{"id":5142,"date":"2026-04-19T14:31:44","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T12:31:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/?p=5142"},"modified":"2026-04-25T13:31:39","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T11:31:39","slug":"soulines-kubrick-dcx-sorane-sa-1-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/en\/tests\/soulines-kubrick-dcx-sorane-sa-1-2\/","title":{"rendered":"SOULINES KUBRICK DCX & SORANE SA-1.2"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Inspired by the spacecraft in 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Soulines Kubrick DCX features an all-aluminum base designed around the golden ratio and the Fibonacci sequence. Adaptable to a wide range of tonearms thanks to three interchangeable bases, this Serbian-made turntable is available in France with a Japanese tonearm that is particularly well suited, both in terms of its modern design and innovative technology: the Sorane SA-1.2, also made entirely of aluminum, giving it a fast and tight sound that is as neutral as possible in its tones.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"SOULINES<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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SOULINES KUBRICK DCX: INTERSTELLAR SPACESHIP<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With a background in mechanical engineering and parallel training as a conservatory musician, Serbian Igor Gligorov began designing turntables from recycled materials in 2009. Two years later, his research led him to create the Soulines brand, whose first product was released in 2011. Named Hermes DCX, this turntable, messenger of the gods, already featured very modern curves and introduced the 40 mm thick, 3.2 kg acrylic platter, which is now found on all models, including the Kubrick DCX.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Subsequently, Igor Gligorov developed other, even more complex approaches with the compact tt42, before returning to greater simplicity with the Elgar DCX (which bears a resemblance to a bicycle pump, like the Kuzma Stabi S), and finally launching a conventional rectangular turntable, the Dostoyevsky DCX, and another with a smaller base, the Satie DCX.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kubrick DCX is particularly successful, incorporating not only curved lines, but above all a structure directly derived from the golden ratio \u03c6 and the Fibonacci sequence, which allows the proportions considered ideal in the development of the base to be maintained at all times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discovered by the Pisan mathematician in the 12th century, this sequence consists of always adding the sum of the two previous numbers, i.e., 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5… resulting in a structure with exceptional resistance to vibration, making it useful in the construction of certain designs (Greek temples are derived from the golden ratio), with applications that are also valid in the world of hi-fi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Made of multi-layer aluminum, the main base of the Kubrick DCX is coupled at three points with the secondary base, also made of aluminum. The entire turntable is finished in silver anodized aluminum, giving it an extremely refined look. Three interchangeable bases are supplied as standard, allowing the integration of SME 9″, Jelco or Rega\/Origin Live\/Audio Note tonearms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three support cones, whose proportions are also related to the golden ratio, are coupled to the main base by means of rubber-cork washers. Their screw thread allows the turntable to be aligned as perfectly as possible on the horizontal axis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Integrated into a block made of stacked aluminum layers, the DC motor is connected to a small external power supply; Soulines does not yet offer an optional hyper-regulated power supply to further improve the already very precise rotation. As for the platter mentioned above, it is made of laminated acrylic and mounted on an inverted bearing machined from solid brass and stainless steel, with a Derlin stop plate. Always useful for protecting against dust, a modern-looking platter cover is included with the turntable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"SOULINES<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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SORANE SA-1.2: THE SPATIAL TONARMS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While many photos found on the internet show the Soulines with relatively conventional tonearms\u2014those from Rega, for example\u2014the kit offered in France by Delta Audio with the Sorane SA-1.2 tonearm seems to offer a particularly ideal combination, both to the eye and the ear. Meaning \u201cspatial sound,\u201d Sorane is a brand created by IT Industry, known in the industry for manufacturing Ikeda Sound Labs tonearms and recently developed with the help of Mr. Hiroshi San, whom we interviewed in 2023, notably to talk about Hana cartridges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presented with its TA-1 \u201cS\u201d tonearm coupled with the Transrotor ZET-1 turntable in our VUm\u00e8tre n\u00b049, this innovative brand sought other design solutions that led to the 12\u201c square tube tonearm, the ZA-12, and then to a \u201dJ” tonearm, also carved from aluminum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Particularly suited to cartridges with medium to low compliance, the SA-1.2 is available in an even more advanced version called BCS, which further improves the internal wiring and adds a negative counterweight to the positive counterweight. For our test, we used the classic version, sold in Europe for \u20ac2,150, which offers the advantage of a radial bearing, a weight placed on the front of the arm, making it very easy to control, and anti-skating that can be easily adjusted using the side knob.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end, an SME shell also simplifies the mounting of one or more cartridges according to individual needs, while the base can be chosen at the time of ordering to fit directly with Rega, SME, Clearaudio, or Linn models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE SETUP OF THE SOULINES KUBRICK DCX & SORANE SA-1.2<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Very easy to assemble, the Kubrick DCX turntable only requires screwing in its counterweights and the base chosen from the three available to integrate the arm. All that remains is to adjust the 3.2 kg platter on the spindle, then slide a thin silicone belt around it, which is also inserted into the motor block rotation. The turntable is connected to the mains via the external power supply provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sorane tonearm is also supplied pre-assembled, with only the rear counterweight to be screwed on, as well as the SME shell, on which we successively adjusted the Hana ML, Nagaoka MP-200 & MP-500 cartridges to check the response of the Soulines-Sorane combination with MM and MC cartridges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 5-PIN tonearm cable loaned to us for our test, which is integrated under the tonearm base, matched perfectly with the rest of our cabling, as we used an Esprit Aura G9 model, in line with our HP and modulation cables. For phono preamplification, we chose to go directly through the dedicated tubes of the Luxman CL-38uC when listening to the Hana ML, and through the Kora Phono with the MM cartridges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once calibrated with a small scale and adjusted with the Sorane’s protractor, adapted to its unconventional 9.4″ length and J-shape, we were able to listen to our black discs with and without the cork mat (which we quickly decided to keep), and we always used the tt-Clamp (available as an optional extra) to secure the disc to the platter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"SOULINES<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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THE SOUND OF THE SOULINES KUBRICK DCX & SORANE SA-1.2<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Modern in appearance, the Soulines Kubrick DCX is also modern in sound. Manufactured like an aerospace vessel to absorb and dissipate vibrations caused by rotation as effectively as possible, this Serbian turntable provides rock-solid stability, concentrating the sound with tension, somewhat in line with the philosophy of certain Vertere models. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In perfect harmony, the Sorane arm also dissipates all vibrations to provide excellent bass response, almost bouncy on certain masterings, again with a speed and tension that almost make our Hana ML (MC) cartridge sound like a nimble MM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Very well separated, the left and right channels bring out a wealth of information, with the best analog pressings standing out with details usually only perceptible in digital listening on DSD files. On the other hand, this raw rendering has a slight tendency to accentuate the high frequencies, slightly noticeable with the Hana ML and even more so with the very dynamic Nagaoka MP-500. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The midrange, which is also fast, is impressively neutral, and while some listeners may prefer more substance, upgrading the phono preamp compensates for this, restoring the silkiness often expected from analog listening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflecting its build quality and design, the Soulines Kubrick DCX is a modern turntable that delivers impressive results with modern music. Even more so than Marvin Gaye’s soul, you can enjoy the full impact of the electronic bass in the R&B music of Tyler and Kendrick Lamar, or the dynamics of Adele’s vinyl records (very well pressed and mastered depending on the source). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jazz and classical music (Holst’s The Planets by Mehta\/Decca or Richard Strauss’s Also Sprach Zarathustra by Karajan\/DG, in homage to Kubrick’s film) benefit from the neutrality of the timbres, with a rendering that always focuses on energy and contrasts rather than softness. Because even if some people tend to forget it, this is above all an analog listening experience: a tense sound with dynamic ranges far superior to those compressed by the size of digital files played from CDs, further diminished since then by MP3s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"SOULINES<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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OUR CONCLUSION<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Modern in style and spirit, the Soulines Kubrick DCX is also modern in sound, demonstrating through the neutrality of its timbres and the roundness of its bass that the aluminum base is stable and not subject to vibration effects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ingeniously designed by engineer Igor Grigolov, this \u20ac5,000 turntable is ideally suited to the design and musical philosophy of the Sorane SA-1.2 tonearm, with which it forms a pair costing around \u20ac7,000, to which you still need to add a cartridge, recommended from the Hana ML or Nagaoka MP-500 range (around \u20ac1,000), or even higher-end models, which are perfectly suited to the low compliance of the Japanese tonearm. With such a spaceship, you’ll be ready for a musical leap into space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Author(s):<\/strong> Vincent Guillemin<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technical Sheet: Soulines Kubrick DCX & Sorane SA-1.2<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n