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Not to be confused with one-time US loudspeaker brand Thiel, Germany's Thiele is a boutique turntable/tonearm manufacturer established in 2021 by Helmut Thiele. Formerly chief designer at Thorens, Thiele's own-brand debut TT01 deck and TA01 arm are now in the UK courtesy of distributor Absolute Sounds.

For its tonearm, Thiele claims a 'zero tracking error design' (of less than 0.036°) through a combination of conventional pivot and linear tracking bearing layout [similar to that of Reed's 5A tonearm - see HFN Jul '23]. Suitable for use on turntables supporting 9in/10in arms and with a 14g effective mass, the TA01's double-walled armtube uses a damping gel between its two concentric carbon fibre layers, while the headshell is further damped through the use of ebony wood. The base price is £11,500, rising to £15,000 for the TA01X With Gold/Bronze plating and additional internal damping.

Thiele's TT01 turntable, meanwhile, is priced at £23,998 with the TA01, or £26,998 with the TT01X, in anthracite finish (RAL colours are also available). Its three-section plinth uses constrained layer damping and 'different types of wood and wood composites' to limit vibrations.

The synchronous motor, drive electronics and balanced XLR output terminals are all housed in the chassis base, while the silver-coloured mid layer holds the arm mounting plate. The top plinth layer offers 33.3/45rpm speed selection and a ±5% fine-speed adjustment of the deck's belt-driven platter.

Thiele supplies the TT01/TT01X with an external linear power supply and its RM01 record mat (typically £228), and ships it in a custom flight case.

Thiele, Duisburg, Germany, 0208 971 3909; Www.Helmut-Thiele.Com