The non-replaceable cartridge is a deal breaker. And reducing stylus replacement to just the manufacturer creates a bottle neck for company that may go under. I love the device though.

@wich1

2 ай бұрын

Agreed, that was a monumentally stupid design decision. Plonking the better part of 2k on a device from a manufacturer with an unproven track record is already a major gamble, but non-replaceable cartridge for apparently no good reason is unforgivable.

@carpediem673

2 ай бұрын

Agree. For the price, I'd want the ability to upgrade the stylus myself.

@mikemayorov2195

2 ай бұрын

thanks, saved me from wasting 30 minutes 😁

@GTI1dasOriginal

2 ай бұрын

Everything is replacable. It's just the amount of effort you're willing to take to do so. Just because the manual says "non replacable" means nothing to me. Should mean the cart is hard wired which I refuse to believe.

@caramelldansen2204

2 ай бұрын

Full agreement, how foolish.

Seven years - that must be a record!

@eekee6034

2 ай бұрын

I see what you did there...

@johnhufnagel

Ай бұрын

*groan* :D

@geoffmerritt

Ай бұрын

Dad!!

@thefamilydad8635

Ай бұрын

Well played, sir.

@IAdryan

Ай бұрын

lol

One thing I'm happy to see is that you don't have to keep your 1800-quid turntable connected to the internet for firmware updates or whatever.

@Onlygloo

Ай бұрын

Sure, since it's already firmly tied to the manufacturer for cartridge replacement... 🤔

Techmoan: "They're rather pricy." Me: *checks website* GOOD FUCKING GOD

@gclip9883

Ай бұрын

For 2000 dollars, you can get some endgame level turntables that also look very beautiful. This one looks kinda cool, but i would much rather have a Pro Ject Debut Pro for example. And that one is only around 900 bucks, so you could even put in an Ortofon 2M blue or even a 2M black and still be much cheaper. Or how about a real Technics 1210 for its retro design. Or maybe a Pro Ject Classic with real wood veneer and an aluminum platter. All of those would give you better soundquality for less money, and look better (at least in my opinion). And i really don't care about being able to skip tracks - when i listen to vinyl, i listen to the whole record.

@hyperturbotechnomike

Ай бұрын

I'ts like an upside down Technics J2 without the support for Audio Technica standard cartridges. These can be found under 100€

@johnarnold893

Ай бұрын

People that spend 30 grand on just a pair of speakers would find this rather cheap. One of the most expensive turntables out in the world cost over a half a million US.

@BillAnt

Ай бұрын

They are already selling knockoffs on AliExpress for $50. lol jk

@PazLeBon

Ай бұрын

lol

I can only agree with what several others have said. This is the most visually pleasing and functional bit of industrial design that I've seen in many years, but the limited audio output and questionable choices around cartridge/stylus replacement are ridiculous at the retail price point.

@truesoundchris

Ай бұрын

Neither visually pleasing nor functional, sorry. The visual aspect is totally destroyed by seeing the wrong side of the disc (the one that isn't playing) turning backwards, and the typical functionality of a turntable that centers on the "hands-on" manual control of disc and cartridge/tonearm, without any electronics involved except for turning the motor and amplifying the signal isn't happening either. How are you supposed to manually center a disc that is pressed somewhat off-center by eyeballing the groove spiral and the movement of the tonearm? How are you supposed to keep the stylus in the groove in a scratched spot by slightly holding a finger against the headshell? How are you supposed to play very thin pressings and flexidiscs, given that there is no actual turntable for them to lie on and keep flat? No, this is a barely functioNING, but no really functioNAL toy.

@PazLeBon

Ай бұрын

lmao, a joke right? looks like 5 dollar turntable off ali baba

@Bambeakz

Ай бұрын

@@PazLeBon Well would say a 40 dollar one but still it kills everything that is nostalgic about playing records

@PazLeBon

Ай бұрын

@@Bambeakz haha fair nough, i did it a disservice :) yeah actually after watching this I did mention t the better half, "do you remember going to the store n buying a new stylus" haha Rumbelows apparently she said

@AntisocialMediaMike

Ай бұрын

​@Bambeakz Very good point! It doesn't offer the tactile pleasure of a traditional turntable. Not sure I like the idea of a track locator either. I love the commitment one has (when placing a record on a platter without a shuffle control) to listening to an album uninterrupted from start to finish.

That price is insane! It’s a lovely device but for that money you could get a far superior and upgradable turntable.

@MadeleineTakam

2 ай бұрын

At that price you could get a Refurbished Thorens 1600. Which would be worth more every year if looked after.

@strawberryjam3670

2 ай бұрын

Its like my dual cs1229, I paid 300 refurbished and after a year the price has increased another 50

@MadeleineTakam

2 ай бұрын

@@strawberryjam3670 Agreed. With Dual and Thorens you can still get new parts. Even brand-new acrylic dust covers. It’s in the price range of people who are paying for reasonable quality separates. Yet it has a ridiculous stylus / cartridge. At the price point being proposed I would want an Ortofon Quintet Blue or an Ortofon Red. If they had gone for any cheaper cartridge it would have ended up being a ceramic.

@jonc4403

2 ай бұрын

@@MadeleineTakam Bleh. For a lot less money I could get a Sony PS-FL77.

@MadeleineTakam

2 ай бұрын

@@jonc4403 Hmm. I drive a 456M, but for a lot less money you could drive a Nissan Micra. The performance difference is about the same, as the difference between a Thorens 1600 and a Sony PS-FL77. I use an Ortofon Quintet Blue on my Thorens 1600. But on a Sony PS-FL77 your limited to really poor cartridges like the Sony XL-250G at best. Certainly cheaper, but wouldn’t you be better off, sticking the record over a pencil, while you spin it round really fast with your fingers and listening to it with a nail stuck in a tin can?

Lots of red flags including fulfilling new sales before delivering to backers (which often leaves backers with nothing when companies go broke). I'm glad it worked out eventually. It's a cool device.

That the cartridge is not user upgradable, the pre-amp is built into the tonearm and can’t be bypassed (!!!), AND that the price is so high it’d make a King blush… I’ve got to call it a kitschy money-grab for those placing aesthetic preference over performance (and savings!). Thanks for the wonderful video!

@firewalker1372

18 күн бұрын

And it uses an Audio-Technica stylus 😂. Why would I spend over 2 grand on a turn table when I can spend 3-400 bucks on an actual Audio-Technica turntable from Amazon with the ATVM95E cartridge. Cool turntable, just not practical for the working folk.

Yeah… 1700 quid and I CANT change the stylus? Nope. And I must applaud your trust and patience Matt. I would have gone bat poop years ago.

@ceryni11

Ай бұрын

Cartridge*

@SuperPickle15

Ай бұрын

i mean you can... you just have to use their proprietary one, and hope they don't go bankrupt after buying the player.

@GrayRaceCat

Ай бұрын

@@SuperPickle15 You can change the Stylus not the Cartidge.

I'm astonished that you gave in to their egregious bait-and-switch-feeling "Wheel 2 Upgrade" option, but I'm honestly more astonished that it seems to have *paid off* and resulted in an honestly great device, albeit at a pretty absurd MSRP (well, at least for us non-enthusiast folks).

@Thermalions

2 ай бұрын

The crazy thing is though is that design wise it seems aimed at the non-enthusiast - non user replaceable effectively proprietary cartridge and no capability to bypass the inbuilt pre-amp.

@SilverEagleDev

2 ай бұрын

@@Thermalions Definitely. For as beautiful and performant of a device as it is, it's a square peg in a round hole. It lacks the cost to have mass appeal, and the customizability to hit the mark for enthusiasts willing to shell out for its $2K price tag. Mat says it himself: he expected them to be bankrupt well before the device shipped on account of the scores of outraged backers and the bizarre "upgrade" scheme. That they're possibly only shipping backer orders when new orders come in to cover margins means they're cutting it razor thin. Why on earth would any enthusiast want a company with that shaky of a foundation to be the sole supplier for something as essential as a stylus on their $2K record player?

@linuxstreamer8910

2 ай бұрын

& you could say there is no wheel 1 so a upgrade to the 2 is a forced upgrade pay 150 extra or get nothing

@turokforever007

2 ай бұрын

It needs a cover

@TonyHoyle

2 ай бұрын

@@linuxstreamer8910 It was 'we're out of money, pay more or get nothing'. I suspect after 7 years there's no money left & unless this device does surprisingly well the company will be gone in less than a year.

I'm a backer and still waiting. I actually was in The Netherlands a few months ago for Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven. Miniot had a booth and I stopped by. They are in fact real people trying to make a great product. As you explained, they are subsidizing the Kickstarter units with full retail ones. I was assured I would get my unit in due course.

@Bambeakz

Ай бұрын

You can also just burn your money next time if you don't care for audio quality

@TestGearJunkie.

Ай бұрын

More fool you. I've got better things to spend that kind of money on.

@Hartmania21

Ай бұрын

I would put another way, they used the Kickstarter backers money to subsidise their full retail operation to still be holding off sending out those backers a unit after 7 years is a joke

@jamesherman3750

24 күн бұрын

@@Bambeakz Yeah bro fell for a scam lol

Perfect for visually impaired vinyl enthusiast. Easy to use, eliminates tonearm operation which for them could be a challenge. There is an excellent YT review of Wheel 2 by blind user.

@reneepatete2297

15 күн бұрын

Could you perhaps share the link to that review? Because I can't find it.

Wow, I spat my toast out when I saw the Kickstarter price. I’d only just cleaned myself up just in time for the retail price.

@kristoffer3000

Ай бұрын

On top of not being even able to swap out the stylus, no bypass of the preamp and no dustcover. Smacks of Apple to me, in the worst possible way.

@MikaelLevoniemi

Ай бұрын

Not even expensive if you compare the price to a designer 80s turntable when they were new with inflation taken into account.

@mrpositronia

Ай бұрын

I was quite happy to carry on chewing my toast. But the price is silly, when you consider the excellent turntables out there that perform so much better. Or, buy a whole new system for the same price.

@drussell_

Ай бұрын

@@kristoffer3000 They offer replacement styli, you just can't change the _cartridge._

@InfernosReaper

Ай бұрын

@@MikaelLevoniemi except we have modern turntables that are nowhere near as expensive and the technology isn't even that complicated

For that price the stand looks rather wobbly and looks easy to knock over by maybe “a cat”😅

@PaulGentryK4BWG

Ай бұрын

You can get a GOOD turntable for that price.

@waltergabriel3694

Ай бұрын

Yep I have two cats.

@UnitSe7en

Ай бұрын

BREEKBAAR!

@kaydesign

Ай бұрын

It is the soft desk that makes it wobble. The feet’s are from 4mm metal.

@michaelocyoung

Ай бұрын

Also, as someone who finds that playing vinyl goes well with an evening session on the pop, my chances of operating this successfully while Brahms and Liszt to try to listen to Brahms or Liszt is practically nonexistant.

They made an incredible device. The features are great and look so easy to use, and it's quite attractive. ...and then they made it incompatible with standard aftermarket styluses. Which is an absolute deal killer for me and so many others.

I’m glad you were patient with a well meaning company, even if their business venture was executed a bit poorly, and I’m glad Miniot was willing and able to deliver on their promise. That’s a nice machine, right there!

The cover is the clear record

@MasterBlaster3545

2 ай бұрын

Oof beat him to it.

@e28forever30

2 ай бұрын

@@GoAway-vj4vj you’re

@G6JPG

2 ай бұрын

I was curious: was it a single-sided record? (If yes, then indeed it would do as the cover.) (What is on it?)

@stephenmorrissey1254

Ай бұрын

Definitely. I'm feeling a bit stupid not picking up on that before you wrote it.

@matthewhopkins666

Ай бұрын

Ahh yes because a cover with either open sides or open top depending on orientation of the player makes perfect sense. Then again you could be right they might have put next to no thought into the dust cover like they have over aspects of the device.

Funny thing, I met the designer on the Dutch Audio Event 2021. He seemed very proud of their design. The most egregious spec is still the 3.5mm jack output on such a device.

@Damien.D

2 ай бұрын

And built in preamp/amp. It's not a soundburger, plastic novelty of a portable reccord player. It's a close to 2000 bucks item, and specd like a toy.

@basshorseman998

2 ай бұрын

@@Damien.D Agreed. I'll wait until crosley makes a plastic one...shouldn't be long now...

@gingernutpreacher

2 ай бұрын

​@@basshorseman998don't they get audio tecnica do make them that's if it's not a curusser

@turokforever007

2 ай бұрын

@@Damien.D Let's reinvent the wheel but this time make it round

@emilspec1227

2 ай бұрын

This looks like it's all about the design and nothing to do with audio fidelity.

That is so cool! It seems like it wouldn’t be a big stretch to make this record player more useful. Add RCA jacks, a switch to turnoff the pre amp, and use a standard P-mount cartridge. These upgrades will allow the it to be plugged into a hi-if stereo system. Im not an expert so there maybe other things that need to added but it seems like it could be done.

14:05 WOOOOWWW That record looks so good with all the little reflective angles on it!!!

It’s very straightforward to snip down the plastic carrier for the stylus yourself. That’s all this company does. The microline and shibata styli are both fantastic upgrades to the vm95 cart

@volvo09

2 ай бұрын

I was wondering if the plastic was shaved off, or they cut some of the metal too, it was hard to see.

@ebkesq72

2 ай бұрын

Agreed. I bought a Shibata stylus from LP Gear for the standard cartridge and now just need to use a dremel to cut the plastic stylus body.

@G6JPG

2 ай бұрын

Presumably voiding the guarantee on your £2k device, though.

@greenaum

Ай бұрын

@@G6JPG Nah, you'd just keep the original stylus and put it back on before you shipped it back for repair. Consider it justice at them charging such an amount of money just to Dremel a bit of plastic off.

@richardelliott8352

Ай бұрын

@@greenaum 3D printing could make that concern obsolete as the home use technology becomes more developed. but the cartridge carrier contact force would have to be worked with.

Good to see the return of a direct drive, track sensing turntable, I had a Technics back in the day and it was a brilliant piece of kit that made listening to records as easy as playing a compact disc, as opposed to the masochism of an audiophile turntable. This Miniot has the look of something that Bang and Olufsen might have made back in the day. It would slot nicely into the modern day Technics range too, the styling would complement the new Technics components.

@heavyearly2232

2 ай бұрын

I loved my SL-J2; it spoiled me. It started creaking, though. I'm not sure why these guys wouldn't use P-mount technology, unless there's still a licensing fee.

There’s a whole raft of comments suggesting incorrectly that the stylus is not replaceable. The stylus is replaceable. They are readily available and popular styli that have been modified (plastic cut away) and can be bought in modified form. It’s the cartridge that is not “user” replaceable due to modifications made, which to me sounds more like an interesting challenge than fact. Most turntables have never had their cartridge replaced, and those that do generally are replaced because their owners prefers replacing something entirely adequate with something that provides the same function but costs more and may sound a little different, maybe better. At least that’s what I keep telling myself, and ridiculing those that disagree.

£1700+ for a record player. It better be decent and make my morning coffee for that price.

Ah, the seven-year glitch resolved! Love it!!!

@bletheringfool

2 ай бұрын

It looks good. I'm glad there are folks out there doing this sort of thing. Now if they could make a decent tape deck...

@davealancaruana6727

2 ай бұрын

@@bletheringfool I think the biggest limitation to making a new & decent tape deck would be the heads .. the mechanism itself is not much more complex than that for a record player. If I was tasked with making a new tape deck I think I would digitise the position of the tape and output from the head and use the combination to output a stream without any wow & flutter (could be done on a record player too, of course, and more easily actually).

@RenePeraza

Ай бұрын

@@davealancaruana6727 that was essentially the DAT (digital audio tape).And, still, my DAT crapped out due to the belt/bands mechanism.

A novel idea, however nearly £2000 for a budget cartridge and in built RIAA phono stage is a no go. At that price I'd expect to be able to pop in an after market moving coil cartridge and use an external phono stage.

@kingcosworth2643

Ай бұрын

And made out of slate

@klausstock8020

Ай бұрын

The idea to make product aimed toward a "hipster" audience is not that novel... While we might discuss whether the tracking force should be 0.02N or 0.015N (2 gram-force or 1.5 gram-force), the typical hipster just wants hipness without the details (although the might look up the tracking force in the manual so he can feel smug).

@jimdandy2024

Ай бұрын

@@klausstock8020 You appear to misunderstand what I was saying. It's not about the tracking force. It's about a low budget bad sounding cartridge in a £2000 turntable. Low budget is just that, high end, is just that. You can not mix a low budget bad sounding cartridge in a premium turntable....end of story.

@klausstock8020

Ай бұрын

@@jimdandy2024 I understood perfectly well. "Tracking force" was just an example about something the *target market* most probably has no clue about (it's kind of funny that they added the option to adjust tracking force, but their web site only mentions "1.8 to 2.2gram" -- I think they want say "gram-force"...?). Anyway - their black comes with a Shibata stylus as standard, and the black model is only 3,800€. Cheap! But they could have made it even cheaper if they'd offer the AT95ML, which *is* currently cheaper than the AT95SH. And if you love your vinyl, you'll probably want a micro linear stylus. Downside if course that a micro linear stylus requires a precise installation. Maybe you can't do that with the Wheel 2? TL;DR: no need to discuss styli here, the Wheel 2 is neither made nor marketed for vinyl enthusiasts.

Lovely looking and great features and I don't even mind the price but my heart sank when you dropped the bombshell "no user replaceable needle" and no separate output for another phono preamp !! so close but no cigar.....cheers.

That’s the single most hipster thing I’ve ever seen. It’s like someone has looked at a perfectly adequate conventional turntable, listed its features and then said ‘how can we make this operate in the opposite way people would expect to give the impression of futuristic progress, and make it more complicated than it needs to be?’

Damn, wish it was a bit more affordable. Beautiful engineering and design.

@G6JPG

2 ай бұрын

Sort of. I think the single line-of-light display would get a bit wearing.

Well got there in the end, I think your the only KZreadr who can get away with having multiple years inbetween each video of a series.

@Rich-ll8ce

2 ай бұрын

Ever heard of "project binky" ? 🤣

@caodesignworks2407

2 ай бұрын

ClickSpring took 5 years or so to build/ finish his Antikithera Mechanism video due to a few discoveries made while recreating it that lead to a bunch of previously unknown features/ research. It's a great series though, highly recommend

@211teitake

2 ай бұрын

you're

@dieseldragon6756

Ай бұрын

...Though in the days before KZread, the BBC used to do this _all the time_ ... 🙃 (Sometimes because the videotapes would get misplaced, often turning up - Mysteriously - On the 16:32 InterCity to Glasgow... 🚅📼💨😋)

My father would have loved the inclusion of the spin to start feature. He was a radio DJ in the 60s in Portland, Oregon, and his studio tables had that feature for queuing.

Nice product. There are not many good news record players, and the team behind this one really put effort in it

This is the first new manufacturer linear tracking turntable I have seen. This is brilliant!

love the vertical version of this but the money outlay would need both kidneys to be sold. still love it though

@my3dviews

2 ай бұрын

Just sell one kidney and one lung. 😂

@BillyNoMates1974

2 ай бұрын

@@my3dviews that would work. sign me up. lol

@SlyPearTree

2 ай бұрын

Good thing I don't want one as I only have one kidney left, cancer claimed the other one.

@BillyNoMates1974

2 ай бұрын

@@SlyPearTree sorry to hear that. maybe Techmoan will give you his one. lol

@vampcaff

2 ай бұрын

put more value on your organs

I thought I vaguely remembered their name, and it turns out I bought a beautiful ipad mini cover made in real wood. Their attention to detail back then was already very high, and it seems it only got better (or worse, depending on what end of the stick you're on....) lovely device, and love it that it is a Dutch product. Price-point is somewhat out of this world and will offer a limited clientele.

I like the fact that it can play off center pressed vinyl. No other player can do that as good. If money is no object, then it's a great casual player and conversation piece. Fantastic review. Thank you.

@Oli1974

Ай бұрын

How exactly would, say, an SL1210 not be able to play an off center pressend vinyl? Are you a sales drone of that scam?

@olsmokey

Ай бұрын

I'd like to see a test with an offcentre hole drilled into a disk.

@salimmehta8467

Ай бұрын

​@@Oli1974a conventional tonearm tracks the groove. It cannot correct for spindle offset like a servo controlled linear tracker can

I must say, this was an excellent video. You spent the whole time explaining why this an OK deal for a backer, and never once had to slag off the company. The non-replaceable cartridge and built in preamp did a great job of driving home the point that this is not a device I would consider. Love your videos!

@richardelliott8352

Ай бұрын

it would make an impressive gift to a kid with a gaming computer and a set of headphones. they could play all the Taylor Swift records they bought before they owned a turntable

@trappenweisseguy27

Ай бұрын

I think he was just over the moon at having received ANYTHING at all after waiting 7 years and continually having to pump more money into it. The final price is like 5 times what the initial offering was. And the company will no doubt go out of business if they haven’t already 🤷‍♂️. He better order replacement parts now while they’re still in business.

I may need a video on that massive swiss army knife.

@nordishkiel5985

2 ай бұрын

I love how it´s just used without comment 🙂

@wich1

2 ай бұрын

@@nordishkiel5985 it doesn't need any comment, that version is made specifically for people like Matt

@jacobsgarage1458

2 ай бұрын

The champ is the model name. I own one myself

@TheErador

2 ай бұрын

I think he did a video on it?

@pipiferry

2 ай бұрын

Yeah, he used it in multiple videos at this point. I wonder if he would ever do a video on it ...

Pleasing to see you hung it out and saw the deal through with the patience of a saint. It’s nice to see in a sea of fraud and scams that sometimes there is sincere business out there that may be frustrating for honorable/legitimate reasons and has a happy ending for all. Refreshing.

@G-ra-ha-m

Ай бұрын

The maker seems very genuine, he ran out of money and borrowed more, to fill the orders, and a heart attack in 2021 (probably from the jabs), so people were lucky to get it at all.

@Cre80s

Ай бұрын

@@G-ra-ha-m Take the Fox News misinformation elsewhere, thank you.

@G-ra-ha-m

Ай бұрын

@@Cre80s Data, true information, sorry. You have been programmed to defend something that you didn't even notice before 2020.

Wow, that light interface is shockingly informative for how minimalist it is. Genuinely awesome device. Like everyone else though, I really question the lack of user replaceable catridge and forced preamp in a device targeted entirely at enthusiasts.

Good on them. Obviously had struggles along the way but thank god there are still people out there driven to be creative and innovative! Also, nice to see the Technics SL-J300R again! I first found your channel through watching the 'Budget Hi-Fi' 4-part mini series you did and it inspired me to get one of those Technics linear tracking J300R's. Found one for sale for around £80 about 5 years ago and now it's pride of place atop my Technics stack at home! A600 mk3 Integrated Amplifier SH-8058 Graphic Equalizer ST-GT350 Stereo Synthesizer Tuner SL PD-687 Compact Disc changer (x5 CDs) SL-J330R Linear tracking turntable RS-TR474 Dual Cassette Player

It is cool. Very cool. For a moment. But (yes, I’m old): 1. If you want to clean the record with a carbon brush, you need to place the record, program, clean, flip and then program and play. Not user friendly at all. 2. If the needle collects some dust, and that do happen all the time, you can’t just lift the PU and blow or brush it away, it is a very cumbersome process. 3. No phono out if you want to use a separate RIAA/pre-stage. Like a vintage discrete component-based receiver to get that fat, rich vinyl sound (I have used a Tandberg Huldra 10 I got for free, but it needs some work now) or maybe a valve kit. Very, very strange. 4. Non-replaceable cartridge and proprietary needle is big turn-off for most enthusiasts. And will these parts be made in the future? 5. The fact that the standard PU on this VERY expensive player is just a modified version of a very cheap, AT budget model tells me that the manufacturer is more into tech statements than music reproduction. Basically a far too expensive, hi-tech conversation piece, not at all a practical record player for the enthusiast. Sorry.

@inverse_of_zero

2 ай бұрын

I do wish that Matt was a bit more critical of this product like you were. He really sold it as being his favourite record player (even though he clarified "currently made") but in reality, it seems like it's simply not good value.

@chaos.corner

2 ай бұрын

@@inverse_of_zero I would say that it isn't for the enthusiast, it's more for the casual gadget lover with money burning a hole in their pocket. That doesn't mean it's terrible, just a different market.

@G6JPG

2 ай бұрын

@@chaos.corner Yes, sort of the same market as Bang & Olufsen - though their stuff was usually rather better technically, but the same sort of "clever design" target customer.

@TheLotionInTheBasket

Ай бұрын

this

@nickwallette6201

Ай бұрын

@@inverse_of_zero I don't think as many people are as in to "vinyl as a process" as you are. Or at least that you imply you are. I dunno. Maybe you have spent several weekends auditioning different preamps and carts. I think, for the majority of people, this model, with the lower-end cart, would probably still be the best-sounding turntable they have, or ever will hear. It's probably better than whatever they're listening to music on now. We've all been conditioned to believe there's a substantial difference between any given five pre-amps, when, in reality, you could make one that measures within a few percentage points of perfect out of a handful of parts you bought at Radio Shack. (.... thirty years ago, when those still existed.) Imagine, for a moment, not having been brainwashed by countless hours on Reddit as other people wax poetic about the enormous differences they heard when they swapped this op-amp for that one, built one from mismatched discrete transistors, or bypassed an electrolytic cap with a film cap made with the oil excreted from a unicorn's horn and used to bathe a nude virgin. And yet.... most of the stereos sold used a simple, utilitarian, textbook design made from the cheapest components on a phenolic PCB and connected not with demonic 3.5mm audio jacks, but garden variety _ribbon cables_ ... unshielded, pressed into plastic connectors that can't be removed non-destructively, and plated not in gold, but tin! The horrors! And all of those listeners survived the experience nonetheless.

Great you finally received it, very B&O styling with great functionality. I am sure the Wheel3 will include superior conectivity.

I'm a big turntable fan, my entire system is built around a Gyrodec, with dedicated amps, power supplies, cabling, upgrades, high end cartridges etc. so this isn't for me BUT for a casual way into just enjoying your records in a great design with high tech convenience I have to say this is splendid. Very 'wife-friendly', easy and impressive. Hats off to the guys that birthed it and those that stuck with it! Great review.

I love that you use the swinging Oranges & Lemons music as incidental music.

@dieseldragon6756

Ай бұрын

This video confirms something: @Techmoan is - In fact - A British spy stationed abroad. Most likely - Given his interests and specialties - In Japan... 🕵🇯🇵😉

Reminds me of DVD's and CD's being played from the underside. Except they run clockwise and the laser starts towards the center and moves outward while playing. I like that record player. Really nice.

The light bar is a brilliant piece of design. Especially the tracking force adjustment. I'm happy to see some innovative products in the turntable space, even if it's a ridiculous price.

I had an old Gerrard or Technics that did most all of this that was from the early -80s. Direct drive with a separate belt drive for the tone arm. Had an S style tone arm. Did 16, 33, 45, and 78. Had electronic buttons to select tracks and also did pause and all that. Also auto-sensing size/speed with manual override. I don't remember the model. I do know it is rare. Had a nice real woodgrain veneer cabinet. I fixed it up and got $350 for it a few years back. Never seen another one like it.

The cartridge / stylus situation is a complete dealbreaker. Being realistic, if you plan to make this your daily driver, you would have to order a couple of replacement styli with the device because at the end of the day they are a proprietary part and if the company does end up going bankrupt in 5 or 10 years and you need a replacement stylus at that point, you´d either have to try and modify one yourself or you got yourself a fancy paperweight.

@Light-DelaBlue

Ай бұрын

and the day they are gone you got a expensive paper weight.

@nickwallette6201

Ай бұрын

I bet there are two things that required a bespoke cartridge: Needing close physical proximity to the optical sensor, and needing it to be light yet stable enough to move on the X and Z axis via (what I assume is) a voice coil for compensation against warps and off-center pressing. The first problem might have been solved by using a worm drive shaft that extended the optics on one side and the stylus on the other. The second... is pretty unique. I'm not sure there are a lot of off-the-shelf carts that would work, and even a "compatibility list" would be subject to design tolerances, since they weren't ever made for that purpose. Whether that feature is worth the bespoke consumables is a up to the buyer, I suppose.

@loboptlu

Ай бұрын

not that it makes the main problem better (why not a p-mount?) but there are professional retippers in case you have an old but great or mc cartridge that isnt made anymore.

@PazLeBon

Ай бұрын

no way this would hold down paper

@kneau

Ай бұрын

I really do not recommend using any turntable as your, "daily driver."

That's quite a thing. I very much like the design, not only the look of it, but the controls as well. Very clever! The features like tracking a wobbly record are impressive. It's way beyond anything I can afford, but I am happy to know that a small company is able to produce something like this.

@nickwallette6201

Ай бұрын

Seems like they took a page from the design of CD players, using active servo systems to maintain tracking on a groove that may wander in two planes as it travels by in a third. Fairly obvious solution, when you think of it. Although I do wonder what they use as an error input, lacking the four optical sensors and a reflected laser whose beam shape corresponds to focus. Quite clever!

@kristoffer3000

Ай бұрын

It's 90% about the design though, it's not something you'd get if you were an actual 'audiophile' as you'd want to be able to replace or upgrade the stylus, use a dedicated preamp etc

Nice product that is not replacing my 1971 turntable anytime soon.

Great review, thanks for posting the video. I'm glad you received the product albeit Wheel 2. It's great to see a manufacturer look to create a record player with some style and innovative features. Thank you again for being patient and persevering with your purchase.👍🏻🎵🎶

Low volume niche products are really hard to get right. I hope they can keep making them for the foreseeable future, and maybe offer the mechanism for others to integrate into their own designs.

Gotta feeling this sort of tech is gonna make a small wave of "smart record players" because the record market is like the dedicated fans who buy stuff whatever the cost where as cds will likely always be in the charity shop

The invention of The Wheel was a somewhat costly affair! I think it's fabulous.

Beautiful design. This is exactly what you'd want for set dressing in a film or commercial where your main character was living a "minimalist, analog" lifestyle. As an audio product however? Yeah, it's best not to judge this device for what it isn't.

I have a Technics SL-7 that cost a fraction of the price and it can even play records upside down. Plenty of them on eBay.

@jimfarrell4635

Ай бұрын

Indeed. I, too, have one and it is an excellent turntable. I've also just finished fixing and servicing an Sl-ql15 another fantastic table from the 80s which has programmable track orders.

@AgentOffice

Ай бұрын

But that's ugly

I think you have been very generous with your presentation, thanks for sharing your experience!

Omg 7years!!! 😮 DUDE!!! I would have gave up after 4 months lol. Thank you for sharing. I can’t believe we didn’t get more excitement, I’m guessing you were freaking out off camera right?

The holographic effect on the red vinyl gives creedence to the auto track selector.

This thing seems great... if it weren't over 2K dollars.

@IcecalGamer

2 ай бұрын

And non-serviceable.

@Breakfast_of_Champions

2 ай бұрын

Seven years of management salary😋

@Farquad76.547

2 ай бұрын

@@IcecalGamerwhat is that emoji lmao

@noneyabizz8337

2 ай бұрын

500 seems more correct.

@IcecalGamer

2 ай бұрын

@@Farquad76.547 the 7th top row DEFAULT YT emoji

Great! It's so refreshing to see someone come up with an innovative new product such as wheel 2. Great vlog as usual.😊

@John3.16saves

Ай бұрын

I agree man. It's cool that innovation is still pretty hot even if we have to pay more for it. Especially in a world of so much blandness and"cheap" thinking.

Such a beautiful piece of kit. Props to the dedicated team that made this!

I have a Techincs linear tracking, direct drive turntable. I have had it for 40+ years and it still works great. The band I am in just released a new 12" and I was able to play it straight away when I got home from rehearsal where they were passed out. My turn table isn't the fancy one you are showing as it doesn't have direct track access. I have to cue the needle and move it to the correct location. Not an issue as I normally play an LP from start to finish. I do refer to it as my close and play which was a children's turn table from back in the day.

"How long have you waited for this road to be repaired? Well, I'm 42, my dad was 75, his dad was 80, dad of his dad was around 85 ... so let's say 300 years! I waited 300 years for this road to be repaired."

@borjesvensson8661

2 ай бұрын

Thought you would say: since the romans left

@lidbass

Ай бұрын

Oh yes? And what have the Romans ever done for us?

A very nice item that is essentially a novelty. An expensive one at that. Due to the Cost and it's limitations, it makes me go Wow and definitely makes me Flutter.

Wow what a machine. So nice to see excellent craftsmanship still exists in the world.

This thing has more features than a Sunday drive-in. Amazing but still very expensive!

This table reminds me a lot of my Technics SLQL15 Linear Tracker, which still runs great today. Nice to see a lot of those features returning

@krimke881

2 ай бұрын

Now in curious! how does the Wheel 2 remind you?

@maxfreedman5786

Ай бұрын

@@krimke881 Great question! My technics deck is basically an amalgamation of all the high tech features of the mid 80s in a turntable, so it gives a very unique experience compared to other turntables. It's a linear tracking tonearm built into the dust cover, it will auto detect the size of your record and place the stylus down in the right place, it scans for tracks and lets you program a playing order non linearly, so I can play tracks 3, 5, and 1 for instance, and its direct drive with a quartz crystal disciplined motor for accuracy. It's not the peak of audiophile turntable by any stretch, but with all the quality of life features and enhancements it has it makes for a great user experience with great audio. That's the sense I have of the wheel 2 as well. Is it the best audiophile turntable on the market today? Definitely not. But it's taken so many useful and interesting features to provide a great record playing experience, with new concepts to try and improve the turntable for the astute listener (looking at that upside down tonearm). If they ever get the price down closer to 600-1000 usd, I'd seriously consider it.

@DewtbArenatsiz

Ай бұрын

​@@krimke881 It's linear tracking, direct drive and detects tracks

@amnonhoppe

Ай бұрын

So is my Sony PS-FL9 and it's also fully programmable like a CD player and has a drawer so you can build your stereo on top of it

It would look incredible wall mounted and all cables hidden like a TV

@BTW...

Ай бұрын

My speakers can vibrate my walls.

@Stoney3K

Ай бұрын

Or standing freely on a single aluminium post.

Wow, what a wild design! I can't believe how long you had to wait for it, but it looks to be worth it anyway. Fancy schmantsy

Super cool. The repeat feature is something lacking in every other new turntable made today.

That is a really nicely executed design - I like it! It has a Bang and Olufsen look about it. Definitely worth the wait, Matt! Nice one!

@beitie

2 ай бұрын

Actually in their advertising, you can see the Wheel 2 on top of a Bang & Olufsen radio.

@dieseldragon6756

Ай бұрын

It certainly has the Bang & Olufsen _price_ about it... 😉

You can put the Miniot Wheel on top of a regular turntable so that you can play both sides of the record without having to flip it. 😂

@remcovanvliet3018

2 ай бұрын

I get that it's a joke, but this is making my autism itch. Since the wheel plays the side facing the machine, placing it on top of a regular turntable would just play the same side again, wouldn't it? 😑 Sorry for ruining the joke.

@my3dviews

2 ай бұрын

@@remcovanvliet3018 The turntable that you place the Wheel on top, would play the top side of the record. So, you need to use both turntables to play both sides of the record without having to flip it. 😄

@Aliens308

2 ай бұрын

But the Miniot does rotate counterclockwise, so the LP will simply remain mostly stationary

@ToastyMozart

2 ай бұрын

​@@Aliens308You just have to slip the drive belt off the normal table.

@my3dviews

2 ай бұрын

@Aliens308 No. You don't play both sides at once. Once the Wheel completes playing its side, it stops rotating. Then you play the top side with only that one rotating.

Fantastic review for many reasons. A) you explain and judge very well the turntable in what it aims to be, instead of getting lost on the audio quality or flexibility which is not the main goal of this device. B) you approach very well the trouble Minot faced to deliver the product to the backers. I am industrial designer myself and recall the campaign and I recall thinking "a start up will never be able to pull this off", but here they are, C) finally you made me happy as I am just coincidentally restoring a Technics SL-QL1 linear and you mention you have videos on it. Thanks for pushing this content on your channel.

Really proud of the makers and proud of you for supporting them

You can't upgrade the cartridge/stylus yourself? This has been designed by Apple fans! 😉

@kaitlyn__L

Ай бұрын

B&O fans more like it

I was just about to mention the Technics, I had one, I liked it it was very cool for the time.

In a way this looks like the kind of innovative style of deck that a company like B&O might have designed at one time. I'm very glad that somebody has done the job and done it fairly well. Perhaps a damped wall mounting kit would be a great way to use it. Thanks for sharing your experience and giving us your backstory with the process. Well done for sticking with it.

I wish I had known about this in 2017. It's a piece of art.

That import duty cost is insane. Zero import duty to ship it to me here in Ireland. The price of Brexit I guess.

@AnnaVannieuwenhuyse

2 ай бұрын

Absolutely

@RaveDecoy242

2 ай бұрын

Successful Russian op, make no mistake about it. Same with MAGA. Any isolationist movement is pretty much guaranteed Russian. Now Westerners are paying the price.

@MrsZambezi

Ай бұрын

It's VAT and a handling charge, so little difference.

@dieseldragon6756

Ай бұрын

The retail import duty Techmoan shows here actually contains a little hint to help _work around_ it. If you know your TOPS classes for UK trains, you'll know what sort of train a *373* is and where they normally operate. If you pick up your player at the factory and then bring it home on one of those (Or it's newer Siemens counterpart, the 374) you might be able to avoid the import headaches completely! 🚄🇪🇺⭐💨😉

A small remote would have been nice to be able to change tracks....

@kaitlyn__L

Ай бұрын

Yes! Pause and skip tracks from across the room.

I had same experience with the Square Off Chess board. Took four and a half years for delivery. During this more money was asked on two occasions. Once it was being sent there were more problems like the battery falling off and no UK power adaptor was included. Company seem to change hands a few times with each update providing a new supply date that was broken. I did end up with a chess board but after a few days it stopped working. E mail was sent and instantly ignored. After a few weeks it ended up in the bin. Will never order from kickstarter ever again.

@deathstrike

Ай бұрын

Agreed! I was in the Kickstarter for the Ataribox (Now Atari VCS). Announced in 2017, didn't get my backers unit until 2022. About 280 pounds UK for the "All in bundle". And then only to find that last year (2023) they had an "All in bundle" for about 179 pounds UK. I was fuming!! They asked for over 100 pounds more for a painted woodgrain and a thank you. Same for Ouya, backed it too. Never again. At least the Atari VCS does work and can play well.

Very enjoyable episode Techmoan, thanks for posting - and for waiting so patiently for this turntable! For a brief moment I thought I might get one but wow, along with the pre-amp only option it doesn't do bluetooth either - a bit disappointing. If Minion keep going maybe they will correct these deficiencies.

Love the concept, loathe the price attached. Still, we can all dream.

Thank you for a wheely interesting video. 😎

I'd just like to point out in case no one else has, that plug for the charging does not meet UK regs for plugs. Not so long ago Amazon recalled chargers in exactly the same shape and size as that. Apparently they weren't big enough and didn't have the ridges on the side to prevent you from accidentally touching the pins when removing the plug from the socket. I will say though as is always the fashion with Amazon, more appeared within a few days for sale and were not taken down 😂

What a brilliant concept in design and manufacturing I would be very pleased to have one these units, well done to the Minot team

My design upgrades for the presumably $3000 Wheel 3 would have a bluetooth output, RCA outs, a user-replaceable stylus with hopefully something like an Ortofon and a dust cover.

@albank.5386

2 ай бұрын

Why would you want a digital output for an analog audio medium like vinyl? In that case just stream the track for 99 cents/pennies

@kevinnichols4105

Ай бұрын

​@@albank.5386 He also mentioned RCA outs.

@m.k.8158

Ай бұрын

Seems like a remote control(or at least a remote control App)should be another.

@mescko

Ай бұрын

An analog device with Bluetooth? That *would* be a waste of dosh.

I had to rewind the video when you said 7 years to make sure I had heard that correctly.

Like you, I was a Kickstarter backer 7 years ago and recently received my Wheel 2. I have not unpacked it yet so seeing your video was wonderful. Thank you!

I can only imagine the technical difficulties this thing will have and the amount repairs something like this will need. Not to mention trying to get it repaired will be probably be near impossible in most places without shipping it out which is a whole other level of risk.

If Miniot could do the following: 1. Work out a deal w/ Ortofon to implement their line of 2M replaceable styli (and include the 2M Blue preinstalled with purchase) 2. Add an RCA out & grounding point. 3. Allow users to bypass the built-in phono preamp (or offer a model without a built-in preamp outright) they'd be onto somethin' big here. ...and $2,000 USD MSRP would make a lot more sense.

@truesoundchris

Ай бұрын

Not the crappy Ortofon rubbish which is no better than the present one! A quality turntable needs a standard mount with two screws, or better a standard headshell mount (could be accessible from the back). But in the end, it will always remain a very unsatisfying toy from the POV of an actual record collector because the playing side of the record, and the stylus riding in the groove, are hidden from view. Watching the reflection patterns of the groove walls that correspond to the music recorded and are unique for every record, and watching the stylus pointing to the current spot within that pattern that is currently being heard, is a major part of the fun that is in playing records as opposed to listening to the same music from a CD, a tape, or a digital file. None of that is happening here. It might just as well be a fake machine that just makes a record turn for display and plays the music from a memory card - you'd never know because you can't see nor touch nor handle the tonearm that sweeps over the surface to retrieve the recording!

@dizzle1119

Ай бұрын

@@syntrilliumc.e.p.9326 The 2M styli are replaceable, sir. That is precisely why I said they'd be a great addition to the Miniot Wheel ...and the 2M Blue, in particular, comes preinstalled on many turntables in the same price range as the Miniot Wheel. It's inclusion would make the Wheel look as if it's on par w/ similarly priced turntables. Also, the 2M series is upgradeable as well....much like the OM series. The 2M Silver, Red & Blue styli all use the same cartridge body....and the 2M Bronze, Black & LVB250 styli also share a cartridge body. So, basically, you're saying they should do the exact same thing that I said....except they should use a different line of cartridges/styli.

I want one but could never justify the cost

When the audio quality is not important (no phono out, no quality cartridge), but You search the WOW factor... this is the right gear. The price is in target for a luxury design object.

amazing hardware and software engineering for such a small team!

For a $2000 device that evidently prides itself on design, not just functionality, I'm surprised how unsightly the top looks. At first, I thought the platter was missing. That wide off-center slot with the shiny bottom and rectangular cut-out towards the center really clashes with the circular shape and matte finish of the device, not to speak of the dust that can collect within. Sure, you can always leave a record on top, exposed to dust, but then, they could've included a nice-looking cover for that price too. If I were to buy this device, I'd probably try and 3D-print some kind of a matte black clip-in cover that would narrow the slot to just wide enough for the stylus to fit through and that could be easily removed when engaging that cleaning mode.

@AnnaVannieuwenhuyse

2 ай бұрын

Covering up the IR sensor would do you no good.

@Stoney3K

Ай бұрын

No printed cover. The ideal case would be a mirror or smoked plexiglass door that slides out of the way when you use the turntable. And that center hub could do with a better finish to make it an eye catcher.

Hopefully they can release a Wheel 3 and make the cartridge user upgradeable, and maybe throw in the ability to bypass / remove the built in phono preamp. But otherwise that thing looks really neat and quite feature complete.

@BertGrink

Ай бұрын

Or perhaps the next version should come without a cartridge and RIAA amp altogether, so that the buyer could decide for themself what to use..

@nickwallette6201

Ай бұрын

I'm really curious, if you actually polled every currently living person that has ever played vinyl, whether they gave any thought about what preamp to use. Or if, they did, would they have, if it had not been a mandatory decision due to the fact that the player came with none. (Which is a fairly recent consideration, since before, you would just use whatever your existing receiver had connected to the inside of the Phono Input jacks.)

@kristoffer3000

Ай бұрын

@@nickwallette6201 Poll everyone who has ever bought an expensive dedicated vinyl player instead.

@RAHelllord

Ай бұрын

@@nickwallette6201 I would say people start caring once the fourth digit shows up in the price tag. At least that's the point for me where I start caring a lot more about even minor details on a product before I am willing to commit money towards it.

@RAHelllord

Ай бұрын

@@BertGrink That's what the "remove" would be for, whether on the product page or later wouldn't be the most important thing to me, but it would definitely be nice if it could be removed for a small discount / have a cheaper bare bones version without them.

This is actually incredible. I was very dubious about this being a bit of cheap tech but I am excited for this. Really modern way for listening to vinyl.

Wow, what a beautiful machine, especially in the vertical position….it really showcases the record format….the price and limited cart options would stop me buying it though, along with the lack of being able to introduce a different pre amp….maybe The Wheel 3 will address this, in the 2030s!! I am like you, I have a fondness for the old linear trackers from Technics with all the automatic features and just sold a mint SL7 which I instantly regretted….maybe some of the larger manufacturers will see this and perhaps build something similar and of the same quality, only upgradable, seeing as records and TTs are so popular again. We can only hope…….great video again mate.