In our series showcasing high-end hi-fi to die for, Paul Rigby encounters the Thalie turntable – a precision-tooled marvel with only four rotating mechanical parts. This high-end machine will set you back a whopping £45,000 and is available here.
Designed and built in France, this remarkable turntable is not only very heavy (it arrives at a hernia-inducing 80kg) but also rather gorgeous. The great thing about the Thalie is how little of the design actually moves. With a reassuringly solid granite pedestal providing the platform, there are only four rotating mechanical parts: the motor, the pulley, the tray on its axis and the bearing, and each of them is precision machined. This reduction in mechanical parts results in an attractive simplicity, speed stability, valuable reliability – and, Jadis claims, “perfect sound reproduction”.
1. Get Your Freq On
Thanks to the synchronous motor, no electronic speed control is required. Control is completely mechanical and is regulated by the electrical network frequency, which helps stability.
2. Granite Slab
The turntable’s pedestal is formed from granite – so there’s 50kg right there, while the platter is 20kg.
3. Fine Tuned
Parts machining is particularly fine in tolerance terms, being reduced to around one micron – the same dimensions as a vinyl record’s grooves.