Mag Lev Audio levitating turntable

I'll wait for the Crosley version

 

That's what I'm expecting. And the reason for my sarcastic first comment about the table being ideal for an MC (or MI) cartridge.

I don't expect that you can levitate and spin and control the platter that high without there being some strong magnetic fields that extend to the top of the platter where the cartridge will be while playing a record.

This turntable looks like they're using levitation because they can and is visually impressive, not because it actually is a better turntable design or is even a good idea for a turntable. Until they explain and demonstrate otherwise, I'm going to continue to consider this turntable a joke and not as a serious turntable worthy of their projected $1400 retail price.

 

The magnetic levitation tables I described above, are fairly conventional. The platter is centered by a spindle and the drive is by a belt to a conventional motor. What is shown for the kickstarter campaign is something different. It appears to not have a spindle for centering and appears to use some form of induction drive to also spin the platter. So, drive, as well as keeping the platter centered in one spot would also be done magnetically. That is a much more comprehensive use of magnets, and I have no idea if this works out to be an advantage, and whether a stray magnetic field can possibly interfere with the cartridge, or for than matter nearby electronic gear.

Personally, I would like someone else be the guinea pig on this one.

 

It looks to be designed by people who have no idea what a record player actually has to do (from an engineering POV) but want it to look really really cool. It looks cool. But it looks like a wobbly platter, and magnetic levitation is not well damped so I'd not expect it to provide a stable platform for the needle to accurately read the record.

 

My Pro-ject Xtension10 uses a ceramic magnet ring on the bottom of the platter to lift it (a bit) off the plinth. In his review of the X10, Micheal Fermer stated that a little magnetic lift is good but full magnetic designs should be avoided because:

"I’m good with using mag-lev to reduce the full platter weight upon the thrust pad but dead set against a “floating” system because that produces a spring. When you rotate the platter, which you must to play a record (!) it’s going to bounce. Plus you eliminate the mechanical ground."

Read more at The Pro-Ject Xtension10 Turntable— More Than a "Lifestyle" Product! »

 

I'm trying to figure out what these guys need the $300,000 for? To pay for the production of that video?

 

Trans-Fi's Salvation TTs have a magnetic levitation feature that seems well thought out and can be retrofitted to his older tables. Combined with his Terminator T-3 tonearm you have a nice combo it would seem. I'm a big fan of his tonearm!
http://www.trans-fi.com/salvation.htm

 

To be fair, the price is around $800 each. The $1400 price level is for two turntables. I think it looks cool, but I'd have to see (and hear) some working models before I would even consider backing this

 

The most important thing is noisefloor and wow/flutter specs. Measured with a LOMC. Still not as fully featured a turntable as I'd require but still a nice step in the right direction I think. It's been a while since there has been a major technological step forward for analog playback.

If it sucks, I'd just go for a more modestly levitated clearaudio. Better performance, less visual flair.

 

The design would drive mad anyone who is obsessive about VTA.

John K.

 

It seems to me that this mag-lev table introduces more problems than it solves.

The problem would be that the unanchored plinth would rotate in the opposite direction to the platter (conservation of angular momentum). Like with a helicopter - without the tail rotor (or air jet equivalent) to stop it, the body of the chopper would rotate in the opposite direction to the blades...

 

Right. but with a couple more magnets you can also compensate for that.

 

The Kickstarter prices are around $800 to $900. However their claimed retail value is $1390 for the black and $1490 for the imitation wood.

 

Why introduce new problems though? That's what they seem to be doing here with this mag-lev table. Maybe they can overcome the challenges in a design such as this but I doubt it.

Now, an affordable alternative to the ELP laser turntable - that's something I could get behind

 

Stupid thought. Could magnets compensate the weight of tone arm to where you could just levitate the record without a platter?

 

Yes. It's the basic principle of UFOs flight system.

 

I've always wondered why this is so hard to master?

 

I notice that video doesn't show the process for putting an album on the platter and then levitating the platter into position. From my experience, finding that balance can be awkward and frustrating.

 

Lack of demand seems to be its greatest issue currently but perhaps it will take off one day

 

I'm pretty sure the depiction of the table in the video wasn't real--at least not the levitating part. It had the look of a special effect to me, like the area below the platter had been green screened out. This is easy to do, and with the high (yet ridiculously cheesy) production value of the video, not a stretch to think it would be in the budget. I also think most of the background is fake.

 

I'm wondering if this thing comes with a complimentary dust cover. To cater to the feline crowd of course.

 

I think it's the new edition of an old experiment: the Thomson's ring (first dem. in New York, 1887): the levitation is based on the law of Faraday, Neumann, Lenz: the base contains a coarse coil supplied with alternating current and produce alternating magnetic fields that, in a ring maybe in aluminum placed in the plate, and create induced currents and mag. fields with the same sign; so North vs North and then, after 1 /100 s , South vs. South, so that the plate, very light, is always rejected; ok the problem is run it accurately, but the electronic control of variables and surely rotating magn. fields in the base, can do it, I guess...

 

I really like the concept of anything levitating. Turntable? Ok, I'll buy that.
With that, give me a levitating chair & phone holder then I'll be impressed. The future is coming fast. Very fast.

 

I think the product itself looks good, but will probably not sound any better than other offerings at that price point, so it will be just a novelty item. After watching the video, though, I have to say that this will for sure have a great appeal in the hipster market. I mean, what a pretentious little video that is... they should rebrand the company to Hipster Audio.

 

All of that info on the page, but notice no mention of one crucial detail:
Wow and flutter.
Maybe they just forgot to post it.
Or maybe not.