Acoustic Signature Double X Neo Makassar Turntable Package + TA-1000 Neo 9-inch Tonearm

The warm grain of Makassar ebony, the German precision of a perfectly dimensioned 9-inch arm: an orthodox encounter between cabinetmaker elegance and technical ambition. A turntable that fits into its furniture as an obvious choice.

This pairing plays the right balance card. Makassar ebony, a precious wood with deep grain and warm tones, dresses the Double X Neo in a cabinetmaker presence that places it closer to the finest audio furniture. The TA-1000 Neo 9-inch inscribes a sober and proportioned technical line across this warm livery, without excess, in the exact silhouette dictated by the turntable's format. It's the meeting of precious wood and carbon fibre, of artisan craft and millimetric engineering. maPlatine.com delivers the system mounted, wired and aligned in our workshop.

The Double X Neo Makassar: precious wood as statement

Makassar (or Macassar Ebony) is one of the most prized woods in high-end cabinetmaking: its pronounced grain, its warm tones alternating amber, brown and deep black make it an instantly recognisable species. On the Double X Neo, the finish is applied with care that fully showcases the material, and each turntable presents a unique grain pattern. No two Double X Makassar are identical.

But the Double X Neo is more than a beautiful piece of cabinetwork. Beneath the veneer, the multilayer chassis combines three layers of MDF, steel and plywood press-bonded with a specific flexible adhesive. This construction, inherited from the Verona Neo, neutralises structural resonances in a way no single-material chassis can match. Dimensions: 44 x 35 cm, weight: 24 kg.

The 50 mm aluminium platter / 10.3 kg hosts 8 polished brass Silencers for maximum internal dissipation. The DTD® spindle integrates into the Dura Turn Diamond® bearing, with 15-year warranty. The AC motor with 2 coils / 24 poles is driven by Level 1 AVC technology, digitally correcting motor phase shifts in real time. Sorbothane feet, side 33/45 rpm control panel, DMC-20 power supply.

The TA-1000 Neo 9-inch: precision without overhang

The TA-1000 Neo is the second arm in the Acoustic Signature range, just above the TA-500. It's the first reference in the catalogue that genuinely exploits the capabilities of a turntable like the Double X, and its value-for-money equation is among the most compelling on the market.

In 9-inch version, it shows an effective length of 239.3 mm for an effective mass of 9.3 g. This geometry exactly matches the Double X chassis dimensions and preserves a balanced silhouette without overhang. Its effective mass makes it particularly comfortable with high-end MC cartridges, without excluding the most demanding MMs.

The double-layer carbon tube combines high rigidity with structural damping: the arm's intrinsic resonance is brought down to a remarkably low level. The pivot rests on high-precision miniature ball bearings, free of any play, mounted on a machined stainless-steel shaft that ensures perfect fluidity and robustness.

The counterweight is fully machined from a block of high-purity brass. A distinctive feature of the TA-1000: its anti-skating system using a lateral weight housed inside a casing, a more protected and precise approach than exposed thread systems, which avoids drift in the adjustment over time. The solid aluminium headshell accepts the vast majority of cartridges on the market.

Mogami studio-grade copper internal wiring, 24k gold-plated cartridge connectors, supplied Audioquest PSC DIN 5-pin/RCA cable. The arm ships with a 3-point REGA mount and an SME-style mount, both with precise VTA adjustment.

A combination mounted and aligned by our team

On a precious-wood chassis, care given to mounting and alignment takes on an extra dimension: it's also about respecting the beauty of the support. The arm is installed, wired and aligned on the turntable in our workshop, ready for the cartridge of your choice.

The Double X Neo offers a signature where silence is the most immediately perceptible element. The noise floor is exceptionally low, letting the most tenuous details surface. The soundstage unfolds with surprising depth, and section separation is remarkably clear.

The TA-1000 Neo 9-inch adds precision and fluidity that make listening immediately pleasurable. Without added coloration, it holds the cartridge in the groove with remarkable stability. On vocals, the realism is striking. On large orchestral works, the reading is analytical without losing emotion. The Makassar wood, by its nature and the multilayer construction it dresses, seems to bring a subtle warmth to the lower midrange, without ever unbalancing the presentation.

A combination that owns its character: an object with warm grain, measured and right technical ambition, and a deeply musical sonic signature.