Turntables — TechDAS Air Force IV

The Air Force IV is a turntable from the Japanese company TechDAS, pairing an air-bearing platter and vacuum record hold-down with a one-piece aluminium chassis. In the UK it launched at GBP 19,998.

Key specs that matter

Playback speeds are 33.3 and 45 rpm, and TechDAS gives a wow and flutter figure under 0.03 percent. The main unit measures 420.5 mm wide, 168 mm high and 368 mm deep, and TechDAS asks for at least 521 x 418 mm of shelf area. Total weight is 34.4 kg, of which the chassis accounts for 21.5 kg, the platter 8.7 kg and the external motor unit 4.1 kg. A separate power supply measures 350 x 160 x 270 mm, weighs 9 kg, draws 50 W and needs a footprint of 350 x 330 mm. Up to three tonearms can be fitted, and one arm base, for either the rear right or front right position, is included, with extra bases sold separately.

Engineering and use context

The chassis is machined in one piece from solid A5052 alloy, finished in satin silver anodizing, and the platter is machined from A5056 alloy. The external motor housing, also A5052, holds a 2-phase, 4-pole AC synchronous motor, kept apart from the main chassis to limit vibration. Speed is governed by a digital rotational control system that feeds the motor through a power amplifier. A double-side polished polyester fabric flat belt, 4 mm wide like the belts of the larger Air Force models, links motor and platter. The platter runs on an air bearing, and a vacuum hold-down system clamps the LP to it during play. Four suspension feet with damping materials add a further stage of isolation. A platter cover comes in the box. The model reuses the air bearing and vacuum clamping principles of the more expensive decks in a much smaller footprint than the 680 x 480 mm that the Air Force One Premium turntable requires, so it fits racks that the larger Air Force decks would overhang.

Pairing

Three arm positions on a deck of this size allow a main arm plus a second arm for mono records or a different cartridge type. The motor unit and the power supply sit beside the main chassis, so the shelf needs room for all three boxes, and a solid, level support is needed for the whole assembly.

Alternatives

The TechDAS Air Force V Premium is another model from the same air-bearing range, with a narrower 312 mm main unit and a chassis cut from one solid aluminium billet.