High End 2019 • Hot Product

EAT used the Forte turntable as a basis for the new and upgraded Fortissimo (€6500 without tonearm). Eschewing the sleek designs of some of its competitors, the Fortissimo takes the mass-loading route without straying down the path followed by some manufacturers where mass equates with massively ugly. The newly designed platter has twelve peripheral brass inserts and a central brass hub for increased platter weight (22kg), rotational inertia and speed stability. The oversized (400mm/16” in diameter) platter is a two-part construction incorporating both hard and soft alloys and Sorbothane damping to inhibit resonance, while opposed neodymium magnets allow users to tune the bearing load, balancing noise from the main bearing against vertical stability and mechanical grounding. The bearing is an inverted design, mounted in a massive chrome-alloy block designed to provide both stability and energy dissipation. The shaft surface is treated with Movic low-friction coating, a NASA-developed, Graphene-based material that reduces friction levels by a factor of six over the previous version. The shaft itself is tipped with a ceramic ball.

The outboard power supply for the belt-drive motor integrates gracefully with the main unit, eliminating that “all belt and suspenders” look, with the belt itself constructed from silicon string said to reduce rotational variation and "wobble."

Also shown was EAT’s new F-Note tonearm (€6990), a high-mass 'arm designed for low-compliance cartridges. The 'arm provides adjustable VTA, VTF and azimuth. Its Kardanic bearing construction uses four precision bearings in an ultra-low-friction gimbal arrangement, while a laser indicator ensures that adjustments to VTA and VTF don’t compromise cartridge alignment. Upgrades for the turntable include "your imagination is the only limit" color and finish options, each of which adds to the price. Include the F-Note tonearm and there is a price break on both 'table and 'arm: €10,500 together. Forte and Forte S ‘tables can be upgraded to Fortissimo specification for €3000 and €2000, respectively.

Finally, you can also complete your new or upgraded EAT record player with EAT’s latest cartridge. The Jo No.8 is a wood-bodied, low-output moving-coil. The bulky, curved body adds to the cartridge's substantial weight of 12.5 grams, a fashion-forward but unusual choice given a relatively high compliance rating of 15cu -- although it’s not specified whether that is a static or dynamic rating. With a boron cantilever and Shibata tip, the Jo No.8 ticks a lot of boxes, while its price of €2290 makes it far more affordable than the majority of top-flight cartridges. It will be fascinating to see both how it mates with the F-Note ‘arm and how it stacks up against the more expensive competition.