The forward momentum in high-end design, even during these troublesome times, continues to produce some breathtaking surprises. Nowhere is this more evident than in improving the reproduction of sound from the venerable long-playing record. It ...

For the past ten years I’ve been using Lloyd Walker’s record player—with air-bearing linear-tracking tonearm, massive air-bearing platter, and air-suspension feet—as my reference. Other excellent ’tables have come and gone; only the Walker has stayed. ...

This is the work station for the critical vertical bearing assembly; the small hand press (right) is used to check tolerances/resistance. Detail of bearing assembly SME's latest tonearm, the twelve-inch V-12 V-12 tonearms awaiting final ...

Before turning to the next batch of images a little background on SME Ltd is in order. The company was originally formed in 1946 by Alastair Robertston-Aikman and was known as the Scale Model Equipment ...

There are few names in audio, analog or digital, that get the heart racing like the turntables and tonearms from SME Ltd. Long admired for its precision mechanical engineering and jewel-like construction SME components are ...

Just a couple of issues ago I reviewed the AAS Gabriel/DaVinci turntable with DaVinci’s Grandezza tonearm (which, out of pure sloth, I’ve been persistently misspel-ling as “Grandeeza”). Part of that package included the moving-coil cartridge ...

As with many things seen from afar, an audio critic’s life appears enviable, even romantic. All we do is sit back, wait for FedEx or UPS to drop off the next cool toy, sit back ...

Retailing giant Best Buy has announced that it will begin selling LPs in all of its stores. You can read the full story here: http://www.nypost.com/seven/04272009/business/best_buy_turning_the_tables_with_vinyl_166384.htm

Vinyl can seem like a miracle. The possibility of inscribing subtle musical information out to 40kHz and beyond on a disc and replicating the disc in massive quantities by plating and then pressing plastic is ...

The “S” Series of Benz Micro cartridges made its debut in 2008. Its innovations are embodied in revamped versions of the Wood Body, Glider, ACE, as well as a new version of the LP and ...

A lot of exotic turntables were shown at CES 2009. However, there were several new 'tables of note that won't break the bank and promise to offer real sonic value. Following are the most significant ...

I received this letter from Koetsu's US distributor regarding the perils of buying Koetsu cartridges from "gray market" resellers. KOETSU BUYER BEWARE Recently, Koetsu has received numerous inquiries about so-called “new” and “cheap” Koetsu phono ...

Ultra-high-end turntable systems helped produce some of the finest sounds of the show. The use of magnetic suspension to float platters, magnetic drive, twelve-inch arms, exotic materials, sophisticated stands to isolate ‘tables from structural resonances ...

Vinyl sound is somehow natural. This intrinsic naturalness means that even relatively inexpensive vinyl playback systems can sound, if not perfect, at least very musically convincing. A case in point is the Marantz TT-15S Reference ...

It was just about, uh, 30 years ago that I bought my first “serious” turntable. Which meant a belt-drive, English-made design. Before then I’d dabbled with direct-drive units from Technics and lusted for a Linn ...