Munich 2013

The Audio Silente Idler Drive Turntable Intrigued!

Michael Fremer  |  May 11, 2013

This compact idler wheel drive turntable designed by Audio Silente's Simone Lucchitti kept me coming back to look and finally hear, though in the crowded main floor listening was next to impossible. The design features a sandwich of thick graphite plates, while the mechanism uses a brawny, mil spec American made motor said to be designed for 24 hour a day service, driving a flywheeled pulley that drives the idler wheel that drives the heavy, brass platter topped with a thick high density graphite mat.

The mechanism harkens back to the old Thorens and EMT 'tables many still love and think is best. This beast produces enormous torque and reaches "cruising speed" within a few seconds at most. This is one I really want to get to review and Mr. Lucchetti was more than willing to accommodate.

The price was circa 7500 Euros. I'm betting this will sound really good and it sure will be fun.

COMMENTS
Paul Boudreau's picture
Submitted by Paul Boudreau on Sat, 2013-05-11 15:52

Reminds me of my early '70s Lenco 'table (still sitting in the bedroom), although the idler wheel is perpendicular to the platter rather than parallel.

Mendo's picture
Submitted by Mendo on Sat, 2013-05-11 16:40

I still have a fondness for idler wheel tables. When I got back from college in the mid 90s, after Fremer had sucked me into his wormhole, I hooked up my dad's old Elac. It had a crazy driving rythmic ability that my belt drive table just didn't. It seemed the music was much more propulsive, like the amp had more power, or like a 12" 45 can. Nice to see somebody making one again.

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