News

AVID HiFi has launched the Acutus Dark Iron, its first new turntable in six years and the first to benefit from a pivotal integrated motor. Designed, engineered and hand built in Cambridgeshire, it replaces its predecessor, the Acutus Dark Limited Edition, and comes in a new darker ‘sparkling iron’ finish which significantly reduces the cost compared with the chrome-finish Acutus models.

The Acutus Dark Iron boasts a new motor system, which sees the motor coupled to the main chassis. The company explains that the new design maintains correct drive-belt alignment, even when the turntable is levelled using the adjustable feet, and eliminates speed-related issues.

AVID claims: “The motor system enhances operational smoothness while ensuring precise belt alignment. With a high-torque AC synchronous motor providing tenfold increase in power over competitive turntables, it delivers improved control and stability, too.”

Utilising twin round-section drive belts, AVID’s design is built to allow free suspension movement without speed fluctuations. The power supply, employing DSP technology, independently generates frequency for precise speed adjustment. Equipped with an 80VA mains transformer, it functions as an integrated amplifier tailored for the high-torque motor.

The turntable features a 10kg aluminium platter, topped with a 10mm damping disc and a TMShrunk felt-composite mat. Buyers can upgrade to AVID’s precision resin mat, enhancing vibration transfer through the grounding clamp for superior sound quality.

The platter sits upon an inverted bearing design – which lowers the centre of gravity – where a tungsten carbide ball meets a sapphire jewel in a bid to eliminate lateral movement and rumble noise. A self-lubricating sleeve is featured with a view to ensuring silent, maintenance-free operation.

The supplied single-action clamp – precision-machined from solid aluminium no less – securely flattens records onto the platter, channelling vibrations to the sub-chassis to reduce noise. AVID offers a dual-operation upgrade for greater control over varying record thicknesses, eliminating warps and air pockets.

The Acutus Dark Iron’s one-piece multi-fold aluminium casting is coated with damping media in an effort to further neutralise vibrations and ensure a linear and time-sensitive sound response. This is coupled to a suspension system designed to maintain equal tuning for perfect balance with its 2.5Hz isolation frequency preventing skipping and eliminating external vibrations.

Acutus Dark Iron buyers will additionally be able to access discounts on AVID HiFi’s range of tonearms and cartridges, plus the mat and clamp upgrade, when ordered along with the turntable.

Prices are as follows: Acutus Dark Iron: £10,000; Acutus Dark Iron with mat and clamp upgrade: £12,950; Mat upgrade alone: £3,000; Clamp upgrade alone: £500.

Available to buy now, you can find out more about the new AVID HiFi Acutus Dark Iron here.