Turntables, Arms & Cartridges

Weighing 22kg, with a good deal of this mass being platter, the Wood Round MPX is the latest turntable from German company Acoustic Solid and fits neatly into its seven-strong 'Classic Line', sitting above the Classic Wood but below the Wood Referenz. The deck's appearance, with its three pillars, echoes the company's top 'Aluminium Line' models and also differentiates it from the rectangular decks that make up the rest of the Classic Line.

The turntable is offered in both 'MPX' and 'Black' versions, the difference being the outward finish of the plinth. For the MPX, the layers of plywood that make up the 100mm-thick base are left on show and varnished to a pleasing degree while the Black has a deep gloss black paint job.

At present, UK distributor Elite Audio is only offering the MPX version as part of two complete packages. The first costs £5950 and includes an Acoustic Solid WTB 370 tonearm – essentially a modified Rega RB220 – with an Ortofon Quintet Red MC cartridge. Alternatively, Acoustic Solid's WTB 213 carbon tonearm may be specified, taking the price up to £7345.

String Theory
The turntable's plinth is probably the daintiest part of the assembly. It sits on three adjustable spiked feet that locate into three rack-protecting spike cups with felt undersides. A metal outrigger is bolted onto the plinth and this, in turn, supports the armboard. One bolt does the job, and not only does it hold it in position tightly, but this arrangement also means the armboard can be rotated to set optimum tracking angle for any arm used.

The platter is machined from a solid billet of aluminium to a thickness of 60mm and tips the scales at 12.5kg. Leather and Perspex mats are supplied to top this off but, as per previous Acoustic Solid models I have reviewed, I found the deck to sound better with just the leather mat in place.

The platter is driven around its periphery by twin belts from the freestanding motor pod. Acoustic Solid describes the deck as 'string drive' but the belts are pliable and not unyielding as a true string drive would be. As a result, there is no fixed location for the motor – a set-up I'm not generally a fan of since it gives rise to the possibility of performance variation if belts are pulled too tight or left too loose. However, the Wood Round MPX appeared to be unusually immune to the positioning of the motor, so you won't hear any complaints here!

The motor pod is a chunky affair with at least half of its internal filling consisting of metal to add weight. The motor itself is a 24V synchronous AC type made by Schneider Electric and is a pleasingly torquey item that starts the platter spinning surprisingly easily, despite it being barely larger than the pulley that sits atop its spindle on the outside.

On The Button
The motor is driven from the control unit which takes a DC input and uses an 8-bit microcontroller to generate the necessary variable frequency supplies. Speed change is achieved at the touch of a button while incremental speed adjustment is brought about by using the controller's up and down keys. This is handy because the deck's speed has a tendency to 'wander'. I am used to increases in platter speeds with old idler-drive decks as the greases and oils warm up, but the Wood Round MPX often seemed to need a tweak of one 'step' in either direction every now and then.

The WTB 370 tonearm is based on the Rega RB220, which is the latest version of the UK company's evergreen classic. In fact its lineage can be traced back to the original RB250. Acoustic Solid has modified it by substituting an aluminium counterweight and stub for the plastic original. This has been a common update throughout the life of the Rega arm variants and adds a touch of glamour as well as imparting a subtle improvement in sound quality.

To fit the arm, Rega's non-adjustable and frankly fiddly three-point mount bolts into a beautifully machined tube. This fits into a collar on the deck, making set-up easy while adding the ability to tweak VTA in way that is simple yet highly effective. Finally, the Ortofon Quintet Red MC is easily fitted as is setting the armboard mounting for correct tracking angle.