15.10.2025 The Humility Test: the Pursuit of Sonic Truth
“Be Humble” like Kendrick Lamar In a world where the “Reference” moniker is widely misused, the only true benchmark remains unbiased external verification. Three months ago, I made the decision to submit the flagship BennyAudio construction, the Odyssey turntable, to the most brutal test a manufacturer can face: a head-to-head confrontation with two highly respected, […]
08.06.2025 The Myth of the Mysterious Turntable: Why Simplicity Is Mistaken for Complexity
Turntables are often portrayed as enigmatic, fragile devices—finicky machines that demand black-belt level setup skills and arcane knowledge just to play a record. It’s an image that has somehow stuck, even in today’s world of ultra-precise engineering and accessible measurement tools. But let’s be clear: a turntable is not complicated. It’s a mechanical system with […]
01.01.2025 A Turntable Is Not Just a Decoration (part 3)
Continuing the discussion of turntables. Let’s also recall the other key aspects: Size In some circles, “size matters,” of course 😉 But seriously, none of us has infinite shelf space, so both BennyAudio turntables have been designed with a minimal footprint. The tonearm does extend beyond the main outline of the plinth, but it doesn’t […]
18.12.2024 A Turntable Is Not Just a Decoration (part 2)
Continuing the idea that a turntable should be viewed primarily as a piece of functional audio gear, rather than a work of art meant to dazzle in an audio setup, it’s time to wrap up the discussion on installation and configuration. The Tonearm This is a crucial part of any turntable. In the “analog religion,” […]
04.12.2024 Turntables—They’re Not Just for Show
A turntable isn’t just a cool piece of audio gear; you’ve actually gotta power it up and live with it, hopefully for a long, happy relationship. And let’s face it, certain practical features can matter even more than looks. Personally, I value few things:Ease of setup, Footprint, Weight, User-friendliness, Longevity 1. Ease of Setup A […]
20.11.2024 Turntable – Everyday Appliance Or A Work Of Art?
Is a turntable still an everyday appliance, or has it become a work of art? You might ask: why bother with this “retro gadget” when we’ve got streaming, smart speakers, and a million sounds in our pocket? On the other hand—don’t we all like owning something that isn’t just another mass-produced piece of junk? When […]
02.10.2024 How to Examine a Turntable Tonearm? What Can Be Tested at All?
I was interested in vibrations, so I measured the vibration levels in the vertical axis using a sensor placed at the cartridge point. What was I looking for? I was searching for the frequencies at which the largest vibrations or resonances occur. Why? I was looking into this to improve the tonearm design, aiming to […]
18.09.2024 Which Is More Important: The Tonearm or the Cartridge?
In my previous article, I focused on the construction of a phono cartridge, concentrating primarily on what I consider the most critical issue affecting cartridges—vibration. The more expensive the cartridge, the more attention is given to this issue. This is a straightforward conclusion drawn from analyzing descriptions of high-end designs. Along the way, I received […]
04.09.2024 The Art of Cartridge Vibration: It’s All About the Wobble
At the heart of a phono cartridge’s operation lies a simple yet fascinating phenomenon: electromagnetic induction, born from the vibrations of a coil relative to a magnet (in MC cartridges) or a magnet within a coil (in MM cartridges). Now, I’m not going to bore you with the basics of MM and MC cartridges—you can […]
21.08.2024 Turntable Tonearm: Necessary Evil or Salvation?
Opinions on the importance of different turntable components in achieving high-quality sound are deeply divided within the audiophile community. There is a widespread belief that the cartridge is the primary determinant of a turntable’s final sound. Some, however, subscribe to the idea that all equipment sounds the same and that the various technologies and price […]