Holbo Airbearing turntable

[Mostec]

Dear Friends:
..." It plays like much more expensive turntables"...
..."It's extremely detailed and digs into the most complex of mixes to bring out the ambient detail"...
Let me introduce HOLBO Airbearing turntable system.
www.holbo.si

[tapid]

Looks good Primoz. Like the clean lines.

[Frazeur1]

25478


I like mine very much, just need to work on a better cartridge soon!

[Mostec]

@Frazeur1,

It's nice to hear you are satisfied, we all are.

[AJSki2fly]

25478


I like mine very much, just need to work on a better cartridge soon!

Out of interest what did you have before and what prompted you to go for it, I think it looks pretty good, and would be interested on how it sounds

[Frazeur1]

Adrian, I had not had a turntable in my system for about 15 years, and the last tables I did have were Well Tempered and also Linn LP12’s. In the period of time without analog, I still kept the interest in tables, but money and time really kept me from buying anything.

About two years ago, I started digging around, listening to various tables, trying to find what I really wanted in a table that would compliment my system that I was building at the time, the one that is in my equipment listing below. I have always had a fascination for linear tracking tables, I felt that they did many things right, and it interested me. There just were not many on the market that were not crazy money, or were not some mechanical nightmare to set up and maintain. Most also visually looked like oil rigs too, complicated, ugly.

While there were a few here and there, Kuzma and Bergmann, they were quite pricey. I also didn’t care to go vintage either, potential lack of parts, fidliness, all that comes with it. Then a year ago, I read the review of Holbo in the online High Fidelity “magazine”, immediately, just the visual simplicity of the table made me take notice, and I contacted Holbo. The owner/designer of the table answered my questions straight away, and I put the table down as my primary one to potentially purchase. It took me a few more months, but went ahead and made the purchase. Delivery and setup went smoothly, no issues.

This table is relatively easy to setup, the air supply for the platter and arm bearing both use a very quiet, low air pressure pump. It is so quiet, I have mine situated two shelves right below my table. There is plenty of air tubing available if one wanted to situate it in a cupboard or closet, but I have not felt the need. The arm itself is fully adjustable, not too difficult to set, and will work well with a number of different cartridges I am told. That is one area I will be looking at in this year, maybe a Hana MC or?

As to the table build, it is high quality throughout in my opinion, again, the simplicity of design enables it to have fewer parts, fewer things to get fouled up, yet it is still an extremely competent design. Really, I have no complaints about it at all, and it just works, more importantly, it sounds quite good. A visit last fall to a dealer that has Well Tempered tables, I spent almost two hours listening to his Royal 400 with top spec Dynavector MC, and yes, that table is incredible-with the price to match-yet when I went home and turned my Holbo on, I was in no way disappointed with it. Sure there were differences, but taking price etc. in consideration, the Holbo is quite good, and I am sure with a bit more work, I can wring more sonically out of it.

I could go on about it, but I will end this here, this table is really good, a set and forget table, it isn’t fiddly and just goes on and makes great music. Also, I have no affiliation with Holbo or the owner/designer, but I will put in a plug for him, he has been great to deal with both during the initial process of purchase, but more so with any after sales questions and setup issues. A really great person to deal with, and I certainly wish him and his company well. It kind of makes me proud to own a nice looking, hand built product outside the norm, or outside the box so to speak.

Hopefully those interested in hearing it, will make the effort, well worth it in my opinion!