Music Hall MMF-7.3 turntable

The new Music Hall mmf-7.3 vinyl turntable is a midrange model, but boasts enough innovative technical features to make it a highly attractive and powerful audiophile record player.

It features the same lacquered MDF dual plinth design used on the Music Hall mmf-5.3 vinyl turntable. This consists of two lacquered plinths isolated from one another by 6 TPE-damped cones. Before use, you'll need to remove the three screws to separate the plinths. Once these have been removed, you’ll be able to clearly see that there is no mechanical connection between the plinths (apart from the vibration isolation bushings) and that the mechanical parts are completely isolated from the frame. This main frame sits on three cones made of ABS. The synchronous motor is fully decoupled from the platter and sits front and left of the turntable in its own housing. It rests on a thick aluminium puck that isolates it completely from the frame. It is fitted with an SB card for servo speed control and electronic speed change (33⅓ and 45 rpm). It uses a 15V DC outboard power supply. The sub-platter bearing is made of bronze and spindle is made of stainless steel, and the whole mechanism has been meticulously milled and lubricated to prevent any unwanted friction. The sub-platter is made of highly durable PVC in order to limit vibration as much as possible. The platter has been cut from a dense 18mm block of acrylic, which ensures protection from vibrations and resonance. Somewhat strangely, it has a traditional felt platter mat, which we don't think is particularly effective, but these things are a matter of taste. We'd leave it in the box! Especially as the Music Hall mmf-7.3 comes with a highly effective screw-on record clamp. But we would not recommend using an accessory like this with felt platter mats in general, as they tend to push up the edges of your records.

The 9-inch tonearm has been assembled with meticulous precision. The tube is made from a single piece of carbon fibre, and the combination of its weight, rigidity and length ensure excellent tracking and seamless compatibility with average and high compliance. The phono cable is removable, which is highly advantageous for future upgrades. The mmf-7.3 comes as standard with a translucent dust cover as well as the excellent Ortofon Quintet Blue MC cartridge.

Setting up this Music Hall turntable couldn’t be easier – especially when you order from maPlatine.com, as we deliver it to your door fully assembled and set up! This means that when it arrives all that’s left to do is put the platter, motor and belt in place and position the small antiskating weight on the second notch. For best results we recommend placing it on a perfectly level surface, which is easily done with the handy spirit level that is built in to the upper plinth. We tested it out with a midrange MC preamp (€500).

And within seconds of pressing play, we got a pretty good idea of the mmf-7.3 turntable’s potential. The sound stage is wide and precise, and the timbres are full-bodied. The instruments have plenty of substance but still remain precise. The treble is also precise and flies high, without a hint of aggressiveness. You definitely couldn’t accuse this record player of being dark and dreary! The bass is deep and well-articulated. The midrange isn't relegated to the background, unlike some turntables in this price range. In actual fact, it is present and highly detailed. Vocals are clean-sounding and sing out perfectly from the mix, even at high volumes! The record clamp also makes a big difference to the sound. It improves the placement of the instruments and increases definition in the bass.

We were very pleasantly surprised by the Music Hall mmf-7.3 vinyl turntable, and have been completely won over by its well-balanced sound quality – now we understand why it’s so popular across the pond! It has many technical advantages over its competitors, delivering a sound quality that makes it one of the best options in its range.

Highly recommended!