Are you looking for top quality analogue equipment, but don’t know how to decide on the right product? To help you with your choice, maPlatine.com has collated our most helpful customer reviews from 2015.
Turntables, Hi-Fi cartridges, cables, phono preamplifiers and accessories, this guide contains all the reviews on our product pages. Hopefully, it will give you a clearer idea of the best choice of Hi-Fi equipment for you.
Thank you to all of our customers who so kindly left their feedback!
Customer reviews of turntables
'REALLY HAPPY! : Thank you to all of the people I spoke to at maPlatine.com. I had a problem with an unusable power supply and their responsiveness was 100% incredible - I received a new one in no time. As for this famous Pro-Ject Debut Carbon, I love its simplicity. […] It’s completely made for music, full stop. It’s not for DJs... I connected it to two old Infinity speakers via my Technics amp and it was just pure joy - especially jazz and the sax, and classical and rock, too, no problem. Above all else, it had a lot of precision and musicality. I heartily recommend the Pro-Ject - and the maPlatine.com team. Thank you again, I'll be coming back for sure! ’
Cyril I.
‘ LONG LIVE VINYL: Combined with the Pro-Ject Tube S tube preamplifier and my Atoll IN100 amp, the quality is spot on - I've been listening to the Dire Straits, David Gilmour, Groundation, Daft Punk, Nina Simone... The sound is so warm and well-defined, I’m hearing instruments I've never heard before. […]’
Ludovic J.
‘A REAL PLEASURE: After a thorough look through this extensive website and a few email exchanges, I went for this turntable. I received it in less than 48 hours, already set up for me, so all I had to do was set up the anti-skate weight, plug it in, connect it to the Pro-Ject Box DC phono preamplifier, and hey presto! I was ready for an explosion of exceptional sound quality! I’ve been rediscovering all of my old records ever since, it’s been a real pleasure. '
Mattias G.
'A PURE GEM: This turntable is absolutely amazing! The combination of top quality materials and high sound quality makes this turntable radiate beauty from every pore - the sound really is excellent. I am discovering vinyl through this turntable, and I have absolutely no regrets. I would highly recommend it. […]. ’
Brice R.
‘SENSATIONAL: Delivered within a few days all the way from France to Hong Kong (unexpectedly, it was more expensive here in Asia), this turntable arrived in perfect condition: great job on the Sumo packaging. I installed it within minutes, and the tonearm was already set up so I could play the first record straight away: the sound is excellent, very pure and very clear, but also very dynamic. Suffice it to say, I recommend both this Rega turntable and the excellent customer service I received from maPlatine.com. '
Sylvain L.
'CLEARAUDIO WHITEMOTION (LIMITED EDITION) […] - Packaging: 10/10 - Excellent turntable (it’d look at home in a jewellery shop window) - The sound after three hours of listening: 10/10, imagine it after twenty hours! - Setup: tonearm/cartridge down to a T 10/10 - Organisation of Franck and his team: 10/10 Thank you for your professionalism because it's a rare commodity nowadays. See you soon! Alain from Liège, Belgium'
Alain M.
'RP6 PURCHASE: […] I’ve been listening to jazz and classical on my new turntable and it’s breathing new life and authenticity into my favourite tunes. The sound is warm and full-bodied, and the REGA RP6 with its Elys2 cartridge is very neutral and easy to use - what an excellent turntable. A real gem. Thanks again to the MaPlatine.com team'
Pasqual P.
'AN AMAZING TURNTABLE: ‘The RPM 3 is a great turntable, and I love the shape (Mickey Mouse shape + S-shaped tonearm). It’s been a pleasant surprise to rediscover my old records. I’d like to thank the maPlatine.com team for their helpful advice, and for the speedy, high quality delivery. And the turntable was already set up by a technician before delivery, so it was ready to go when it arrived - great job!’ Well done!'
Hadrien G.
'A REVELATION: ‘Buying this Pro-Ject package is indisputably one of the best decisions a vinyl enthusiast could make. Beyond its undeniable aesthetic qualities, it’s clear that we are in the presence of a bona fide high-end product here, and one that offers the best musicality available in this price range. If you’re lucky enough to be able to pair it with a Lehmann Black Cube SE II phono preamp, it will bring you passion, happiness and joy. […]. Would recommend! ’
Laurent T.
‘AN ABSOLUTE BARGAIN: This combo, paired with a matching phono preamplifier will deliver a top quality analogue sound quality for a budget of around €3,000, with a second to none customer service! Well done guys and thanks!'
Zicchilini E.
'PURE BLISS: Extremely satisfied. I replaced my Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (itself very good, bought last year) for this model for the built-in speed controller. It also comes with a better cartridge. It’s a pure joy to listen to! […]’
Nicolas U.
‘GOOD TURNTABLE, SPEEDY SERVICE I’m rediscovering my records with this turntable, it reproduces their warmth very well. And it looks great, which doesn’t hurt! Paired with a Pro-Ject preamp, a Hegel H80 amp and some Vienna Acoustics speakers, the sound is just as I like it. And hats off to the maPlatine.com website - ordered Sunday at 6pm, delivered on Tuesday morning, with everything already set up and prepared. '
Franck L.
'REGA RP3+ ORTOFON 2M RED: Its been a year now since I bought the RP3, which came delivered from maPlatine with an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge which I had already, as well as with the spacer for cartridges made by other brands. The setup & delivery were both flawless! It came to replace my old, ailing Dual, and has give me a lot of happiness ever since - I play records all day long and don’t get any fatigue. I’ve just added the TT-PSU power supply unit so that it’s easier to use with 45 RPM records, and it has increased the precision of both the bass and treble. ’
David G.
‘REGA RP3 + AUDIO TECHNICA AT 150MLX MM CARTRDIGE: This is an outstanding combination, proving that you can have an exceptional dynamic range while retaining a natural, smooth sound. It feels like the musicians are in the room with you, it’s mind-blowing! […] I’ve already made an appointment with Franck to talk about upgrading the rest of my Hi-Fi equipment! '
Eric D.
'CLEARAUDIO CONCEPT TURNTABLE: What can I say? It’s a work of art. Then there’s the amazing clarity of the sound, the dynamic range is all there, and with the quality of production and materials used, you can tell it’s a German product. You could buy it with your eyes closed. And then there’s the shop - what a joy it was to get such good advice and carefully packaged delivery, it was a pleasure to deal with such professionals’
Frédéric N.
‘CLEARAUDIO CONCEPT: GERMANIC QUALITY: […] The sound is really fantastic, we’ve come a long way from the bottom of the range SME tonearms. Hats off to you for this product! My André Charlin recordings have finally found a record player that lives up to their standards. Thank you to the whole team. Kind regards, Francisco'
Fransico T.
'EXCELLENT VALUE FOR MONEY! : I replaced my Linn Sondek LP12, fitted with a Vivo Blue, with this Traveler V2, and I haven’t looked back since. Although my Linn (a basic model) had a good reputation and was set up perfectly by Franck (one of the very few people out there with Linn training!) over a year ago, I wanted to get over all that overpriced old stuff that’s over 30 years old. I’ve got a lot more happiness out of the Traveler, and with the same cartridge, too. Even putting its aesthetic and production quality aside, I’ve noticed a stark increase in bass, energy, liveliness and even in transparency. I heartily recommend this turntable (100% made in the USA) with a 10.5-inch tonearm (nearly a tangent!) and without an anti-skate device! Which says a lot about the meticulous setup and production! I might upgrade my system with a Quintet Black at a later date. […]'
Laurent N.
'This turntable is beautiful: first-class finish, production quality beyond reproach. Exceptional technology, but still very easy to use. No surface noise, no distortion, no interference. This turntable, and cartridge (Ortofon MC Cadenza Black), obviously, reproduces even the most meticulous details of our favourite records in playback. It is a truly high-tech product. Thank you to the entire maPlatine.com team for your expert advice. Thanks again and great job! M.C'
Michel C.
Customer reviews of cartridges
'GREAT CLASS: After a breaking-in period of around 40 hours, this cartridge (set up and fitted onto a Pro-Ject XTension 9) has released its full potential. I would describe it as producing incredible closeness and a remarkable dynamic range, the treble flies and you can hear the majesty of all textures. A real foot-tapping cartridge! I would heartily recommend this product to all fans of analogue. Thank you to Franck for your advice. '
Laurent T.
'MAGICAL! : This is an incredible cartridge, it really makes the music sing! And in the most beautiful way. It is completely neutral with an unbelievable tonal range - my CDs now sound like common MP3s! Everything sounds great and perfectly balanced, it’s just...brilliant. […]'
Thomas G.
«EXCELLENT: […] Combined with my Pro-Ject Debut Carbon turntable, the 2M Blue is a miracle-worker: the deep, full-bodied bass makes vocals sound irresistible, the treble is soft and fine - basically, it's a real pleasure to listen to. I recommend it! You should also take care of your phono cable if you want to benefit from all the detail this cartridge provides ;-)’
Alexandre M.
‘VERY GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY: I bought the BLUE stylus to replace my 2M RED. The bass is now less muddy and more solid. The whole range feels more ‘airy’ and detailed. It has taken the sound and nuance to the next level. […] '
Fabrice D.
'A KILLER: I bought the Ortofon 2M Black just a few weeks ago, but it has made an impression very quickly. At first, although the sound was excellent (wide bandwidth, no one particular register more prominent than another, technical attributes beyond reproach, with no time at all for imprecision caused by substandard grooves), playback could sometimes be a little flat... But this feeling faded very quickly, and was replaced by an extremely high fidelity sound with an impressive ‘foot-tapping’ quality. It is quite simply brilliant. […] Tracking is impeccable, and fitting it onto a Helius tonearm was child’s play. […]'
Franck R.
'BENZ MICRO MC ACE SL CARTRIDGE: This cartridge (used on a VPI Classic) didn't even need a breaking-in period before delivering a very pleasant and incredibly even sound, with authentic textures. I used it to replace a Rondo Blue and I haven’t looked back since. Thank you to Franck for your invaluable advice. '
Gerard T.
'IMPRESSIVE: The Quintet Blue creates a sound with real substance, and records play better, without surface noise, like they’ve been cleaned. The vocals are really impressive. The tonal balance is perfect: the bass, mids and trebles are all consistent and you can hear everything. The dynamic range is excellent […]. Records played: Gainsbourg: Aux Armes et Caetera; Zappa: Apostrophe; Talking Heads: Naked; Miles Davis: A Kind of Blue; Mahler: the 5th. In a word, the emotion is palpable, which is the ultimate goal. '
Auguste F.
Our customer reviews of phono stages
'THIS LITTLE BOX PRODUCES GREAT SOUND! : I used this preamp to replace a Cambridge 551 P and am finding that it adds extra levels of detail as well as incredible specialisation. The bass holds up better as well. It really feels like the sound is opening right up. It’s like a veil has been lifted, letting the music speak for itself. […] I should say that I was surprised by the small size of the preamp and that it does get quite hot. '
Fabrice D.
'A HIGH CLASS AMP: […] The Aurorasound Heada is absolutely exceptional, both in terms of production and sound quality. It’s quick, dynamic and airy, with incredibly precise textures - nothing is either added or taken away. It really brings out the silky, smooth side of classical music, and the fluidity of the music. A first-class piece of equipment. '
Gilles B.
'FURUTECH ADL GT40 ALPHA PHONO PREAMPLIFIER: This extremely high quality product has found a perfect home in my REGA RP3 turntable. The texture is very pure and dynamic, and the 48 dB preamplification means that the signal is strong enough that the amp isn’t pushed too hard when switching from a digital to vinyl source. And as for the USB output - it’s great, really impressive. I’ve only made a few recordings so far, but they're hard to distinguish from the original recording, which goes to show that the GT40 is doing its job very well: It's a very well-made sound card. […] And at this price, what are you waiting for? '
Eric D.
'A COMPLETE SUCCESS: This is an excellent phono preamp that is capable of bringing out the best in both MM and MC cartridges thanks to its multiple setup possibilities. The finish is perfect, and it's easy to get up and running. After a breaking-in period of around 50 hours, it really knows how to bring out the best in the Ortofon Quintet Black, producing a sound with enormous musicality that embraces all registers. It is versatile, excelling across genres, from blues and rock to classical concertos. An excellent product, would recommend! '
Laurent T.
'IMPRESSIVE: […] Paired with my Ortofon Quintet black , the sound this preamp delivers is dynamic and vivid. Absolutely no harshness, despite the definition and precision. I’m really enjoying rediscovering my old record collection! Thank you to maPlatine.com for your advice and customer service! '
Eric B.
Customer reviews of accessories
'ULTIMATE: I tried many cleaning brushes and eventually opted for this Furutech brush. Also, its antistatic effect is undeniable, it also eliminates dust residue (that unfortunately remain) on my beloved records. The sound quality is dramatically improved, including by the absence of crackling […]. Without a doubt a must-have accessory in my opinion as well as my Ultime brush. '
Laurent T.
'IT'S WORTH IT! : It took me a while to make the jump but, indeed, it perfectly removes the dust from the records and almost all the static is eliminated. To optimise the elimination of loads, I touch a ground wire while I use the brush, which I obviously hold by the metallic part. […] It also perfectly removes dust from TV LCD screens. '
Christian M.
' A MUST: Very satisfied with this machine, easy and quick to use. When cleaned, the record has better dynamics. Thank you to the maplatine.com team for its professional service. Yvon. "
Yvon M.
'FUNK ACHROMAT PLATTER MAT: Tries with my SP 10 Technics, it's a hit! beautiful extension on the bass, mids are more personified and the treble is very fine. A real gap, the music is more full-bodied, very satisfied. '
Denis S.
'GREAT VALUE FOR MONEY: […] I've just opted for the spin clean and it lives up to my expectations. I can clean around thirty records with 3 doses (small bottle). After two cleaning cycles, I started using this method. I let one corner of the towel to dry on a warm source and I dry with the other. Drying is not optimal with the towel, I put a dozen records to dry on a wooden dish rack for 5 minutes. I then use the new Analogis sleeves. […]Excellent product that is actually used by record dealers worldwide. '
Laurent N.
'GREAT VALUE FOR MONEY! Being a roller free-rider with ears allergic to in-ear headphones, I started looking for high quality over-the-ear headphones that would hold. So I opted for this 'eGRADO' and I have to say that I'm very happy with it! The sound beats my other headphones any time (and some of them were actually much more expensive) and it sits firm, even when I fall when I'm roller-skating, it stays on my head. The comfort isn't great, but between you and me, that's not the point. So, for the athletic music lovers out there, run and buy it! '
Brice J.
Our customer reviews of Hi-Fi cables
'THIS LUXURY CABLE WORKS WONDERS: These new cables connect a recent SACD ESOTERIC player and an AUDIO RESEARCH preamp that only has RCA jacks (itself connected to an AUDIO RESEARCH tube amp). […] What first stands out after setting up the new cables is that they are beautifully crafted and have a very elegant design. […] When used with Classical and Jazz music CDs, the qualities mentioned in the product data sheet were rapidly confirmed (with break-in further improving the sound quality. The main features that stood out: - mind-blowing dynamics - deep bass and no trailing - very precise treble without any harshness - a broader and deeper sound stage with a very precise placement of musicians and instrument groups In conclusion: The added sound value provided by these cables is quite amazing and fully deserved. The price is justified by the manufacturing quality and performances. […] An enthusiastic music lover'
Michel S.
'BARE ESSENTIALS! : If there's one cable you need in terms of quality, it's this one! I opted for this brand because I'm very happy with my Vivo Blue in terms of performance, reliability and value for money. One of the very few Hi-Fi brands that doesn't subcontract! It is fitted to my Traveler v2. I would like to thank Maplatine.com for their amazing responsiveness in processing my order. '
Laurent N.
Please feel free to leave a review of the products you have bought and help fellow audiophiles in need of advice!
