Acoustic Signature Double X Neo Black Turntable Package + TA-500 Neo 9-inch Tonearm

Black piano lacquer, 9-inch arm perfectly integrated: a monolithic, understated system where each element blends into absolute visual coherence. Elegance that steps back to let the music speak.

This configuration bets on cohesion. The Double X Neo in deep piano-black lacquer, the TA-500 Neo 9-inch with its dark carbon tube, the dark aluminium headshell: everything converges toward a unified silhouette, with no colour break, no jarring element. A system that doesn't seek to catch the eye, but to disappear in favour of the spinning record. maPlatine.com delivers the system mounted, wired and aligned in our workshop.

The Double X Neo in piano-black lacquer: the most refined understatement

Seven coats of black piano lacquer applied and polished by hand produce a finish at a level usually found among instrument makers. Beyond aesthetics, the coating seals the multilayer chassis in a perfectly smooth shell that does nothing to disturb the acoustic signature.

Beneath the lacquer, the Double X Neo combines three layers of MDF, steel and plywood press-bonded with a specific flexible adhesive. An approach that combines inertia, structural damping and acoustic neutrality, placing the Double X among the most resolved chassis in its category. Dimensions: 44 x 35 cm, weight: 24 kg.

The 50 mm solid aluminium platter weighs 10.3 kg and hosts 8 polished brass Silencers. The DTD® spindle integrates into the Dura Turn Diamond® bearing, backed by a 15-year warranty. The silent 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-500 Neo 9-inch: the essential, perfectly executed

The TA-500 Neo is the first arm in the Acoustic Signature range, and it's exactly what the manufacturer recommends for this turntable. Its 239.3 mm effective length and 10 g effective mass match the Double X geometry and the majority of cartridges on the market (MM as well as MC).

The double-layer carbon tube provides high rigidity and low intrinsic resonance. Tracking relies on high-precision miniature ball bearings on a stainless-steel shaft. The pure brass counterweight is fully machined from the block, and the lateral weight anti-skating guarantees simple, precise and lasting adjustment. The solid aluminium headshell adjusts finely with a 17.3 mm overhang.

Mogami studio-grade copper internal wiring, 24k gold-plated connectors, supplied Audioquest PSC DIN/RCA cable. The arm mounts equally well on REGA 3-point or SME supports, both supplied, and in both cases offers precise VTA adjustment.

Our setup: prepared coherence

On this highly coherent pairing, mounting and alignment work is done in our workshop. The arm is installed, wired and calibrated before shipping. You receive a system ready for your cartridge and already optimised.

In listening: silence, restraint, presence

The Double X Neo is probably the most silent turntable in its range. The noise floor is exceptionally low, placing each instrument against an absolutely black background. The presentation is nuanced, the soundstage deep, and section separation remarkable.

The TA-500 Neo confirms this signature with natural fluidity and total absence of coloration. It's not the most demonstrative arm in the catalogue, and that's precisely its quality: it steps aside in favour of the cartridge and the record, letting the Double X fully express its depth.

On vocals, realism is striking. On large orchestral works, the reading is analytical without losing emotion. Sibilants are fully controlled, transients precise without aggressiveness.

The black-lacquer + 9-inch combination produces a composed listening experience, in a visual coherence that invites you to forget the equipment and focus on the work.