New Horizon 201 turntable

The New Horizon 201 vinyl turntable is the second model in the range of the Italian manufacturer. It offers simple functions as well as a sober design in order to meet audiophile expectations, at a very affordable price.

NEW HORIZON 201: PLINTH

The New Horizon 201 turntable is proposed with a 25mm baseboard made of MDF, covered with black or white melamine. It rests on 4 specific stands designed to be completely free from the vibrations of the support.

The traditional rectangle is made original by a half-moon cut-out on the front of the turntable, which is moreover the manufacturer's trademark. Indeed, we find it on all New Horizon products.

NEW HORIZON 201: TONEARM AND PHONO CARTRIDGE

The 8.6” tonearm is a famous carbon Austrian model. This tonearm is simple but very performing. In addition, it is known for its reliability and machining precision.

As standard, it is equipped with an Audio Technica MM cartridge: the AT 3600L (similar to the Rega Carbon).

We can just regret that the phono cartridge does not keep up with the turntable. However, it is not as bad... You can simply change it! And New Horizon offers this 201 turntable with two counterweights, which allow it to be compatible with all cartridges from 4 to 8.5g. For example, we tried this turntable with an Ortofon 2M Blue MM cartridge, even if the small original AT3600 gives nice results.

NEW HORIZON 201: PLATTER AND DRIVING

The 20 mm and 1.7 kg methacrylate platter is driven by external continuous belt made of extra-thin silicone.

The AC/24v synchronous motor is insulated from the turntable, in order to avoid any vibration or noise in the platter and the tonearm.

The drive spindle of the platter is precisely machined from milled aluminium. It is based on a ¼ inch steel ball resting on top of the pivot. It ensures rotation without any friction and perfectly silent.

NEW HORIZON 201: PHONO CABLE AND COVER

As on all turntables of the range, the phono cable is not captive and so can be replaced in the long run by a more ambitious model. The female RCA connectors and the ground terminal of the turntable are gold-plated and of excellent quality.

The New Horizon 201 is delivered with a high quality methacrylate dust cover. It simply rests on the turntable and locks in place via 2 slots. This means that the traditional hinges can be dispensed.

NEW HORIZON 201: TEST AND LISTENING

As soon as the New Horizon 201 turntable came out of the box, we were seduced by the design of this small record player. When assembling it, we quickly realize that the designers really tried to optimize the product, while trying to offer the best quality/price/performance ratio.

The manufacturing quality is excellent and radiates the “Made in Italy”!

The solutions opted to avoid vibrations are very efficient. By the way, we notice that they are rarely (or never) optimized in this price range. These features allow you to enjoy the full potential of the tonearm.

The New Horizon 201 record player allows the maximum amount of information to be extracted from the groove, while maintaining dynamics and swing. The timbres are realistic and the sound scene is very wide and full for a product of this range.

This New Horizon 201 vinyl turntable offers a nice musicality and a successful design. A nice choice compared to the traditional Rega or Pro-Ject turntables... We are seduced by the Italian manufacturing.

Recommended!