[simoon]

Has anyone seen this yet?

It is an entry level TT on KickStarter. Kind of a cool concept using KickStarter.


http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/uturnaudio/the-orbit-turntable-0

http://www.facebook.com/uturnvinyl

[orthobiz]

Appreciate the link. It looks cool as heck!

Paul

[sts9fan]

Looks cool but I bet your money will be better spent on the used market.

[simoon]

Looks cool but I bet your money will be better spent on the used market.

It wouldn't be for me. I have a couple of high end TT's already.

I agree on the used market being a better choice.

I just thought it was a cool concept to share. I like that they seem to be attempting to do something that looks like it should outperform its $150 price tag. 

[orthobiz]

It's a great concept. Some of the KickStarter promotions hint at what the retail cost will eventually be, making you believe that by being an early support you are getting "a deal." I didn't see that on the web page or in the video.

The ProJect turntables have crept up from 300 bucks to 400 bucks of late, as has the Rega entry level. So 150 as a price point is excellent. And it sure looks WAY better than a faux-vintage Crosley!! And they correctly mention not including the USB. A pure playback instrument for the common (wo)man.

So, my take on it is not whether one could find a better value at 150. Mine is that someone is trying to offer a mass-produced product at a true entry level price that may not ruin the records. Many people are put off by buying used because they worry about setup, reliability, etc.

Be interesting if the designers were related peripherally to some audio giant in the background. Would love to hear more of the backstory.

Paul

[TheChairGuy]

I think they'll have to sell consumer direct to get $150 retail.  if thru any type of dealer network, I'd assume a higher price point for a US made table.

25 years in consumer products.....just an inkling of an idea of pricing

I agree that used may be a better way to go...there are some 70/80's beauties from Japan that will likely do better for this kinda' spread.

John

[roscoeiii]

That you might be able to get a better table used is perhaps besides the point. Look at the competition in the new turntable market compared to this table.

Older tables may be in need of a good deal of work, and not everyone is comfortable buying used. Or located somewhere that used table are available.

Here's hoping these end up sounding great, and provide an entry point into the audiophile world for some folks on limited budgets.

Also nice to see an audio related project up on Kickstarter. Already 1/4 of the way to their goal too...

[TheChairGuy]

That you might be able to get a better table used is perhaps besides the point. Look at the competition in the new turntable market compared to this table.

Older tables may be in need of a good deal of work, and not everyone is comfortable buying used. Or located somewhere that used table are available.

Here's hoping these end up sounding great, and provide an entry point into the audiophile world for some folks on limited budgets.

Also nice to see an audio related project up on Kickstarter. Already 1/4 of the way to their goal too...

I'm pulling for these guys, as well.  However, unless the sell direct and have a good budget to get the word out (unless one of them or a friend that will work for free is a marketing maven and can get them lotsa' free press that matters) I don't think this machine will be $150.00

It'll be at least $200 if they have a dealer network of any kind.  That they are using Kickstarter means that these guys don't have the smallish seed money themselves to do it so there are investors to pay off.  Not the makings of a business selling ultra chic turntable to a still small market of would be turntable buyers.

I was in Urban Outfitters (Urban Outfitters!!) they had not only an expanded selection of records over what I saw 6 months ago, but a $260 TDK turntable now, too: http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=24873515

There are (new) Music Hall and Audio-Technica tables for $249 out there already.

Don't want to dash water on these lads, but all is not wine and roses from here......

[wushuliu]

Don't want to dash water on these lads, but all is not wine and roses from here......

To be fair, based on their spiel at the bottom of the site they seem well aware that it will be an uphill climb.
Also internet direct would actually be very smart. They're not going for the fuddy duddy Stereophile crowd I'm betting, they're aiming for younger folks who are plugged in 24/7 and for whom there are many ways to reach. They need facebook more than a dealer network. Frankly they're selling the TT for what Pro-ject should be selling theirs. The entry level Project, Music Halls, etc. are way overpriced IMO.

[Letitroll98]

Has anyone seen this yet?

Yes, Barry_NJ posted about it in November.
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=111904.0

I'm a little worried about spindle bearing quality at this price point, could make the sound a bit vague and dull, but otherwise I like the design.  The inverted spindle bearing is prolly the best way to go if you are going cheap, and uni-pivot is the best way to make a cheap arm in my view, Harry Westfield disagrees with me about the arm.  He thinks Gimbals are better if you have to go cheap.  It could be a giant killer, but then the price will go to $350. 

Here's the company website:
http://www.uturnaudio.com/#

[mix4fix]

Seems interesting. A Pro-ject Debut clone at a cheaper price point.

[sts9fan]

The tone arm looks to be a tin foil straw.

[roscoeiii]

Over halfway to their goal. With this much time left that is really good in the Kickstarter world.

[Scottdazzle]

Thanks for sharing the link. It's a really cool looking table that's bound to appeal to a lot of the young people I see at used record stores.  I bet it sounds better than a $150 cd player in a modest system.

The unipivot arm, inverted platter bearing, and manual belt speed change remind me of VPI.  They picked their inspirations well.  I hope they succeed  and sell lots of tables to a new generation of vinyl music lovers. 

[mix4fix]

.

Still need to talk VPI with you, but it sounds like new speakers are on the front burner.

[Scottdazzle]

I thought you had new-ish speakers??

[cindy_leigh]

This doesn't look to me like anything near a Debut clone.  It looks more like it's aimed at a level occupied by Pro-Ject's little-known "Essential", and perhaps not quite even at that level, given the looks of its tonearm.  If they had to work with dealer markup, they'd be getting pretty close to the Essential's price tag, and then probably not being nearly as attractive as they might be at $150.  One thing about the attractive price, though...it's false economy if it turns out to be nothing more than a barely-adequate entry point that leads to an upgrade soon after.

[Letitroll98]

And also remember there is a small risk here, the $150 does not purchase a turntable.  The $150 is an investment in this Kickstarter project, with the benefit that if they do get it off the ground you'll get a turntable, in May, if all goes well.

They look like they're doing well with the funding.  They have what looks on the surface a good business plan, albeit very few details of that plan are listed on the website, and the product looks inviting.  The risk is small, $150, and the table will be selling retail for way more than that, even direct.  So it may be a good investment even if you have no need for the table, you might be able to sell it for a small profit, perhaps double your investment.  And you can call yourself a Venture Capitalist.

Steve Guttenberg wrote a short blurb about it, from Steve's article, a few details.  The table "features a Hertig-designed, ultra-low-friction uni-pivot arm (similar to the type of arm on [his] $2,700 VPI Classic turntable).  I don't know of another turntable anywhere near the price of the Orbit with a uni-pivot tonearm. The Orbit's plinth/base is CNC machined out of medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and the base rests on specially designed styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) feet, to prevent external vibrations from affecting the sound."

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-57560453-47/a-made-in-the-u.s-audiophile-grade-turntable-for-$150/ 

[TheChairGuy]

Thanks for sharing the link. It's a really cool looking table that's bound to appeal to a lot of the young people I see at used record stores.  I bet it sounds better than a $150 cd player in a modest system.

Personally, I think the equation has now flipped.....and equivalently priced CD/DVD player will sound better at $150 than any turntable will. Digital has come that far and at such modest price points today - surprising the heck out of me

It's only in higher price points (maybe above $1000 today), where manufacturers can incorporate feedback and vibration electronic and mechanical aids, where vinyl begins to pull away from digital. That's deck and arm only at $1000...cartridge and any phono equalization extra.

I'm the Moderator for Vinyl Circle so I know this sounds like heresy to read...but my honest opinion on the matter.  I've heard pretty great digital players for as low as $49....and now you can keep your music in hard drives in your computer and buy decent USB DAC's running right to your system for $249 (I have the Audioquest DragonFly and it is terrific)...makes beating digital a harder task.

When you have it all set up right and fair amounts of money sunk into vinyl playback - it gives goosebumps that digital can never.  But, that point requires higher spending than I ever thought possible versus digital playback.

My opinion on all - of course - not everyone need agree.

ps - I'm 49yo and may have the inevitable decline in high frequency hearing endemic with getting older.  So, I may now no longer hear the better and more extended treble that vinyl is capable of anymore. 

Cheers, John

[roscoeiii]

We will have to await the reviews. And it will get reviewed since they got the necessary Kickstarter funding. Discussions of whether it will better digital at this price point, or whether better options can be had used for a TT at this price point, while appropriate in audio forums like this, seem to be missing the larger importance of this table. It is to allow folks on a budget to get a taste of vinyl done fairly well (the belt drive and unipivot arm bode well if well-executed). Buyers get a taste of the vinyl sound and thru the advertising for this table, maybe get cued into some design features on a turntable that matter.

I see this turntable, the above-mentioned Audioquest Dragonfly and the headphone world as superb and quite likely entry points to audiophile concerns. Because now we are talking PlayStation, car stereo, Blu-ray player price ranges. If younger folks on limited incomes don't start gravitating towards these things, then commence hand wringing about the state of the audio industry.