Analog Gear News

We always seem to enjoy whatever gear E.A.T. — short for European Audio Team — has ready to serve us, and we’ve just learned that the Vienna-based company’s New York-based distribution partner, VANA Ltd., is officially bringing their formidable Fortissimo S turntable across the Pond.

The Fortissimo S table is considered to be the next step up from E.A.T.’s popular Forte S turntable, and it comes complete with a massive 50lb, 15.75in platter that is assembled from three materials — aluminum, brass, and vinyl — which are said to have been chosen for their dissimilar resonant characteristics that “cancel each [other] out to reduce traces of mechanical noise.”

Incidentally, that S designation in the model number stands for “small,” making this table a somewhat more diminutive variant of E.A.T’s flagship Fortissimo, the most recent versions of which we saw and discussed in our High End Munich 2024 show report here, back on June 18.

Back to the what’s what with the Fortissimo S. Opposing magnets support the platter to reduce the effective load on the bearing surface. The bearing itself is an inverted design topped with a ceramic ball and mounted in a steel alloy block. The shaft surface features a graphene-based low-friction coating that is said to reduce friction to one-sixth of the Forte S.

The Fortissimo S’s massive platter is spun by a fully decoupled, dual-motor design, mounted in a separate housing that prevents resonance from the power unit from reaching the turntable.

The chassis of the Fortissimo S features a two-part design that is purported to “combine the advantages of a dynamic delivery of a mass-loaded design with the low-noise characteristics of suspension.” The top-loaded section is comprised of high-density MDF and a metal-filled center. When mounted with the platter on opposing magnetic feet, the Fortissimo S proffers the isolation of a suspended turntable. Finish options for the table include black, Makassar (as seen above), and leather black.

Though the Fortissimo S comes sans tonearm and cartridge, the recommended arm option appears to be the E.A.T. C-Note Straight 12in tonearm (€1,425). As for the cart, E.A.T. offers a number of MC options of their own (though a direct recommendation was not provided, per se).

Additional specs and features of the belt-driven Fortissimo S include electronic speed change of 33⅓rpm and 45.11rpm, speed variance of ±<0.07% (33⅓rpm) and ±<0.08% (45rpm), wow & flutter as ±<0.008% (both 33⅓ and 45rpm), signal-to-noise ratio as –73dB, downforce range as 0-30 mN / 0-3.0g, power consumption as 8.5W max (0.5W standby), and voltage as 15V DC/1.6A / 90-264V AC, 47-63Hz. The dimensions of the Fortissimo S table are 550 x 250 x 440mm, w/h/d (21.7 x 9.8 x 17.3in, w/h/d/) and its turntable weight is 47kg (104lb).

Finally, the E.A.T. Fortissimo S turntable sports an SRP of $8,000 (sans arm and cart).

For more about E.A.T., go here.
To find an authorized E.A.T. dealer in North America, go to their exclusive N.A. distribution partner VANA Ltd. here.
For authorized E.A.T. dealers around the globe, go here.