Audio File
May 1, 2008
GOLDMUND REFERENCE II TURNTABLE
Reports of the record player’s demise have been grossly
exaggerated; the humble vinyl record survives even as ultra-high-tech
challengers DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD (SACD) have withered and died. Most
serious audio enthusiasts still consider the record the ultimate in sound
quality. One might conclude, then, that the ultimate record player would produce
the finest recorded sound mankind has ever heard.
Audiophiles will argue forever about which record player is best, but Goldmund’s $275,000 Reference II surely ranks among the contenders. Manufactured in a limited run of 25, at a rate of five per year, the Reference II is a masterpiece only a handful of people will ever have the pleasure of hearing in their homes. Add the available tonearm and photo stage to the package, and you’re out the door for around $375,000.
A glance at the Reference II’s specifications sheet might leave one wondering what sort of seismic event would make the player’s needle jump a groove. The supporting table alone weighs more than 550 pounds. The platter on which the record sits weighs 44 pounds, and is crafted from alternating layers of acrylic and brass in order to cancel out what minuscule resonances might arise.
The audio signal produced by a phonograph cartridge is vanishingly weak and highly susceptible to interference. Goldmund eliminates this problem with its optional tonearm, which converts the signal to digital right inside the headshell holding the cartridge and needle. All necessary equalization is performed digitally, rather than through a separate phono preamplifier. The Reference II provides both analog and digital outputs; vinyl enthusiasts who prefer an all-analog approach to Goldmund’s advanced technology can use other tonearms and cartridges if they desire.
Touch-sensitive controls set into the top of the support table select rotational speeds of 33, 45 or 78 revolutions per minute, as well as lower and raise the Goldmund tonearm. These functions may also be controlled remotely. Even the vertical tracking angle—the most critical of adjustments for a record player—can be fine-tuned by remote control, in increments of 1/10th of a millimeter.
Each Reference II is installed and calibrated by a team of Goldmund engineers—who, one expects, must possess both impressive technical acumen and considerable physical strength.
Goldmund, 888.465.3001, www.goldmund.com
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