Turntables, Arms & Cartridges

The platter, bearing and motor of the Synergy turntable clearly take their cues from the Model 10 and Model 15 [HFN Oct '15] – proven components reflected in the superb performance of this relatively compact belt-driven design. The three-phase, eight-pole motor offers user-adjustable speed control over 33.3, 45 and 78rpm and brings the 4.6kg alloy platter up to speed in a swift four seconds. As supplied, our sample was a mere –0.05% adrift in absolute speed with a low 0.015% peak wow – as evidenced by the sharp central peak in the W&F spectrum [Graph 1]. This value and the 'shape' of the spectrum is very similar indeed to that of the Model 15's and although the Synergy's peak flutter is fractionally higher at 0.035% (versus 0.030%) the shoulders at ±20Hz are necessarily at very low amplitude.

The Synergy's bearing – a 19mm chrome-steel spindle running in sintered bronze bushings – incurs a mere –71.4dB through-groove rumble, improving to –72.5dB with the record clamp in place. The deck itself proves to be quieter still with a through-bearing rumble of just –74.5dB (DIN B-weighted).

The partnering Synergy tonearm is evidently based on the Series IV [HFN Jun '10] which is less structurally complex than the V. The key section of the arm – the headshell, tapered tube, bearing yoke and counterweight rail – are all still fashioned from a single magnesium alloy die-casting. The result is an arm with an effective mass of 12g benefiting from an exceptionally simple and well-controlled resonance behaviour with a well-damped main bending mode at 140Hz and higher-Q harmonics/twisting modes at 355Hz, 440Hz, 485Hz and 668Hz. The pre-loaded bearings offer almost zero friction and no detectable play. PM