The final numbers haven’t been tallied yet, but it appears vinyl record sales have once again increased over the previous year. Statistics released earlier this year from Nielsen found that at 2013’s midpoint, vinyl sales were up by approximately 34 percent.
On the hardware side of things, manufacturers such as Berkeley, Calif.-based Spiral Groove are providing playback solutions to help new and old vinyl enthusiasts find their place in analog utopia.
Spiral Groove’s new SG1.1 turntable is engineered to provide vinyl enthusiasts with a benchmark turntable that delivers the highest levels of performance and functionality. Using its Balanced Force Design approach, the made-in-USA turntable incorporates two constrained layer platforms that are separated by elastomers that mechanically decouple the two assemblies to form a dense and rigid non-resonant surface that enables the isolated mounting of the turntable’s components.
The turntable also offers electronically selectable 33 1/3 and 45rpm speed control, as well as a low-voltage/high-tourque AC synchronous motor that is decoupled from the turntable to provide quiet and stable performance. Spiral Groove explains other components built into the SG1.1 include an inverted sapphire disc/hardened steel bearing and platter assembly that is mounted to allow the platter to spin without any noise.
Spiral Groove also offers its optional Centroid tonearm, which was developed using computer modeling tools to provide low mass and high strength, along with the ability to transfer mechanical energy away from the cartridge. The tonearm mounts via a stainless steel bayonet mounting system that can be removed via button push to help facilitate cartridge mounting and tonearm alignment.
Spiral Groove says its SG1.1 turntable is available for an MSRP of $36,000 with the Centroid arm option and $30,000 without the arm.
More for vinyl lovers:
Hands On: Pro-Ject Xpression Classic Turntable
18 Amazing Audio Rooms from T.H.E. Show 2013
5 Reasons Why Vinyl Playback Still Resonates
6 Mid-Priced Turntables for Your Analog Appetite