Turntables — J.Sikora REFERENCE ROSSO CORSA EDITION

The Reference Rosso Corsa Edition is a custom finish of the four-motor Reference turntable from J.Sikora, the Lublin company set up in 2007 by Janusz Sikora, a specialist in metallurgy, with his son Robert now in a leading role. The maker lists it on its custom page next to a Reference Giallo Corsa and a Standard Max Rosso Corsa. Rosso Corsa is the Italian racing red, and the yellow sister deck was inspired by Lamborghini cars and built on a special request from the Italian company Cinema&Sound. Under the red paint the mechanics follow the regular Reference, which in gloss black sells for about USD 48,000 in North America.

Key specs that matter

For this edition J.Sikora quotes a total mass of 108 kg against 100 kg for the catalogue Reference, with the same 560 x 560 x 380 mm footprint. The platter weighs 18 kg and is built from Delrin and cast iron. The parts list names aluminium, inox, bronze and cast iron. Four DC motors turn the platter through rubber belts at 33 or 45 rpm, and it rides on an inverted ceramic ball bearing. The deck takes one tonearm as delivered, with two further arm positions as options, and J.Sikora ships it together with its clamp, glass mat, armboard and supply unit.

Engineering and use context

Each PAPST motor is decoupled from its one-piece inox housing with silicone and held by Teflon screws, and all four answer to one controller. Their drive wheels are CNC-machined from aircraft-grade aluminium. The platter layers POM, better known as Delrin, with a ring of grey cast iron around its edge and a graphite glass plate on top, and it is balanced both dynamically and statically. In the bearing, steel hardened to 58 Rockwell carries a 4 mm zirconium ball, and the ball rests on a carbide thrust point of self-bonded type. The base is machined from PA6 aluminium. The linear supply uses four regulator stages and close to 350,000 uF of filtering, and its front displays report the mains voltage coming in and the voltage going out to the motors. J.Sikora decks are produced in Lublin at the Allmet metalworking plant.

Pairing

With up to three arm positions, owners can keep separate cartridges mounted for stereo and mono records or for different pickup types. J.Sikora offers its own 12 inch KV12 Max Zirconium Series arm, which uses a bearing made of zirconium oxide, and the deck accepts arms from other makers on dedicated boards. The high mass calls for a stand whose rated capacity comfortably exceeds it.

Alternatives

The J.Sikora Reference Giallo Corsa Edition is the same four-motor turntable finished in Lamborghini-inspired yellow.