Analog Gear News

There’s nothing like looking at aspirational gear during the holidays, and we just came upon a cool new turntable that’s sure to turn some heads — and maybe (well, eventually) even some ears too. Feast your eyes upon RYTM, a minimalist, sleek prototype turntable courtesy of Jorge Paez, an industrial designer who clearly knows what we like to see in high-end ’tables.

According to Paez, who says he has a “professional daydreamer’s” perspective on things, “RYTM is a contemporary interpretation of the classic record player, seamlessly blending rhythm and architecture into a modern design.” Inspired by the “harmony of music and the precision of architecture,” Paez adds, “RYTM features a unique vertical slat arrangement that uniformly integrates user controls from the tonearm to the power switch, embodying cutting-edge engineering within a visually engaging form.”

More specifically, Paez cites the 1957 Braun SK4/1 turntable that was designed by Hans Gugelot and Dieter Rams as the chief inspiration for the look and feel of the RYTM. (Its parent model, the 1956 SK4 version, is shown above and below.) According to Braun (and keeping in mind the diction context of their German-to-English translation phraseology here), that particular ’table was “a real innovation in a by-huge radiogramophones-dominated market. This was a new-style radio-phono-combination designed by Hans Gugelot and young Dieter Rams, who added the Perspex hood.” That hood was said to have reminded Gugelot of the fairy tale about Snow White — hence, the SK4 ’table’s notable creepy/catchy nickname, “Snow White’s Coffin.”

Interestingly, Braun makes the following comment regarding the SK4’s nickname — “We will not know whether this was a derogative title given by Hans Gugelot” — but the conclusion they add right after that thought is very much on the money: “This stylistic design was a groundbreaking interpretation of design for the future.” In the creation-credits department, Braun also clarifies that, in addition to Gugelot and Rams, Wilhelm Wagenfeld also participated in the SK4’s development.

At any rate, if you’re interested in seeing this specific important piece of audio history for yourself, we’re told you can check out that Braun ’table firsthand at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

Back to the RYTM turntable. As you can see in the photos of the RYTM that we’re showing here, Paez has chosen to “disguise” such standard turntable elements like the tonearm, power dial, and speed selection in his design choices. Look at those vertical slats above more closely, and you should be able to spot where the tonearm sits (and ultimately rises out of, come playback time). Continue to pan right of that arm, and you should then also spy the on/off button, volume controls, and playback speed selector (33 1/3 and 45rpm).

The mostly gray RYTM turntable does sport a splash of color — i.e., the red in the on/off switch, and the red in the tonearm’s counterweight. Other features of Paez’s sleek RYTM ’table include a black platter and a single-cord power connector.

While there are no hardcore specs to share about the RYTM since it is, after all, an aspirational prototype turntable for the time being, Paez does make mention of further inspirations for it overall look and feel — namely, a) the Stripes, Rhythm, Direction: Exhibit and graphic design by Stockholm Design Lab for Nordiska museet, b) the Hermès exhibit from Milan Design Week 2022, and c) the lines/colors of the Messe Frankfurt cargo center. (You can see all of those inspirations right here, once your scroll down to the “Process” section.)

There is currently no SRP for the RYTM turntable, of course, but if you reach out to Paez directly (just follow the link below) and encourage him to find the right manufacturing partner to assist in getting it into production — and maybe said partner-pitch could even come from your company, o fellow professional audiophiles! — then our collective holiday wishes might just be able to come true.

For more about the RYTM, Paez, and his overall design philosophy, go here.