Suggested retail price – $499 ex sales tax; €499/£350 inc VAT — Available now
After successfully stimulating the resurgence of affordable hi-fi in recent years, Cambridge Audio has now introduced a turntable to complement its range. The TT50 has been developed in partnership with respected turntable manufacturer Pro-Ject using some key Cambridge Audio innovations to produce outstanding vinyl reproduction at the price. The TT50 will set any record collection free.
Key features
- Proprietary arm with non-contact magnetic anti-skate
- Elastomer coated acrylic platter gives an acoustic impedance matched to the record for maximum detail retrieval coupled to extremely low resonance
- Mass loaded sub-platter provides both speed stability and inertia for tracing ability and deep bass retrieval
- Classic Audio Technica AT95E Moving Magnet cartridge
- Head shell and arm cast as one
- Isolated motor floats freely minimizing vibration
- Adjustable drive pulley for 33rpm and 45rpm
- High quality gold-plated phono/RCA connections allow choice of interconnect cable
- Isolation feet reduce susceptibility to vibration
- Ground wire and power supply provided
- Supplied with Perspex lid
- Fully factory set up and ready to use from the box
The foundation of the TT50’s excellence is its elastomer coated acrylic platter. Developed at Cambridge Audio’s research and development headquarters, this design carefully controls resonance and provides matched acoustic impedance to the vinyl record for maximum detail retrieval. The elastomer paint also allows the platter to ‘grip’ the weighted sub platter which provides the necessary inertia to both provide rock solid timing and act against the forces at the stylus/record interface for retrieval of deep bass. As the platter has an elastomer coating there is no need for the more common felt mat and so any unnecessary influence is reduced.
Cambridge Audio’s proprietary arm and head shell are cast as one piece of precision aluminium, intrinsically reducing resonance with fewer parts involved. The fitted Audio Technica AT95E is a classic design high-specification half-inch mount moving magnet cartridge chosen by Cambridge Audio after extended auditioning as it offers a synergistic clear, dynamic and richly balanced sound.
The TT50 benefits from a magnetic anti-skating bias adjustment which applies a non-contact force to the arm counteracting the natural force applied by the record as the stylus is forced towards the centre of the spiraling groove. Anti-skate also ensures that the average pressure on both sides of the stylus is equal ensuring best stereo separation and tracking ability.
The one speed motor is optimized for both 33 and 45rpm respectively by moving the belt between two pulleys. The motor is isolated to float freely, minimizing vibration as well as producing a more coherent sound.
High quality gold phono/RCA connections are used in the TT50 for the best possible signal transfer and to allow choice of interconnect, without the usual compromised captive arm lead.
The TT50’s chassis is made from MDF with a high gloss finish applied and affords control of noise and resonance, something which is further underpinned by the simple but effective acoustic isolation feet. The TT50 is designed to work with Cambridge Audio’s existing range of products including amplifiers and well regarded phono stages such as the Azur 640P but of course other phono stages and cartridges can be used and the manual gives full details on cartridge replacement, alignment and set-up and includes a protractor to make this process relatively simple. All this gives a firm basis for outstanding playback from a treasured but perhaps underused LP collection!
