My new turntable, Holbo air-bearing system.

[Frazeur1]

23730 I just got this table on Wednesday evening late. Sorry for the stock image, best I could do for the moment. My work schedule is at my busiest time of year, figures, but I hope in the next week or so to get busy with placement and setup.

I only have a new Nagaoka MP-110 for it to start off with, and a Lehmann Decade phono stage coming soon. So, more to come, but I am excited to be back to an analog source, as it has been awhile! Thanks for letting me share!

[walpurgis]

Looks interesting Timothy. Tell us more when you can.

[Frazeur1]

Will do Geoff! Basically it has an air bearing for the main platter as well as the arm trolley, which is fed by a separate air pump. The arm is carbon fibre with litz wiring to fixed rca’s out back. It is a switch selectable two speed, belt driven platter. There are pots on the back to adjust speed. Fully adjustable spiked feet on bottom, which with the right thread could be changed out for something more compliant if one desired. Power supply is outboard as well, little 12 volt job.

It is all a fairly heavy unit for a not huge footprint, about 32 pounds or so. A couple reviews of it are available at the Polish-online mag, High Fidelity and a recent one at TNT-Audio. I believe I may be the first one in the US to have one, I bought it direct from the manufacture, was a great experience to deal with. Hopefully a US distributor will be on at some point.

More to come, but with my current work schedule it may be a few weeks before all is up and running. Looking forward to it though!

[walpurgis]

Hmm. An air bearing arm is not that rare, but a platter air bearing is. I wonder how is starts up without metal to metal contact? :hmm: Even more interesting! :)

[alphaGT]

That is a beautiful and exciting turntable! Congratulations, I wish I could hear it! I bet it could support a very upscale cartridge, in fact the sky is the limit. And get the best from a modest cartridge. I am anxious to hear your listening impressions. In case it’s not showing, I’m jealous!

Russell


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Frazeur1]

Come on over Russel, Virginia isn’t too far from Indy! Yes, my Nagaoka will not show what this table is capable of, but a place to start for now.

Yes Geoff, I need to find out a little more about the main bearing, I too am curious. I do know that the air pump needs to be on prior to turning the main platter drive on.

Thanks all!

[mac72]

Couple of reviews:
http://www.highfidelity.pl/@main-810&lang=en
https://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/holbo_airbearing_e.html

[Frazeur1]

Thanks for the links to the reviews my iPad wasn’t cooperating with me earlier!

[mac72]

Thanks for the links to the reviews my iPad wasn’t cooperating with me earlier!

No worries , looks nice and well built turntable , MP110 should be a good to start with , happy listening

[alphaGT]

I read those reviews and it seems quite impressive. What you were saying about having the air pressure up before starting the motor makes sense, such a simple idea really.

I knew a man who owns a Sota vacuum table. It has an air pump that sucks rather than blows, and it too is quite impressive. If I ever get a better ‘table I would consider one. But anyway, he got some longer hoses, and put the already quiet air pump in the closet, poked some holes down at the baseboard and ran the air to the table some 12 feet away. With the closet door closed it was impossible to hear the motor running. He seems to think it was a real improvement. I don’t know what your pump is like, but just thought I’d pass on the idea.

And thank you for the invite to come and visit you and your stereo! Who knows? I may find myself up your way some day?

Russell

[Frazeur1]

Russel, I have seen the Sota-or one of them that is like you say, uses a vacuum pump on the platter to hold the vinyl firmly down. Gee, that seems ages ago. A lot of owners of air bearing arms/tables, do typically place the pumps in a remote location. This pump that I have is very quiet, good thing as I do not have the ability to easily run my tubing any great distance, or "hide" the pump away.

You are welcome anytime if you are out this way!

[alphaGT]

Russel, I have seen the Sota-or one of them that is like you say, uses a vacuum pump on the platter to hold the vinyl firmly down. Gee, that seems ages ago. A lot of owners of air bearing arms/tables, do typically place the pumps in a remote location. This pump that I have is very quiet, good thing as I do not have the ability to easily run my tubing any great distance, or "hide" the pump away.

You are welcome anytime if you are out this way!

Now that you mention it, it’s been a while since I saw this Sota, that was back in the late 1980’s! I would imagine that newer pumps could be much quieter these days?

Russell

[Frazeur1]

Making slow progress(?), cartridge mounted, but still need to get the proper location to get things all setup and alingned. Also haven’t gotten my phono stage yet either. Work kicking my ass for time as well...eventually will get there, maybe.

[alphaGT]

Making slow progress(?), cartridge mounted, but still need to get the proper location to get things all setup and alingned. Also haven’t gotten my phono stage yet either. Work kicking my ass for time as well...eventually will get there, maybe.

That is a NICE ‘table! Most impressive.

Russell

[Frazeur1]

Thanks Russell, once work lets up a bit, I might actually get a chance to hear just how good it is!

[Frazeur1]

24343243442434524346

A little more work done on the Holbo turntable setup. More leveling and arm setup to come. Air pump barely visible on lower shelf, very quiet! I am still waiting on my phono stage too. I will probably be getting a nice cover and mini light too. More to come....work in progress!

[Barry]

Hmm. An air bearing arm is not that rare, but a platter air bearing is. I wonder how is starts up without metal to metal contact? :hmm: Even more interesting! :)

It's a belt drive TT with the platter supported on an air bearing. Hence the air pump has to be active before the TT is started. http://www.holbo.si/

[sq225917]

Much loved at rmaf with Tron kit this week.

[Frazeur1]

Hi Simon, yes I have been meaning to do a search on that from RMAF, see what was said about the system. From talking with Jeff of High Water Sound, Holbo US distributor a couple of weeks ago, he mentioned the system he was going to demo at the show, and also said he just received his MC Tron Convergence phono stage, and already he was thrilled with it. This stage interests me a lot too, will see what US pricing will be on it.

[Vrajbasi]

I have heard and owned quite a few airbearing turntables and many air bearing tonearms. I have owned an early walker and a mappanol also a forsell and the versa dynamic my current turntable has an air bearing I have heard the rockports and the Vyger extensively, I have owned a rockport series 6000 and airtangent tonearms. The air bearing turntables always seem to have a uniquely grainless sound obviously they are all different and platters and plinths etc and motor drives vary but I always here a sense of freedom. The tonearms can sound magical not always the best in the bass department but the midrange can be fantastic will no mechanical signature. I find they take alot of messing around with effective mass adding mass etc and some have better bass than others the rockports show that it is possible to develope a turntable that does it all sadly may not be done again. The Rockport series 6000 was no where as good as the airtangent in the bass dept. One thing for sure the magical midrange and freedom always flows I remember fondly my Forsell years with its truly captivating midrange and sense of freedom that was simply captivating. The only thing with my forsell was the condensation problems I had and just the constant faffing around. The Halbo looks promising and has some nice ingredients.

[Frazeur1]

Thanks for your comments Nari. I do think this table is very promising, and also in the price department, it is a good deal cheaper than many of the others. We will see, as I have had limited time actually listening to it, and certainly it is not quite dialed in I don’t think, but what I have heard, I am well pleased all around!

I am starting out at the lower end of things too regarding cartridge, one thing at a time though! I am leaning more and more to the Croft RIAA stage every day, just need to jump on it! More as time permits.

[sq225917]

Tom, $2800 ish for the Convergence according to G.T, he said the review price listed on toneaudio site was wrong.

[Frazeur1]

Simon, thanks for that, I was kind of waiting to see where the US pricing would be on the Convergence. I think the MM version will be slightly cheaper, but even at that, might be more than I want to spend right now. I am sure it is a good one though....

[Frazeur1]

Finally after a lot of waffling about on phono stages etc., things are on track! Holbo table finally spinning some vinyl, with Croft Micro 25 pre/phono feeding a Croft Series 7 amplifier and my Duevel Venus omnis.

Still some fine tuning to do, but wow, sounding quite good! It has been a long time since vinyl was spinning in my system!