Once you've reached a certain technical level, you don't always have to reinvent yourself. But it's the innovations that keep the audience happy. That's what they thought at Acoustic Solid and finally built a "real" turntable
Now before an outcry goes through HiFi land: Karl Wirth and his people have of course been building real turntables for quite some time, really good ones in fact, and as one of the few companies always with a very fair price-performance ratio. But all these players had one thing in common: the separate installation of the motor and the drive frame. There were a few times with a corresponding cut-out in the base, but mostly with a sawed off left rear corner. This recess is reserved for the free-standing motor socket that comes as standard with Acoustic Solid, which can always be positioned quite close to the plate.
With the Ortofon Quintet Red a more than solid performance is possible
After all, the plate of the Exclusive weighs eight kilograms
Our test model has finally got this corner and the engine can finally become part of the whole and take place in or on the frame. This consists of a dampened upper stainless steel plate with a corrugated surface, which carries the three essential elements of every turntable: platter, tonearm, motor. In order to absorb the enormous weight, especially of the plate, each of these partial elements has been given a separate metal base. The plate alone, in which the plate bearing sits, weighs another six kilos. The entire construction is framed by very solid stainless steel panels, which give the whole thing the necessary framework. The eight-kilo plate rotates on a stainless steel mandrel with a ceramic ball pressed into it. The axle is pressed into the plate at the top and protrudes quite a bit at the bottom, which, with some of the flatter Acoustic Solid drives, requires very high feet because the platter bearing protrudes very far under the frame. This problem has been elegantly concealed with the full frame of the Vintage. The brass bearing bush is embedded in the disc mentioned above, which in turn is screwed to the frame from below. The ceramic ball rotates directly on the cast bearing floor - the Teflon disc that has been common for years has now been omitted. Stainless steel on gunmetal, that's the motto of the Acoustic-Solid platter bearings. The heavy motor box has been halved, so to speak, for the Vintage: The synchronous motor sits in a solid metal ring and is supplied with clean alternating current by the microprocessor control also integrated in the cover plate. The controls are identical to the separate small metal or plastic boxes that normally come with Acoustic Solid turntables. The very precisely manufactured motor pulley with a fairly large diameter drives the platter via two cast silicone belts. This promises an improvement in the coupling of the drive to the platter and thus even more stable synchronization. When it comes to feet, the Vintage also takes a different approach than the other drives: There are no spikes here, but metal feet with a thick rubber profile. The in-house WTB 213 is installed as the tonearm, an extremely pretty gimbal arm with no frills. As befits a down-to-earth company, the WTB is also made entirely of metal, with the exception of the carbon fiber tube. The support weight is traditionally adjusted via the counterweight, which turns on a fine thread. An anti-skating device is not planned, but can even be retrofitted if desired. The set for 3,500 euros is completed by the good MC system Ortofon Quintet Red. The packaging and equipment is always exemplary at Acoustic Solid: There is a stable and generously dimensioned transport box for the turntable - plus numerous compartments that contain all the accessories , along with the necessary tools and much more. In the listening test, the Vintage Exclusive had to compete against the 111 Metall, which shares some design features with the new model. And there is no clear winner in this comparison either - if at all, the 111 metal may seem a bit bonier, sound more direct, while the vintage is a touch more elegant and authentic. In terms of bass, there is a tie: both players have an extremely clearly contoured bass with a full punch, even at the bottom, the double-belt player maybe a little bit more of it. In terms of treble, the 111 is a bit more open, more direct, while the vintage would be a bit more reserved if you switch in one direction. After a while you no longer want to do without this relaxed balance of the Vintage Exclusive and initially perceive the change back to the 111 as a step in the direction of "snappy". You can play the little game a few times until you file it under "a matter of taste" - after all, factors such as pickup and adjustment are also involved. As with all Acoustic Solids, the Vintage Exclusive scores with a very balanced midrange. Both voices and instruments come across as very natural and lifelike, with the emphasis on the larynx being minimal, especially for female singers. Acoustic guitars show the handling noises and the shimmering of the strings very nicely. The choice of pickup once again proves to be the right decision: the overall appearance of the Ortofon Quintet Red appears noble and confident, and at the same time extremely stable. Of course, you can still top that, even with pickups whose unit price matches or even exceeds that of the Acoustic Solid sets. With the van den Hul Colibri Signature Stradivarius, the stainless steel turner becomes a subtle sophisticate and works details out of the groove, as one would hardly have thought capable of such a somewhat martial construct. The Vintage lays the foundation for this precision with its smooth running – in fact, the basic requirement for the small leap from a good to an excellent turntable. Of course, part of the compliment also goes to the tonearm, which is manufactured precisely enough to provide adequate guidance even for the very large pickup systems in the world. In combination, Vintage Exclusive and WTB 213 are worth every cent! in order to provide adequate guidance for the very large pickup systems in the world. In combination, Vintage Exclusive and WTB 213 are worth every cent! in order to provide adequate guidance for the very large pickup systems in the world. In combination, Vintage Exclusive and WTB 213 are worth every cent!
Conclusion
And once again, Acoustic Solid has put together an irresistible package that, in a very original retro look, leaves an extremely solid impression in terms of both feel and sound - the name says it all. 
