The steady rise in sales of vinyl records over the past few years has also meant an increase in production of turntables to spin them on. There are plenty of budget models to get new enthusiasts started, but Denon's latest model is for those looking to up their game.
Denon released its first direct-drive turntable to broadcast studios way back in 1970, and says that the DP-3000NE turntable "takes advantage of the highest quality components to deliver the most accurate playback possible."
The high-density wood cabinet finished in ebony veneer is seated on adjustable insulator feet to prevent external resonance from spoiling the vinyl party. Inside is the system's brushless direct-drive motor that supports playback speeds of 33, 45 and 78 rpm, while the control board makes use of an algorithm to reduce torque variations or vibrations during play.
A Technics-like S-shaped tonearm has 9 mm of height adjustment for a precise vertical tracking angle, along with counterweight and anti-skating tweaking. The aluminum headshell can accommodate either moving-magnet or moving-coil cartridges (the turntable will not ship with a cartridge). And placement of the stylus in the grooves of the disc spinning on the die-cast aluminum platter is undertaken manually.
The turntable certainly shouts premium build, which will hopefully be matched by a premium listening experience. It lacks its own phono pre-amp though, so listeners will need to ensure that their hi-fi amplifier includes one or purchase an external unit to bridge the gap.
Due for release from next month, the DP-3000NE turntable is priced at US$2,499, including a removable dust cover, platter mat, RCA cable with ground and various setup tools.
Product page: Denon DP-3000NE
