The New Acoustical System A*STELLAR turntable

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike, did you consider this table when deciding to add a new TT to your collection?

i was not in the market for a turntable when i got some listening feedback on the Esoteric, which got my attention. then that caused me to contemplate the moves i would have to make to buy it.

if i would have had some listening feedback on the Astella, maybe it might have been a strong consideration. but the Esoteric touched all the bases for me; i liked the drive system, and the three arm option. the listening feedback was over-the-top.

the Astella is the same general price point as the Esoteric. i see a number of newly introduced tt's, all good alternatives. unless one has these together in front of you hard to pick out one only. the Nagra was too spendy, and only one captive arm. same only one captive arm with the new SME. those were not even a thought. if i did not already have a significant investment in arms and cartridges i might have seen that differently.

maybe down the road we will have more comparative feedback. i still don't have the full measure of the Esoteric, but am really enjoying it.

 

[Johan K]

Dear Mike,

Have you ever consider any of the 3 top models from Acoustic Signature?

Invictus Neo - (4 arms)
Invictus jr Neo - (4 arms)
Ascona Neo - (3 arms)

/ Jk

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Dear Mike,

Have you ever consider any of the 3 top models from Acoustic Signature?

Invictus Neo - (4 arms)
Invictus jr Neo - (4 arms)
Ascona Neo - (3 arms)

/ Jk

i've had on line lust for the Invictus Jr. Neo. looks like the real deal. but never pursued it. there are a few others like that where you just know it's pretty darn good. such as the Basis Transcendence, or the De Baer Topas 12/12.

no shortage of good choices.

those are all belt drives. as is the Astella. and the Nagra, and the SME. the magnetic rim idler drive and magnetic bearing of the Esoteric got my attention. it goes it's own way.

maybe the right way? we will see.

 

[Johan K]

i've had on line lust for the Invictus Jr. Neo. looks like the real deal. but never pursued it. there are a few others like that where you just know it's pretty darn good. such as the Basis Transcendence, or the De Baer Topas 12/12.

no shortage of good choices.

those are all belt drives. as is the Astella. the magnetic rim idler drive and magnetic bearing of the Esoteric got my attention. it goes it's own way.

maybe the right way? we will see.

Sounds good to me. Thank you your thoughts and reflections. Yes I think at that level all tables are good, no question about that. I think it has to do with personal taste of the design, looks and features, which brand and model one favour the most.
After all - the turntable one chooses - is the one you have to live with in the audio room. So in my opinion, it has to be some eye candy for one self - otherwise I think it will be boring in the end - which in turn make a psychologic negative effect on the sonic reproduction (even if it’s good) if you now what I mean.

I think it’s very important that the hifi equipment looks good for ones personal taste. I feel the sonics improves psychologically if the gears look good.
Like when eating a nice meal - if it looks good on the plate - it taste better.

In your case… I think you made a good choice, because the Esoteric looks amazingly good .

/ Jk

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Sounds good to me. Thank you your thoughts and reflections. Yes I think at that level all tables are good, no question about that. I think it has to do with personal taste of the design, looks and features, which brand and model one favour the most.
After all - the turntable one chooses - is the one you have to live with in the audio room. So in my opinion, it has to be some eye candy for one self - otherwise I think it will be boring in the end - which in turn make a psychologic negative effect on the sonic reproduction (even if it’s good) if you now what I mean.

I think it’s very important that the hifi equipment looks good for ones personal taste. I feel the sonics improves psychologically if the gears look good.
Like when eating a nice meal - if it looks good on the plate - it taste better.

In your case… I think you made a good choice, because the Esoteric looks amazingly good .

/ Jk

The 'eye candy' appeal for all of the hifi equipment especially the TT is a big requirement for me especially if it's in a room i.e. a standard living room where you spend a lot of your time doing other tasks and you see it most if not all of the time.

Also a TT is a very tactile piece of equipment (I would say the most tactile piece of hifi equipment) so making adjustments to it (either because you have to, or just want to, to see different music sound differences etc), and operating it on a day to day basis i.e. putting a record on it, starting up and spinning the platter, lowering the tonearm onto the record etc. should all be enjoyable things to do especially if vinyl is your go to source.

 

[Johan K]

The 'eye candy' appeal for all of the hifi equipment especially the TT is a big requirement for me especially if it's in a room i.e. a standard living room where you spend a lot of your time doing other tasks and you see it most if not all of the time.

Also a TT is a very tactile piece of equipment (I would say the most tactile piece of hifi equipment) so making adjustments to it (either because you have to, or just want to, to see different music sound differences etc), and operating it on a day to day basis i.e. putting a record on it, starting up and spinning the platter, lowering the tonearm onto the record etc. should all be enjoyable things to do especially if vinyl is your go to source.

Japp Bonsey Jonesy,
Totally agree on that?! My thoughts are exactly the same, and if it looks good - in most cases the sound will follow equally good.... true.. or not..?!

 

[Phantom-Audio]

The 'eye candy' appeal for all of the hifi equipment especially the TT is a big requirement for me especially if it's in a room i.e. a standard living room where you spend a lot of your time doing other tasks and you see it most if not all of the time.

Also a TT is a very tactile piece of equipment (I would say the most tactile piece of hifi equipment) so making adjustments to it (either because you have to, or just want to, to see different music sound differences etc), and operating it on a day to day basis i.e. putting a record on it, starting up and spinning the platter, lowering the tonearm onto the record etc. should all be enjoyable things to do especially if vinyl is your go to source.

I believe that the item in question (Astellar) possesses a splendidly industrial appearance. I tend to avoid ostentatious audio equipment, as it can often seem as though the designer has devoted more effort towards the aesthetics of the gear rather than its sonic performance. Such gaudy embellishments detract from the genuine pursuit of achieving the best possible sound quality that we can derive satisfaction from. Ultimately, it is the musical output of the equipment that matters, rather than how it appears in the physical space. While I acknowledge that some individuals may appreciate the allure of shiny gold components, it holds no importance for me personally. I am certain that there exist divergent schools of thought on this matter.

 

[XV-1]

View attachment 106807

Shipments for Astellar Turntable should be the first week of April out of the factory to the first 25 Orders.

Does anyone know anybody anywhere who has bought one of these tables?

 

[Phantom-Audio]

Does anyone know anybody anywhere who has bought one of these tables?

My turntable is scheduled to be dispatched from the factory at some point during the month of April.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

I believe that the item in question (Astellar) possesses a splendidly industrial appearance. I tend to avoid ostentatious audio equipment, as it can often seem as though the designer has devoted more effort towards the aesthetics of the gear rather than its sonic performance. Such gaudy embellishments detract from the genuine pursuit of achieving the best possible sound quality that we can derive satisfaction from. Ultimately, it is the musical output of the equipment that matters, rather than how it appears in the physical space. While I acknowledge that some individuals may appreciate the allure of shiny gold components, it holds no importance for me personally. I am certain that there exist divergent schools of thought on this matter.

If I am paying a high price out of my hard earned money for a piece of hifi equipment, I expect all of my priority boxes to be ticked. This includes;
- Fantastic and repeatable sonic / musical performance (my No.1 priority)
- Quality of design and build with it looking fantastic at the same time (my combined / equal No.2 priority)
- Manufacturers; guarantees (as long as possible), technical & service support, upgradability of the product over a respectable period of time (my No.3 priority)
- Cost effectiveness vs performance I am enjoying (my No4. priority)
- As low depreciation as possible over the immediate and respectable period of time (just in case I want to or need to sell it) (my No5. priority)
- Ease of use (my No.6 priority)

 

[XV-1]

My turntable is scheduled to be dispatched from the factory at some point during the month of April.

Fantastic news - congrats. Please send photos and let us know how it sounds after you receive it.

Cheers

 

[Ron Resnick]

From further reports from Munich, this turntable looks very interesting, apparently combining air suspension of the plinth with magnetic coupling of the motor to the platter.

 

[mtemur]

From further reports from Munich, this turntable looks very interesting, apparently combining air suspension of the the plinth with magnetic coupling of the motor to the platter.

According to M. Fremer video the designer says it’s a belt driven turntable but has additional pulley on the opposite side. It’s motor is not magnetically coupled but platter is magnetically levitated like Verdier. Two repelling magnets float the platter and there are additional two smaller magnets that attract each other. This way the platter becomes loaded and bouncing (due to inconsistent magnetic flux inside magnets) is eliminated which I don’t agree with him. It’s plinth consists of three layers and there is air suspension between lower and middle layers. IMHO it can be the next best turntable together with Wilson Benesch’s.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Hopefully Michael Fremer will review it and compare it to competing turntables.

 

[PeterA]

Hopefully Michael Fremer will review it and compare it to competing turntables.

Ron, what do you consider to be the competing turntables? Does MF do many direct TT comparisons with the same arm and cartridge?

 

[shakti]

after having seen the renderings of this turntable last year with no real favor for this machine, the 3 real turntables on display this year catched my attention.
very high built quality, great touch and feel and for every technical question I had, there was a well developed and executed answer.

I was mainly visiting Munich to look for a potential next level turntable, and this A*Stellar definitely fits into my list with many fulfilled check points.

 

[Ron Resnick]

after having seen the renderings of this turntable last year with no real favor for this machine, the 3 real turntables on display this year catched my attention.
very high built quality, great touch and feel and for every technical question I had, there was a well developed and executed answer.

I was mainly visiting Munich to look for a potential next level turntable, and this A*Stellar definitely fits into my list with many fulfilled check points.

What are these checkpoints?

Many of the technical aspects appeal to me too, but some of the details -- such as 18 ingredients in the plinth arranged in careful order according to sound experiments -- seem overwrought and nonsensical.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Watched the Michael Framer YouTube video last night with him talking to the Owner and Designer of the 'Acoustical Systems Astella' TT as well as Acoustical Systems new cartridge (both TT and cartridge from 9.51mins to 20.50mins);

Looks like a lot of thought, passion and dedication went into the design and making of this TT.

 

[audioblazer]

Huh….. some pics …. i think, the era from H.Ford (you can have any color as long it is black ...) Design is history

Gray

View attachment 93722

Black Metallic

View attachment 93723

Silver

View attachment 93724

Titan Grey

View attachment 93725

Titan Dark

View attachment 93727


*Sniff*, no Hammertone grey ...

Thomas , 3 coming to Malaysia . Unfortunately it’s not mine but I will have the opportunity to listen to it . Happy days are here again

 

[Gregadd]

I have a saying… “too much muchness” that I think applies, at least wrt the aesthetics. I’ve not heard it so can’t comment on sonics.

You can never have too many options.