About myself
I am a radio engineer and have worked in acoustics since 1976 after graduating from University. From 1976 to 2000 I worked in the ultrasound laboratory of this university and was involved in acoustic testing of substances and the design of acoustic measurement devices. I hold, along with my colleagues from the laboratory, five patents in this domain. Despite being a radio engineer, I’ve always been interested in precision mechanics. For all those years held a passion for the design audio equipment; among the devices I created during that period was a turntable with record changer, which was presented in the USSR’s largest technical achievement exhibition in Moscow. In 2007 I decided to start designing turntables and to concentrate all efforts only in this area. Why turntables? Because the High-end turntable is a device that brings together all my favorite areas – electronics, precision mechanics, design and Music (for many years I played the saxophone in an orchestra).
About turntables
My turntables are made from high quality materials – stainless steel, bronze, brass, granite, specific wood, processed using the latest technology – cnc machining, plasma coating and other. The selection of all technical solutions is based on the given acoustic requirements. Serious consideration is given to the appearance of the turntable, as a good-sounding turntable must be also be a good-looking object in the user’s home.
Basic concept of design
A very heavy plintg utilizing spherical rubber dampers support a heavy sub-chassis. The sub-chassis carries a heavy platter as well as the tonearm. This assembly (the tonearm,platter and sub-chassis) constitute a single, independent structure, floating on spherical dampers.Connections between parts of assembly are not very rigid, are demped to avoid resonances parts of construction. Proper resonance frequency of all construction selected using rubber dampers with necessary elasticity. A low-power but extremely stable synchronous motor is located on the plinth and drives the platter via a belt.
I do not produce turntables in series. Because each turntable produced individually,I can to realize all your requests. You can choose: material of plinth- wood or stone; if stone-black or white granite; platter- of brass or aluminium; sub shassis type; legs- long or short; number of tonearms- one, two, or more. Obviously, all these changes are made maintaining all the acoustic requirements, while listening sound of turntable, because sound is more important than design.
Core parts of turntables
1. Stand and plinth:
Some of my turntables have legs, because they are heavy , thus they do not require additional strong stand or table. The legs are made of stainless steel tubes, filled with acoustic damping material. The stands can be leveled by tuning the spiked feet of each leg. The legs support a 60mm or 40mm thick plinth, measuring 470x 470mm and made of granite . The lower part of the legs is combined 20mm thick granite panel. The foot spikes sit on flat pads.
2. Sub-chassis:
My turntables have two types of sub-chassis : conical, made of marble with triangular frame or plate-type, made of granite. Triangular frame is made of stainless steel tube which is then filled with an acoustic damping material. Marble was chosen because for its good acoustic and mechanical properties. Plate type granite can be made of Matrix Anticato. This naturally occurring composite stone was formed during the setting of molten lava, and has a laminate structure; it is well suited to the damping of ambient vibrations. The plate-type sub-chassis can accommodate two or three tonearms.
3. Suspension:
Sub-chassis rests on spherical elastic dampers which in turn rest on machined bronze supports. The height of each support can be adjusted to level the platter. The dampers themselves, being spherical, absorb shock from all sides equally. Dampers of varying elasticity are available and are easily replaced.
4. Magnetic bearing:
The bearing is classical type – a 9mm. steel shaft within a steel sleeve. The outer surface of the shaft and inner surface of the sleeve are precisely polished. Difference is that tip of shaft rests not on steel or ceramic ball, as usual, but on magnetic pillow, created by two neodymium magnets. This eliminates hard mechanical thrust between the shaft and bottom of bearing and reduces vibrations of platter. As diameter of magnets is only one inch and distance to tonearm is long, this does not affect the cartridge. The assembly is located in a 35mm diameter stainless steel housing that is filled with oil.
5. Motor:
The platter is driven by a low-speed (250 rpm) synchronous Crouzet motor, mounted to a 5 kg bronze body and in to stainless steel housing.
6. Platter:
The platter can be made of brass, brass with acrylic insert, aluminium with acrylic insert. Diameter of platter – 320mm , weights about 10 kg.