In February, we were lucky enough to be invited on a tour of the Acoustic Signature production factory. This German brand was founded in 1996 and quickly became a worldwide hit thanks to the impeccable design and value for money of its vinyl turntables. So naturally we were delighted when offered the chance to meet the team behind this globally renowned brand. 
Thank you to Sébastien Schar from Alter Audio and importer of Acoustic Signature products for the invitation. We would also like to thanks the company’s founder, Mr. Frohnhöfer, for his hospitality.
Acoustic Signature in Germany
The Acoustic Signature factory is located near Stuttgart, capital of the German luxury automobile industry (Mercedes, Porsche, etc.). More specifically, it can be found in the suburbs of nearby town Göppingen. 
While we were there, we were shown around by Acoustic Signature founder and designer Gunther Frohnhöfer and his wife. We started our tour in the factory containing the company’s administrative offices and R&D department, which is also where the manufacturing, assembly and packaging of Acoustic Signature products takes place. 
The Acoustic Signature production strategy
Acoustic Signature produces all of the parts used to build its turntables in-house. As such, it operates with zero outsourcing and uses its own machines in its own factory. The image below shows the first ever lathe used by Gunther Frohnhöfer in the company’s early days. Of course, this historic machine has now been replaced by a digital lathe fitted with the most cutting-edge industry technology. 
During our Acoustic Signature factory tour, we were able to observe the machining processes for platters, among many other things. The image below shows the platters before they are treated in the digital lathe. This high-precision digital lathe pierces, polishes and rectifies the platters in all 3 dimensions. We were impressed! 
Acoustic Signature stock management
Acoustic Signature manufactures all of the parts used to build its tonearms and record players itself, for all of its product lines. As a result, it must keep a healthy stock of all of the parts required to build all of its turntables, from the Primus models through to the exclusive Invictus turntable. This means that all of the parts are built in advance, then placed in storage, waiting to be assembled in accordance with a particular customer’s requirements. This stock management system allows Acoustic Signature to respond to customers’ requirements quickly and efficiently. 
During our tour, several Acoustic Signature turntables were being prepared for shipping to various importers. The packages were being shipped to around 30 countries across the world! 
Acoustic Signature product assembly
Acoustic Signature tonearm assembly
All Acoustic Signature tonearms, from the TA-500 through to the TA-9000, are manufactured in-house. The wiring is also carried out internally at the Göppingen factory. 
The image below shows the production and wiring of the Acoustic Signature TA-500 tonearm, which is used on the Primus and WOW vinyl turntables. The wiring process requires a lot of patience and precision. After it is finished, several tests are carried out to inspect criteria such as the conductivity, shielding and quality of the cable. 
During our Acoustic Signature factory tour, we were also able to observe the TA-1000 tonearms being built. These have the distinctive feature of a ‘Dual Carbon’ tube. 
The image below shows the assembly of the Acoustic Signature TA-9000 tonearm, which is made of aluminium and magnesium. We were able to observe how the structure of the TA-9000 tonearm is produced using a 3D laser printer. This manufacturing technique gives the tonearm structure optimal rigidity. It is a process that is also widely used in the aviation construction industry. 
Acoustic Signature Silencer technology
Acoustic Signature has developed its own cutting-edge technology for absorbing vibrations and resonance from the platter without deadening the sound or absorbing the dynamic range of the record player. And the company has given this new technology a name: Silencer. It consists in part of cylinders made of brass. These Silencers are damped by an elastomer ring placed around each end. They are placed in specific parts of the platter by high-precision cutting-edge software developed by IBM specifically for Acoustic Signature. 
These Silencers can be found on Acoustic Signature’s highest end turntables – there are 8 on the WOW XXL turntable and up to 54 on the Acoustic Signature Invictus turntable! The Invictus recently won the Editor’s Choice 2016 award by The Absolute Choice magazine for its sound and production quality. It was also named the magazine’s ‘Best Turntable’. So the Silencers were clearly not a wasted effort! The graphs below explain the principle behind the Silencers. It is plain to see that they significantly reduce the effects of resonance and rapidly absorb any effects that do remain. 
Acoustic Signature turntable bearing production
Acoustic Signature bearings are built using a ‘Tidorfolon’ design, which consists of filling the internal brass parts with oil to ensure that the entire bearing will remain lubricated for up to a decade. 
Presentation of Acoustic Signature turntable power supplies
Acoustic Signature has three power supply ranges. The power supply is selected according to the range level of the turntable it will be driving. All of the power supplies are produced in Germany, even the ‘bottom-of-the-range’ model, which most other companies tend to outsource to China. As we know, Acoustic Signature operates with zero outsourcing, even for the lower end models. 
The uniqueness of Acoustic Signature power supplies lies in their connector. They use an RJ45 connector, which optimises electrical and mechanical contact. A cut above the rest! 
Acoustic Signature vinyl turntable assembly
Now let’s move on to our favourite part of the Acoustic Signature factory tour: turntable assembly. The image below shows a technician assembling the CD power supply boards for the Acoustic Signature WOW XL turntables. 
Next we saw the final tests of the WOW XL turntables ready to be shipped to maPlatine.com HQ! =) We were then able to observe a speed control unit being wired for the Acoustic Signature Challenger turntable. 
In the image below, Gunther is showing us the manufacturing process for an Acoustic Signature Ascona turntable. 
As soon as the company receives an order for one of its record players, the operator responsible for assembly will consult the assembly process to find out which parts are required. Each turntable has its own assembly process, complete with a list of components that must be located among the existing stock. Gunther proudly showed us that he keeps a permanent stock of the parts required to build two Invictus turntables, which sit waiting to be assembled and shipped to the customer! This means that he has all of the necessary components on hand to assemble a black Invictus and a grey aluminium Invictus record player. He showed us all of the different chassis parts required to built this truly exceptional record player, which amount to no less than 479 components (+€100K; 380kg, can accommodate up to 4 tonearms)! 
[1] Acoustic Signature Invictus turntable. [2] Plinth of Acoustic Signature Invictus turntable. [3] Sub-platter of Acoustic Signature Invictus turntable. [4] The sub-platter of the Acoustic Signature Invictus turntable is built using 3 plinths to increase the overall mass of the record player. [5] Control panel of Acoustic Signature Invictus turntable.
The Acoustic Signature showroom
We finished the tour in style by visiting the Acoustic Signature showroom. It was home to several of the brand’s most iconic models, including the Ascona, Barzetti and WOW XL turntables! 
[1] Acoustic Signature Ascona turntable (black). [2] Acoustic Signature Ascona turntable (white). [3] Acoustic Signature Barzetti turntable. [4] Acoustic Signature WOW XL turntable. Thanks again to Alter Audio and Acoustic Signature for giving us the opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes look at these high-end vinyl turntables!