Hi-Fi Retrospective 2025: Turntables, Cartridges and Phono Preamps (Part 1/2)

January 2025 – By the maPlatine.com team

The year 2025 marks a turning point for high-fidelity audio. Between technological innovations and the arrival of iconic brands such as Takumi or Loia, our experts have selected the cream of analogue audio for you.

Whether fresh from the factory or gems newly added to our catalogue, each product presented here meets one requirement: absolute musicality. Here is the first part of our review dedicated to the world of vinyl.

Special mention: Rega P3 RS, our collective favourite

Before diving into the 2025 novelties, we simply cannot fail to mention the Rega P3 RS, which arrived on our site at the end of 2024. This turntable has literally won over the entire maPlatine.com team.

The P3 RS  harmoniously combines vintage charm with cutting-edge technical innovations. Its ultra-precise tonearm and new ND5 cartridge deliver impressively faithful sound reproduction. It’s the kind of product that reminds us why we do this job: to convey musical emotion in its purest form.

The team’s unanimous verdict: a sure value that amply deserves its place in this retrospective.

The best turntables of 2025

Clearaudio Compass: german precision

The fruit of two years of R&D, the Clearaudio Compass makes the “Made in Germany” sound more accessible without sacrificing performance.

• Strengths: Inert acrylic platter (20mm), exceptional speed stability (±0.05%), new T1 tonearm and N1 MM cartridge.
• Sonic signature: Dynamic, fluid with a remarkably wide soundstage for this range. Typical brand transparency with solid bass foundation.

Pro-Ject E1.2: the value-for-money king

The Pro-Ject E1.2 redefines entry-level with handmade European manufacturing.

• Strengths: High-density MDF plinth, aluminium platter with TPE gasket (high-end technology), optimised tonearm with Pick It MM E cartridge.
• Sonic signature: A leap forward compared to previous models. The sound is lively, transparent and rich, almost rivalling the T1 range

TAKUMI TT Level 2.1 DC: dutch excellence

A newcomer, the Takumi brand makes a strong impact with the Takumi TT Level 2.1 DC  minimalist design and advanced technologies (CNC acrylic chassis, SpeedPod for fine adjustment).

• Sonic signature: Dynamic and expressive. A surprising neutrality that doesn’t “colour” the music but reproduces it with fullness.
• 💡 Expert tip: The turntable is excellent, but the supplied cartridge limits its potential. Contact us to choose a cartridge worthy of this chassis.

The best phono cartridges of 2025

Nagaoka MP700: the pinnacle of japanese MM

For its 85th anniversary, Nagaoka delivers a moving magnet (MM) cartridge, the MP700, that rivals moving coils (MC).

• Tech: Ultra-Duralumin shielded body, Boron cantilever, nude MicroRidge diamond.
• Result: Surgical detail extraction with the velocity of Permalloy magnets.

Ortofon MC X: the new MC reference

Ortofon pushes boundaries with its MC X series (pure silver coils, stainless steel frame). Here’s a quick comparison to help you choose:

Model	Diamond	Sonic Signature	Our Verdict
MC X10	Elliptical	Clear, detailed.	Excellent value.
MC X20	Nude Elliptical	Nuanced, fine timbres.	Highly recommended.
MC X30	Nude Fine Line	Precision, wide stage.	Best compromise.
MC X40	Nude Shibata + Boron	Absolute finesse.	The Must-Have.

🎯 Jérôme’s favourite (co-founder): Ortofon MC X40 – “A cartridge that goes further in terms of finesse and nuance than anything I’ve heard in this range. An absolute must.”

Hana Umami Black: the artisanal exception

The Hana Umami Black represents the pinnacle of Excel Sound’s craftsmanship, designed by master Masao Okada-san.

The first Hana cartridge with a monobloc diamond cantilever, the hardest material for optimal signal transfer. High-efficiency generator with hand-wound 4N copper coils, exceptional Urushi lacquer finish.

A very high-end low-output MC cartridge requiring a matching phono preamp (minimum 64 dB gain, ~50 ohms impedance).

The best preamplifiers and phono preamplifiers of 2025

E.A.T E-GLO PETIT 2: the hybrid revelation

Following the success of V1, the Czech brand returns with an almost perfect hybrid design, the E.A.T E-GLO PETIT 2.

• Strengths: Hybrid design (ECC83 tubes + J-FET transistors) offering an exceptional 87 dB signal-to-noise ratio. Extended parameter settings (gain, impedance) and passive RIAA correction.
• Sonic signature: Instant musicality. It’s composed, nuanced, with superb dynamics. You get access to the famous “tube sound” usually reserved for much more expensive equipment.

🎯 Shared favourite: E.A.T E-GLO PETIT 2

• Franck (co-founder): “A preamp that amazed me with its versatility.”
• François (technician): “The best value-for-money tube preamp I’ve heard.”
• Céline (communications): “Even for a novice like me, the difference is striking!”

E.A.T E-GLO S: high resolution

The model E.A.T E-GLO S takes the hybrid philosophy further with a dual tube stage and luxurious finish (Makassar wood side panels).

• Sonic signature: Increased finesse and resolution compared to the “Petit”. The transparency is such that on Blues or Rock, you can distinguish the specific grain of guitar amps. Total immersion.

Lab12 Melto 1: greek emotion

Made in Europe, the Melto 1 offers a simplified tube circuit for maximum purity.

• Strengths: Impeccable build quality and design focused on naturalness.
• Sonic signature: Enhances the “organic” aspect of music. Voices are full-bodied, bass is taut and the soundstage is three-dimensional. Probably one of the best choices under €3,000.

ATOLL PR200 Signature & PR400 EVO: The French preamplifiers

The PR200 Signature  is Atoll’s most affordable preamp, with French manufacturing quality. Oversized power supply (340 VA transformer, 31,000 µF filtering), discrete component stages. Upgradeable with optional DAC and phono cards.

The PR400 EVO  is Atoll’s most ambitious preamp. Impressive dual-mono architecture, 10mm aluminium faceplate, 15 kg. Very clean and neutral reproduction, excellent transparency, impressive dynamics and scale.

Essential vinyl accessories

Because good playback starts with healthy media, here are the two technical tools that made their mark in our workshop this year.

Humminguru ORBIT HG03: The demagnetiser

The problem: Records accumulate static electricity, causing crackles and attracting dust. The solution: the ORBIT HG03  neutralises this charge thanks to a rotating design emitting over 50 million ions per cm³.

• Use: Simplicity itself. Place, press, wait for the 10 automatic cycles to finish. Immediate disappearance of static-related crackles.

Pro-Ject Flatten It: The record saviour

The problem: Warped records that are unplayable or cause the stylus to skip. The solution: The Flatten It, a flattener using aluminium plates with thermal control (±2°C) to straighten vinyl without damaging the grooves.

🎯 Shared favourite: Pro-Ject Flatten It

• François (technician): “An indispensable tool!”
• Ruben (communications assistant): “Amazing to see a warped record regain its flatness.”

Coming Next: Into the second part

Next week: best Hi-Fi speakers of 2025 (including Revival Audio, Jérôme and Franck’s favourites), amplifiers (PrimaLuna EVO 100, Quad 33+303…), Eversolo network players and the whole team’s favourites!

Discover all these products on maPlatine.com

See [Part 2/2] for speakers, amplifiers and digital equipment