Newcomer to the hi-fi market, German brand Luphonic Labs offers a range of turntables that stand out for their original design and ease of use, combined with meticulous, rigorous manufacturing in pursuit of great musicality. Presented at High End Munich in 2022, these turntables caught our attention and piqued our curiosity, until we were finally able to test the H2 model in this issue, equipped with the cartridge with which it is available as a package, the Audio Technica VM760SLC. Let’s discover the Luphonic H2.
Founded a few weeks before the pandemic by Thomas Luh in Linden, not far from Frankfurt am Main, Luphonic Labs currently offers a range comprising the H1 turntable (less than €2,500) and the H2 in a version without a cartridge (€3,540), or pre-configured with the Audio Technica VM760SLC MM cartridge (€4,190) on the Luphonic K2 tonearm. An even higher-end model called the R3 has already been announced for early 2024, which returns to a more conventional design to incorporate a 12″ tonearm, allowing the German company to reach a wider range of listeners.
INNOVATIVE DESIGN
Luphonic’s H2 model with belt drive and gimbal suspension tonearm stands out and immediately impresses with its original design. To avoid annoying sound influences from the motor or impact noises, a specific H-shaped sandwich construction has been validated, with a layer of damping foam inserted in the centre to counteract vibrations.
The chassis is made of a solid surface material, which has low resonance due to its high density and physical structure. The highly polished surface is achieved through a complex process involving seven grinding and polishing passes, which impresses with its pleasant feel and refined aesthetics.
At each corner is a height-adjustable conical foot, with the motor and pulley on the left, the bearing in the centre of the horizontal strut, and the arm on the far right above the strut, which houses the RCA sockets and ground connection.
The unusual shape of the turntable was chosen to minimise interference with the tonearm. And while its drive mechanism is similar to that of the H1, the black platter itself is made of mineral material with a height ranging from 18 mm to 24 mm, while its weight has been increased by 0.7 kg to 1.9 kg on the H2.
DIGITALLY CONTROLLED MOTOR
The low-vibration synchronous motor is powered by precise sine and cosine waves via microprocessor-controlled electronics, enabling smooth operation and accurate speeds. Before delivery, the control is precisely adapted to each motor installed, which is decoupled from the turntable and the tone arm so that no mechanical influence interferes with the musical information.
Truly original and quite playful, the H2 operates without buttons or switches, but with a two-colour magnetic puck, which, depending on which side is placed on the turntable, adjusts the motor speed to 33 or 45 rpm. The rotation speed is then displayed in large red digits, and if you want to stop playback, simply move the disc away from the designated area or remove it. This has the advantage of being simple to use and avoiding mechanical wear, but it does present a significant risk, since if you lose the disc, nothing will turn!
ADAPTED TONEBAR AND CARTRIDGE
Designed to fit the H2, the Luphonic Labs K2 tonebar features a classic gimbal suspension derived from high-quality precision ball bearings. At the end of the carbon tube is a special plastic headshell produced using an additive manufacturing process, which combines low weight and high rigidity. The tonearm can be easily adjusted in height and azimuth.
The counterweight is made of stainless steel, as is the anti-skating weight. The anti-skating force can be adjusted within a range of 0.21 g to 0.43 g, ideal for almost all cartridges on the market, although the brand has selected the Audio Technica VM760SLC moving magnet cartridge, one of the best MM cartridges from the Japanese brand, for its pack.
Instead of using a single large magnet, it consists of two V-shaped magnets and a Special Line Contact diamond on an aluminium cantilever, ensuring better channel separation and a wider frequency response. It should also be noted that a shielding plate has been inserted between the two coils to reduce crosstalk between the left and right channels.
INSTALLING THE LUPHONIC H2
Each component is packaged separately in the box, but assembling the H2 is intuitive and straightforward. On the chassis, place the stainless steel spindle in the bearing housing, which contains a ceramic ball, install the aluminium sub-platter on the spindle and adjust the flat belt. Once the platter is installed, all that remains is to adjust the tracking force with a scale by correctly positioning the counterweight, then adjust the anti-skating if necessary.
For our tests, the turntable was paired with Vertere Phono-1 and Lehmann Black Cube SE II SV preamps, in addition to being counter-tested on Nagaoka MP-150, after being listened to for more than thirty hours on the Audio Technica cartridge included in the pack.
THE SOUND OF THE LUPHONIC H2
From the very first listen, the H2 immediately asserts itself as a turntable that seems to fade into the background in favour of the music. As soon as the arm is integrated into the groove, it develops a smooth, high-quality midrange with beautiful fluidity, which excels at reproducing voices, whether delicate or more demanding. Enhanced by tight bass, particularly when paired with the Vertere preamplifier, the music flows smoothly with beautiful depth, almost liquid, with delicate yet finely chiselled timbres, particularly in the treble, which is never overly bright. The resulting sound image is natural, with great substance and clarity.
Magnificent in combination with the AT VM760SLC cartridge, the Luphonic H2 expresses itself in a wide and deep soundstage where everything is well defined, with a fairly neutral tonal balance, avoiding any excessive colouration in the reproduction of the low-mid range, just as it never shows any imprecision when it descends into the bass, a sign of particularly careful control of resonances thanks to a perfectly studied design.
Whatever record you put on the turntable, the musicality is astonishing, with a consistent ability to deliver a dynamic and precise listening experience, energetic on electric rock or pop guitar attacks, with even more punch when choosing the Nagaoka MP-150, compared to a more subdued sound during the melodic flights of certain jazz instrumentalists when returning to the Audio Technica, which also knows how to deliver extra sensuality to the best soul voices.
OUR CONCLUSION
With its highly original design and excellent quality thanks to its German manufacturing and assembly, the Luphonic Labs H2 turntable stands out by delivering on all its promises to enter the current analogue market, despite its relatively high manufacturing and retail costs. Behind the deceptive simplicity of the H design lies a particularly serious and well-thought-out design and manufacture, far from a simple image effect, as confirmed above all by the sound reproduction during our long hours of testing.
In perfect combination with Audio Technica’s VM760SLC cartridge, the H2 offers crystal-clear listening, purified of any superficial tonal colouration, resulting in an airy melodic expression and a richly textured sound image. This modern turntable will appeal to discerning music lovers who want to enjoy its high musical performance as well as its original ergonomics and style.
Author: Nicolas Chestier
TECHNICAL SHEET: LUPHONIC H2
- Origin: Germany
- Price:
- €3,540 (without cartridge)
- €4,190 (with AT VM760SLC cartridge)
- Dimensions: 440 x 140 x 360 mm
- Weight: 4.9 kg
- Motor: Synchronous, microprocessor-controlled
- Speeds: 33 1/3 and 45 rpm, electronically selectable
- Speed accuracy: 0.04% WRMS DIN
- Chassis:
- Solid surface material in sandwich design
- Height-adjustable feet
- Height-adjustable feet
- Turntable
- Solid surface material, height: 24 mm
- Weight: 1.9 kg
- Tonearm: Luphonic K2 with carbon radial ball bearings
- Colour: White chassis, black turntable
