AXPONA 2019 Show Coverage brought to you by Core Power Technologies — AXPONA 2019 Show Coverage brought to you by **Core Power Technologies**

CHICAGO (PTA) — European Audio Team (E.A.T.) unveil a new ultra-high performance platter and tonearm, Audio Physic and Okki Nokki were also making a strong showing in the exhibit system.

The Story

VANA, Ltd. announced the arrival of the European Audio Team (E.A.T) F-Note tonearm as well as an optional high-inertia platter/bearing combo just days before Axpona 2019. The new tonearm is compatible with the company’s Forte’ and Forte’ S turntables, while the platter has been specifically designed for the Forte’. A universal version of the tonearm is expected later in 2019. The E.A.T. F-Note tonearm is a 12-inch S-shaped arm featuring an easily accessible VTA-on-the-fly adjustment knob, adjustable azimuth and a laser built in to the tonearm base, enabling ultra-precise VTA (vertical tracking angle) calibration.

E.A.T.’s new high-inertia platter/bearing combo is a fifty-pound aluminum assembly featuring a top layer of brass capped with a vinyl mat made from recycled Vinyl LPs, which is then bonded to the brass surface. The platter is 15.75″ in diameter and the outer circumference of the platter has been fitted with brass cylinders, increasing overall inertia, thus resulting in superior speed stability. A massive bearing has been engineered specifically for this high-mass platter, featuring a nanotechnology coating process derived from racing engines that produces the lowest possible friction coefficient. The dual-motor Forte’ turntable is ideally suited to this high-inertia platter assembly that delivers ultra-low flutter.

On static display was E.A.T.’s new E-Glo Petit Hybrid/Tube Phono Preamplifier. The new E-Glo Petit follows in the footsteps of the E-Glo S phono-pre. Compact, and rather smart looking, with knobs, tubes, and plenty of switches for dialing in your analog system. No op-amps, all discrete circuitry, two 12AX7 tubes, low-noise JFET transistors in cascade-parallel (2SK209) on the input stage, and a well regulated power supply. Did I mention it will retail for only $1,495 USD?

The Sound

As for the listening, it was high time that I take a serious listen to one of Audio Physic’s most classic examples of loudspeaker design — the most recent Virgo III tower. Listening to Billie Holiday’s (1957 Verve Recordings) Stars Fell On Alabama, did well to highlight what was done right with Audio Physic’s third generation of their popular Virgo model of loudspeaker. The Virgo III isn’t a tall speaker, but it’s a 3-way design, and it’s large cabinet volume does produce a healthy low-end when called upon. Imaging from this speaker is ghostly good, and now I can see why this speaker has such a long and heralded history in hi-fi’s long story.