Проигрыватели виниловых дисков — European Audio Team (EAT) E-FLAT

The E-FLAT is the third turntable from European Audio Team (EAT) and is built around a new flat tonearm design. EAT designed the arm to be ultra flat, ultra light and ultra rigid, and describes the whole deck as focused on ease of use. It is a belt-drive design with an oversized platter and a supplied mat made from recycled LP records.

Key specs that matter

The E-FLAT plays at 33 and 45 rpm, EAT quotes wow and flutter of 0.01 percent, and the signal to noise rating is 70 dB. The platter is 340 mm across and weighs 6.9 kg. The plinth measures 500 x 400 x 145 mm (W x H x D as stated by the maker), and the complete turntable weighs 18.7 kg. The finish is polished black, the plinth is made of wood and stands on levelling feet, and the UK price was GBP 4,100. The flat arm has an effective length of 254 mm, with a mounting distance of 238 mm and an overhang of 16 mm.

Engineering and use context

A pair of motors pulls the belt, and EAT says they act together like a virtual 24 pole motor. Speed is under microprocessor control, selected with illuminated buttons on the plinth. The platter rides on a Teflon lined inverted bearing with a ceramic ball, and a large record clamp is supplied. The platter diameter exceeds the usual 30 cm, and the maker states that this gives twice the moving mass of a standard 30 cm platter. Sorbothane is used for isolation and damping throughout the design, including in the magnetic feet and in the suspended bearing assembly. The arm uses a unipivot bearing, its adjustable counterweight is decoupled with Sorbothane, and it has adjustable anti-skating and a damped cueing lever. Its tube can be swapped by the owner to suit different cartridges, and EAT lists two effective mass values that depend on the tube, 19.5 g for the 4 mm version and 12.5 g for the 3 mm version. That spread lets the same arm base serve both heavier low compliance pickups and lighter high compliance designs.

Pairing

A cartridge is not listed as part of the package, so the buyer chooses one to suit the tube in use, a stiffer low compliance model for the 4 mm tube or a more compliant one for the 3 mm tube. A separate phono preamplifier is also required, as the deck has no built-in stage, and the weight of the deck calls for a stable shelf or rack.

Alternatives

The EAT Forte is a larger turntable in the same catalogue, with a platter over 20 kg, a dual motor drive and a total weight of 65 kg.