The Red and the Black

In the last century, more than 30 billion phonograph records were manufactured and sold, and that old diamond needle that chipped away at our heartstrings for so long never failed to compromise our desire to play a record with complete accuracy and without damage. We all know what happened when the CD arrived and why we never listened back—most of us, that is. Still, many true audiophiles believe that analog, when approached correctly, is still the greatest measure of musical sound.

Although digital media vanquishes analog in terms of popularity almost every time on account of its convenience, there is still a lamentable loss of sound quality. Each media format has its own value, which makes it difficult to debate that one better champions the ear. Of course, analog is always in more danger of distortion because of the wear and tear created by the needle. Now record enthusiasts can realize their dreams of playing records without impairment. ELP offers the Laser Turntable (LT) in an attempt to facilitate the perfect audio experience.

The LT has two laser beams pointing from the left and right shoulders of the groove for tracking. Two other beams read the stereo sound at 10 microns below the shoulder. To effectively manage older and more warped records, an additional beam regulates the distance between the laser head and the surface of the record. The laser reads audio information untouched and undamaged by a needle and plays it on the groove without any digitization.



The laser can be adjusted up or down using a button on the front panel to create better sound quality, a function that comes in handy when playing albums worn from a large needle. The LT's lasers can reproduce truly superior stereo separation, as well as provide continuous speed control for LPs, 45s, and 78s, although only certain models include the 78-play option. The laser reads everything, as it has only one fourth the contact area of the best stereo needle and is one 26th the size of a mono needle. It will also read dirt and dust in the groove, so the vinyl record must be clean and free from debris.

The laser moves to the wall of the groove and back. The reflection angle is transferred to the audio signal, whereby the LT maintains analog sound throughout the entire process. As a result, the LT cannot differentiate between an audio signal and dirt on the record. Since the LT has no contact with the record groove, no coloration is added, which makes the audio reproduction as commensurate as possible with the sound of the master tape. Because the LP is in a drawer and the laser reads only the groove, there is no acoustic feedback or sound alteration. Only the music on the groove can be heard on the playback system or CD transfer.

In some cases, the LT can even play broken records when all the pieces are placed on a tray without tape or glue. Additionally, it can play warped records of up to five millimeters in deviation. As it includes an analog noise blanker, there is a reduction in pops and clicks. This feature may be turned off while restoring old recordings. The laser can also read below the depth of surface scratches, which improves playback. If the vinyl or the recording itself is lacking, however, the LT can do little to alter the sound.

The LT will not play clear or colored records that are transparent, as the laser beams must reflect from an opaque surface in order to be read. Vertical-cut records and those with rounded-groove shoulders will not play as well. Overall, the LT operates like a CD player; it includes the usual scanning, skipping, and repeating functions, and it scans records to identify the "bands" present. There is even a "hover" button that permits the player to repeat a single groove segment. The record sustains no damage when the LT is in hover or pause mode.

In 2005, ELP sold 1,000 units, and the company is continually mindful of ways to garner more support from current LT owners, as well as cultivate new customers. Appreciators of music across the globe, including Stevie Wonder and Keith Jarrett, have expressed enthusiasm for the purity of sound that is provided by the Laser Turntable. The ELP Laser Turntable is an ideal investment for universities, libraries, record repositories, musical societies, professional studios, archivists, collectors, and any music aficionado who wants to preserve old recordings, transfer records to CD, and listen to the best music reproductions without damaging records.

For more information on this très cool preserver of fine music, visit www.laserturntable.com. Can one place a price on good music? At $15,000 a pop, I scratch my head and think not.