman engineers created specifically for this turntable. The PD-151 also includes an excellent high precision tonearm which will accept a wide variety of cartridges. The PD-151 is a Hi Fi Art favourite. Highly recommended!
Read More
TRANSROTOR
Transrotor is Germany’s oldest turntable manufacturer. The company was started by Jochen Rake in the early 1970s and has been building absolutely top-class turntables with the highest levels of German engineering for over 40 years. Transrotor turntables are visual and sonic masterpieces in every sense. Best of all, we are able to offer prices that are way lower than what this world class line of turntables sells for in the US.
With the exception of a few related analogue products, manufacturing turntables is all Transrotor does. In that regard, the company has undertaken as its corporate mission to build the finest turntables in the world. Each Transrotor turntable is a hand-made work of high precision as well as a piece of visual art. The end result is a high-performance machine that plays a vinyl record with extreme clarity and the utmost musicality. Play your favourite record back on a Transrotor turntable and you’ll immediately hear why so many experienced listeners still prefer vinyl to even the most sophisticated digital systems.
Mr. Rake, who is a mechanical engineer by profession, has introduced and incorporated many innovative technologies in Transrotor turntables through the years. For example, Transrotor was the very first company to introduce a magnetic drive (TMD) whereby a magnetic clutch transfers torque to the platter without being directly coupled to it. A few years later, he introduced an even more sophisticated magnetic decoupling system known as the Free Magnetic Drive ( FMD ) that totally mechanically separates the drive section from the platter. The end result is that drive system and bearing induced noise fall to unmeasurable levels. Innovations such as these are amongst the reasons why Transrotor turntables are known as being so very quiet.
We are pleased to offer outstanding pricing on Transrotor turntables. Give me a call any time to discuss your requirements or if you have a question.
