Image by Clearaudio edited by Jay @ Audio Excellence
Sometime last spring in 2017, Audio Excellence was graced with the installation of one of the best (and most expensive) turntables available today. Arthur Cuth of Plurison (the Canadian distributor) came to do the installation. The Statement arrived in two large wooden boxes. Arthur is one of two individuals authorised to handle the Statement in Canada. Several hours later, there was aural bliss.
What is it about this turntable that separates it from everything else? Everything.
No expense has been spared in the realization of the Statement. Materials such as Panzerholz (bulletproof wood) have been used liberally to elevate the performance of the Statement to the best possible. The stand incorporates a sandwich of stainless steel and bulletproof wood to be fully resonance-damped.
Link to very interesting test results of Panzerholz: https://www.lessloss.com/page.html?id=80
Image by Clearaudio edited by Jay @ Audio Excellence
The Magnetic Transmission Drive and the Axial Magen tic Platter Bearing ensure that there is only one other physical contact point besides the Goldfinger cartridge – in fact the platter “floats” spinning on a near-frictionless ceramic shaft.
The chassis of the Statement is self-levelling with a gimballed design utilizing a 95 kg damped tunable pendulum aided by the inclusion of four oil-filled dampeners. A microprocessor controls the high-speed motor drive unit which is made to such a fine tolerance that it emanates little discernible evidence that it is in fact spinning. Vibrations and resonances are kept to a absolute minimum.
Image by Clearaudio
The platter is a tapered affair made from Acrylic and POM with an integrated stainless-steel flywheel and presents the ideal interface between your vinyl and the Statement. Up to four tonearms can be accommodated and Audio Excellence’s No. 95 uses the range-topping TT1 tangential tracking tonearm and a Goldfinger low-output MC cartridge. Our Statement was the 95th made in over a decade of production and the first of the Version 2s.
Oh, and it weighs a lot – according to Arthur, 400 kg. The Statement is not an easy turntable to move once it has settled into a spot – so choose where it stands carefully. Arthur doesn’t make housecalls.
What does it sound like? Excellent in every way.
There is no weakness in the way this table sounds. Nothing is artificially enhanced or muted. There are no extraneous resonances to cause warmth or harshness. The accuracy of the drive system and the momentum of the platter result in a smoothness and pace and rhythm that is beguiling. The bass is authoritative.
If it is on the vinyl – you will hear and connect to the performance in a way you have never experienced. For those of you who have not been able to visit Audio Excellence, here’s a teaser!
