Analog Gear News

Some high-end turntables are truly works of art and masterful engineering combined, worth admiring in full regardless of the price point of entry. Such is the case with the latest from ace designer Dietrich Brakemeier — namely, the Acoustical Systems Astellar turntable.

Longtime AP acolytes will recall Brakemeier’s seriously massive Apolyt table from a few tears back — which sported an equally massive $200,000 SRP — not to mention the company’s Axiom and Aquilar tonearms, and their Archon MC and Fidelis line of cartridges.

According to the company, the goal for the Astellar table was “to transfer the relevant and unique design features of the extremely large and heavy Apolyt into a considerably more compact and feasible format — without losing even the tiniest aspect of the all-alone sonic level provided.”

To that end, the Astellar table features a 36-layer-design platter that incorporates 18 different materials including vinyl, Tungsten HD18, titanium, AW6082 alloy, and 1.4401 Vanadium Steel, in addition to a “defined mixture” of organic material layers pressed together and bounded by natural resin. The Astellar’s platter is also said to be 100% non-resonant, with an “absolute non-reflecting” inner surface.

The platter spindle is fully decoupled and isolated from the bearing, featuring an inner thread to allow “optimized coupling” of an LP to a material-identical platter surface by a screw-on clamp as well as any record weight. The bearing is of a bi-radial, adjustable push-pull magnetic design.

The Astellar plinth is air-suspended with a 1.2Hz resonance frequency, and also features 3-point precision leveling with tilt prevention, and three levels made from three different aluminum alloys with inlays of titanium and vibration-absorbing gel. The tonearm mounting boards boast “zero-tolerance.” Each tonearm that’s mounted and aligned on one position can be moved to any of three possible positions, “without any re-alignment [or] recalibration needed.”

Additionally, the Astellar sports a double-point brushless DC motor belt drive with active dynamic control motor management, a double flywheel drive with “maximized inertia” incorporated in the active motor management, a decoupled bearing level, and playback speed options of 33, 45, and 78, all of them said to be fully stabilized with “below 0.01 derivation from mset speed.:

Other specs and features of the Astellar table include a 17 x 5 x 15in (w/h/d) external power supply that weighs 39lb, with the connection and wiring between the power supply and turntable supplied by LEMO. The Astellar is available in five finishes: metallic black, Apolyt-dark anthracite, dark titanium, silver, and light titanium. The dimensions of the Astellar table are 27 x 9 x 18in (w/h/d), and its net weight is 194lb.

Finally, the SRP for the Acoustical Sounds Astellar turntable is $95,000 — and, in this case, it looks to be worth every stellar penny.

For more about Acoustical Systems, go here (correct site link update 07.16.2024).
To find an authorized Acoustical Systems distributor, go here (correct site link update 07.16.2024).