The Dutch turntable company Miniot may be a small family affair, but they have been pumping out unique and striking products that consumers have fallen in love with. The latest addition to their roster is the ultra-exclusive Black Wheel, of which only 5 are made available per month.
What makes the Black Wheel so interesting? For starters, it employs the same technology as their Wheel 2, meaning this is an “upside down” turntable. All the delicate parts are hidden within, giving the Black Wheel a striking profile. Whereas their Wheel 2 has a chassis made of wood, the Black Wheel sports a black aluminum enclosure with black accents.
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The desired side of the record to be played is placed facing down, and the record turns counter clockwise. The Black Wheel is aimed at audiophiles, and as such, features an Audio Technica Nude Shibata cartridge as well as a built-in phono preamp that the company says “delivers a pure RIAA-equalized signal straight to your amplifier, headphones, active speakers or wireless setup.”
Perhaps the most interesting, the Black Wheel ships with a stand to be situated vertically if desired, and can even be mounted on the wall for a unique piece of functional decor.
The Black Wheel supports 7, 10, or 12 inch records, and auto-detects the size to begin playing, and sports a technology the company has dubbed “Constant Groove Speed” to make automatic playback speed corrections for an optimized experience. Additional controls such as volume, stylus weight, and track selection can all be accessed on the side of the device, which includes a line display for visual feedback.
While the standard Wheel 2 is priced at a bit over $2,000, the Black Wheel is prices at around $4,000. Still, if you have the funds and are interested in ultra-exclusive audiophile gear, the Black Wheel would make a lauded addition to any collection.
