Проигрыватели виниловых дисков — J.Sikora Aspire

The Aspire is the new entry model in the turntable catalogue of J.Sikora, a company from Lublin, Poland. It was shown first at Axpona 2025 in Chicago and then presented in Europe at High End Munich, and the maker says it brings design ideas and technology from its costlier decks to a lower price. At launch the deck alone was listed at EUR 5,900, the set with the Aspire tonearm and basic power supply at EUR 7,500, and a set with the KV9 arm and a linear power supply at EUR 9,800.

Key specs that matter

Drive comes from one DC motor through a rubber belt, and push buttons select 33 or 45 rpm. The 4 kg platter is Delrin, carried by a ceramic ball bearing of inverted type. Aluminium, stainless steel and cast iron make up the construction. Total weight is 21 kg and the footprint is 430 x 350 x 180 mm. Buyers can choose silver, black or white, and the plinth takes a single tonearm.

Engineering and use context

J.Sikora machines the main chassis on CNC equipment from solid PA6 aluminium, and the bearing is mounted on a cast iron base about 1 cm thick. The pulley is also CNC machined. J.Sikora names speed stability and isolation from external resonances as the design goals of the Aspire. Speed control uses the same controller as the higher J.Sikora models, and the motor supply sits in its own external case. Isolation comes from adjustable steel cones resting on ceramic balls, which in turn sit on aluminium pads with silicone feet, and one-piece cones with rounded tips are offered as an option. A stainless steel record clamp in a smaller format is included. The Aspire tonearm offered with the deck is an oil damped unipivot with a conical carbon fibre tube and a body of aluminium, brass and stainless steel. It weighs 160 g, has an effective mass of 11.2 g, an effective length of 228.6 mm and a mounting distance of 212 mm, carries copper internal wiring, and allows VTA and azimuth adjustment.

Pairing

Because the deck alone is sold without an arm, the single arm position can take a tonearm the buyer already owns, while the packaged versions arrive with the Aspire or KV9 arm fitted. The turntable delivers an unamplified cartridge signal, so it has to be connected through a phono stage, either a standalone unit or one built into the amplifier, before reaching line level components.

Alternatives

J.Sikora also makes the Initial, a 28 kg single motor belt drive turntable with a 4 kg Delrin platter, an armboard for one tonearm and a 440 x 330 x 160 mm footprint.