STEREO SOUND (Japan) June 1996
New Product Test Report: Record Player
SOUND BY DESIGN: Quasar LE (Limited Edition)
UK product with home acclaim: first appearance on Japanese market
Type: belt drive ' Motor: 24v AC synchronous 331/3, 45 rpm * Outer Dimensions/ Weight: 54.5cm (w) x 22.0(h) x 32.5(d)/ body itself 18.0kg * Note: MC Rohmann cartridge sold separately
There is a general acceptance of acrylic with its properties resembling LP vinyl and acoustic resonance.
Analogue system components do not appear with the frequency they once did, but those that have appeared have been increasingly remarkable for their excellence and innovation. There have been many instances of new products which have exceeded the high standards previously attained by analogue disc reproduction.
The recent arrival of the Sound by Design LE (Limited Edition) is just such a product that has clear]y solved the various problems posed by high quality analogue disc reproduction and yet is straightforward and simple to use. The proprietor and designer of this brand, P. Savic, has been working in record player design and development since 1975, pioneering ten types of turntable that have been very well received in the U.K. The first model of the present series was announced in 1993 and has been much praised. At the end of last year the model LE came on the market and received a very good reception at the Hi-Fi News Show. A limited number have now come to Japan.
The characteristic design and materials employed are entirely governed by acoustic requirements and are not used for effect. Basically, it is a traditional floating chassis belt-drive turntable. However by reducing the number of parts which are the cause of unwanted resonances, these have been diminished. In high-end analogue players whose construction and set-up tend to be complex. this is considered an admirable feature.
The instrument is constructed with a baseboard, solid brass sub-chassis and special quality of acrylic platter and armboard. By its four pillar support high precision conical springs have been fitted which effectively isolate Internal and external vibration. The platter is machine finished high density acrylic of 30mm thickness. This material has not been chosen for aesthetic reasons alone, but because it has properties that resemble LP vinyl and the surface resonance. Because the 20mm armboard can slide laterally many tonearms on the market can be used. Further, since dismantling is possible simply by detaching the four screws, if another armboard is supplied it is simple to substitute a different type of arm. The AC synchronous motor is housed in a 3.3kg solid brass cylinder with very little vibration of its own and the round section rubber belt is said to pass on hardly any stress to the pulley. Careful attention has been given to providing a choice of styles for each part to suit the user's taste and environment. The realistic pricing is admirable too.
Testing was carried out with an SME 3012R and tube phono TU2. A high dynamic range can fully satisfy the ear accustomed to modern digital sound. The smoothness, naturalness, and clarity of pitch in the low register are a delight and altogether different from many of the classic analogue products. Very low notes from contemporary synthesizers were rendered with clarity while the sound of the kick drum was reproduced with full impact; truly the feel of a product of the '90s.
On classical music the high range of strings was suitably smooth and delicate to listen to. giving full harmony with a quality of texture that was not that of hi-fi reproduction. Vocals were not conveyed with warmth but with the ability to reproduce fine gradations of feeling. There were sounds that have never been retrievable from old discs and captivating sounds can be expected from new records. This is a record player the equal of the latest high performance phono cartridges.
Kabayashi Mhitsungi