NEXT-STEP DECKS FOR SERIOUS HI-FI

Rega, Pro-ject, Clearaudio and more...

You don’t need to spend a grand on a turntable to be serious about hi-fi, nor do you need to be serious in order to splash some cash; but either way there’s no denying that these are four serious pieces of kit.

Our round-up begins just below the four-figure mark with one of the most attractive-looking decks we’ve had in our listening rooms for some time. Taking inspiration from decks of the 1960s and ’70s, Pro-ject’s The Classic is a gorgeous traditional-looking design, a combination of wood and brushed metal whose task is to sound nearly as good as it looks.

Its work is cut out, however, when compared with Clearaudio’s Concept. You have to go back to 2013 to find the last time Clearaudio didn’t take home a What Hi-fi? Award at this price – and we’re no less enamoured of the Concept’s insight and musicality today.

Plain sailing?

Detail and precision, though, are watchwords too for the next in line: Edwards Audio’s TT2SE. When we tested it with a Goldring 1042 cartridge, the partnership worked a treat. All plain sailing? You’ll have to read the review, but it’s fair to say you’ll want to audition one of these for yourself.

Then we reach the £1400 Rega Planar 6/Ania. Rega is another company that has dominated the affordable turntable market in recent years, and we can’t pretend we didn’t enjoy finding out whether the same could be said at this price point. Whichever end of this round-up you set your budget, it’s a lot of money to spend on one component. You’ll lose nothing with a little due diligence before you hit the shops.