Argon Audio Aurora

Until now, Argon Audio's turntable lineup has consisted primarily of relatively conventional belt-driven designs. With the Aurora, the manufacturer has taken a different approach. A brushless motor drives the platter directly, eliminating the belt altogether, while a quartz-controlled system maintains rotational speed. Direct drive is naturally associated with professional and DJ turntables, but here the technology has been incorporated into a design intended specifically for home hi-fi systems. Argon Audio emphasizes that the motor has been engineered to minimize cogging, the small fluctuations in torque caused by the interaction between a motor's magnetic components. The goal is not to generate enormous amounts of torque, but rather to ensure that the platter rotates as smoothly, quietly, and consistently as possible. The specified wow and flutter is no greater than 0.10%, while speed accuracy is rated at ±0.2%. The Aurora supports three playback speeds - 33, 45, and 78 rpm. Naturally, playing 78 rpm records also requires an appropriate stylus or cartridge.

The drive system, however, is only one part of the equation. The Aurora's plinth is made from MDF, with an emphasis on structural rigidity and resonance control, while the aluminum platter weighs a substantial 1.4 kg (3.1 lb) and incorporates additional rubber damping. Its bearing assembly uses a brass bushing and thrust washer, and the turntable rests on vibration-damping feet designed to reduce the transmission of unwanted energy from furniture and the supporting surface. All these measures serve the same purpose - providing the cartridge with the most stable operating conditions possible. In a turntable, vibrations originating from the surrounding environment, the motor, or the structure itself can find their way into the tonearm and cartridge assembly, where they may effectively become part of the signal retrieved from the record groove. Increasing mass, reinforcing the plinth, and mechanically isolating the turntable from its surroundings are therefore much more than cosmetic exercises intended to make a product look and feel more "high-end."

One of the Aurora's more interesting features is its statically balanced, S-shaped aluminum tonearm, with an effective length of 9.17 inches and an effective mass of 20 g. Argon Audio has equipped it with its proprietary ATS technology, short for Anisotropic Torsion Stabilizer. The system is designed to suppress torsional resonances that develop within the tonearm tube. From the listener's perspective, the intended benefits are straightforward - more stable stylus tracking and less unwanted vibration reaching the cartridge. The tonearm also features a detachable headshell connection, making future cartridge changes or the preparation of a second headshell-and-cartridge combination considerably easier than on turntables with permanently integrated headshells.

Interestingly, Argon Audio has not taken the most obvious route of installing a conventional half-inch-mount cartridge. Instead, the Aurora comes factory-fitted with an Ortofon Concorde Music Blue. This is not the DJ-oriented Concorde familiar from countless club turntables, but a member of Ortofon's Concorde Music series, developed specifically for home hi-fi applications. The Blue features a nude elliptical stylus, which Argon Audio describes as being of the same class as the one used in the popular 2M Blue. The Concorde design also eliminates the need for a separate headshell and the tiny mounting screws normally required to install a cartridge. This makes initial setup considerably easier, although the possibilities for future upgrades remain wide open. All styli in the Concorde Music range are interchangeable, allowing Aurora owners to move up to versions such as the Bronze or Black without replacing the entire cartridge. The tonearm itself uses a standard SME-type bayonet connection, so owners can also install a conventional headshell and experiment with other cartridges, provided their weight falls within the manufacturer's specified range.

Although the Aurora is Argon Audio's flagship and a considerably more sophisticated turntable than its entry-level offerings, the company has not abandoned the practical features that make its products so approachable. A built-in moving-magnet phono preamplifier provides RIAA equalization and can be engaged or bypassed using a switch on the rear panel. As a result, the Aurora can be connected to an amplifier with a dedicated phono input, a regular line-level input, an AV receiver, or a pair of active speakers. The latter option is particularly relevant given Argon Audio's extensive lineup of powered stereo speakers. Pairing the Aurora with one of these systems makes it possible to create a complete vinyl playback setup consisting of little more than the turntable and two speakers.

That said, Argon Audio has not turned the Aurora into a fully automatic turntable. Operation remains essentially manual, although an Auto Stop function stops the platter once a record has finished playing. It is a sensible compromise between mechanical simplicity and everyday convenience. The package also includes an RCA cable, a rubber platter mat, and a dust cover. The power supply is integrated into the chassis, eliminating the external power adapter that would otherwise need to be accommodated somewhere behind the equipment rack. The turntable measures 45 x 36.6 x 15.3 cm (17.7 x 14.4 x 6 inches) and weighs 10.4 kg (22.9 lb). Two finishes are available - Black Matte Lacquer and Walnut Veneer. Both versions feature a distinctly understated design that fits comfortably with the visual identity Argon Audio has established across its product range. The Argon Audio Aurora is available now, with suggested retail prices of $1,499 in the United States, €1,299 in Europe, and £1,099 in the United Kingdom. Info and photos by Argon Audio.