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Turntables — Wave Kinetics NVS Reference Jonathan Tinn Memorial Edition
Description, images, technical data and specifications
Wave Kinetics NVS Reference Jonathan Tinn Memorial Edition
Image source - (c) Wave Kinetics
The NVS Reference Jonathan Tinn Memorial Edition is a black version of the Wave Kinetics NVS Reference direct-drive turntable, dedicated to the memory of Jonathan Tinn. Tinn, of Blue Light Audio, the importer of darTZeel electronics and a partner in Playback Designs, proposed the turntable to Matt Schuster of Wave Kinetics, a Stanford graduate in applied mathematics and engineering. Apart from the black finish, the Memorial Edition is essentially the standard model.
Key specs that matter
Speeds are 33 1/3 and 45 rpm, with direct drive and a laboratory-grade motor control system holding speed accuracy to one part in 1,000. The high-inertia platter combines aluminium with a mass-loaded polymer. The body, the three support pillars and the platform are machined from solid aluminium billets on five-axis CNC machines to a tolerance of 0.025 mm. The pillars contain a tuned suspension with custom viscoelastic dampers, and the platform holds proprietary damping material. Two stainless steel armboards of about 8 kg each take two tonearms. The controller is a separate brushed aluminium box with two Ethernet communication ports.
Engineering and use context
Driving the platter directly removes belt stretch but calls for precise speed control, since a poorly tuned servo can overshoot and undershoot and create speed jitter. Schuster designed the control system to prevent this, and every unit is tuned individually using a model with 17 degrees of freedom. The heavy platter adds rotational stability that smooths any remaining corrections, and its mass-loaded polymer surface is the interface with the record. The structure is built from monolithic parts machined from solid metal, with fewer joints and connectors that could rattle or pass on vibration. The suspension in the pillars attenuates floor vibration such as footfall, while the internal damping deals with airborne vibration and noise from the motor and drive train. The turntable is built in a California factory that specialises in microrobotics. Because the controller is a separate unit, its electronics can stay well away from the arm and cartridge.
Pairing
The NVS Reference accepts two tonearms of the owner's choice.
Alternatives
The standard Wave Kinetics NVS Reference is the silver version of the same turntable.
Key specs that matter
Speeds are 33 1/3 and 45 rpm, with direct drive and a laboratory-grade motor control system holding speed accuracy to one part in 1,000. The high-inertia platter combines aluminium with a mass-loaded polymer. The body, the three support pillars and the platform are machined from solid aluminium billets on five-axis CNC machines to a tolerance of 0.025 mm. The pillars contain a tuned suspension with custom viscoelastic dampers, and the platform holds proprietary damping material. Two stainless steel armboards of about 8 kg each take two tonearms. The controller is a separate brushed aluminium box with two Ethernet communication ports.
Engineering and use context
Driving the platter directly removes belt stretch but calls for precise speed control, since a poorly tuned servo can overshoot and undershoot and create speed jitter. Schuster designed the control system to prevent this, and every unit is tuned individually using a model with 17 degrees of freedom. The heavy platter adds rotational stability that smooths any remaining corrections, and its mass-loaded polymer surface is the interface with the record. The structure is built from monolithic parts machined from solid metal, with fewer joints and connectors that could rattle or pass on vibration. The suspension in the pillars attenuates floor vibration such as footfall, while the internal damping deals with airborne vibration and noise from the motor and drive train. The turntable is built in a California factory that specialises in microrobotics. Because the controller is a separate unit, its electronics can stay well away from the arm and cartridge.
Pairing
The NVS Reference accepts two tonearms of the owner's choice.
Alternatives
The standard Wave Kinetics NVS Reference is the silver version of the same turntable.
Specifications
Model name
NVS Reference Jonathan Tinn Memorial Edition
Speed
N/A
Drive
Direct-drive
Suspension
Floating
Tonearm preinstalled
N/A
Tonearm model
N/A
Cartridge preinstalled
N/A
Cartridge model
N/A
Platter
aluminum and mass loaded polymer
Motor
N/A
Wow and Flutter (%)
N/A
Signal to Noise (dB)
N/A
Rumble (-dB)
N/A
Dimensions (mm)
N/A
Weight (kg)
N/A
Official link