Acoustic Signature Maximus Neo Silver Turntable Package + TA-500 Neo 9-inch Tonearm

The entry point into the Acoustic Signature universe: the brand's most accessible turntable, the brand's most accessible tonearm, and already everything that defines the German house's signature. The reference's price of admission.

With this bundle, you access the Acoustic Signature ecosystem in its most direct configuration. The Maximus Neo is the catalogue's entry model, but don't be fooled by its position: it embarks the Dura Turn Diamond® bearing with 15-year warranty, Level 1 AVC technology, and an 18 kg solid aluminium plinth. The TA-500 Neo 9-inch, in the same logic, is the first arm in the range: designed in Germany, built according to the same principles as the higher models, and already at a level of musicality few competitors reach at this price. maPlatine.com delivers the system mounted, wired and aligned in our workshop.

The Maximus Neo in natural aluminium: the honesty of material

The Maximus Neo comes in a compact rectangular shape, designed for a 9-inch arm. Its silhouette doesn't cheat: it's the silhouette of an audiophile turntable, dimensioned for the strict essentials. But its solid aluminium plinth, here in natural untreated finish, immediately gives the lie to any "entry-level" connotation in the conventional sense. The chassis is 30 % more massive than pre-Neo versions, with total weight of 18 kg, a figure that places the Maximus in a rigidity category well beyond its price positioning.

Three feet damped by sorbothane gel provide isolation, with precise and easy height adjustment. The 34 mm solid aluminium platter weighs approximately 6 kg and is topped with a damping composite mat. At the heart of the assembly: the ultra-precise DTD® spindle housed in the Dura Turn Diamond® bearing, a mechanism backed by a 15-year warranty, the same as on higher models. It's the cornerstone of the Acoustic Signature signature, offered here on the entry model.

Drive comes from the silent AC motor with 2 coils / 24 poles, externally powered and paired with the Level 1 AVC digital controller. This technology corrects motor signal phase shifts in real time, neutralising the main source of residual vibration in synchronous AC motors. The side control panel handles 33 and 45 rpm.

The TA-500 Neo 9-inch: the first reference, and already a reference

Acoustic Signature refuses to offer an entry-level tonearm that would handicap its turntables' performance. The TA-500 Neo is therefore built according to the same principles as the higher models, in the same German factory, with the same precision standards.

Effective length 239.3 mm, effective mass 10 g, rigid and damped double-layer carbon tube. The high-precision miniature ball bearings are mounted on a machined stainless-steel shaft that combines perfect fluidity with robustness. The solid brass counterweight provides mass and damping, and the lateral weight anti-skating relies on gravity's lasting simplicity, an approach that doesn't drift over time. The solid aluminium headshell accepts most MM and MC cartridges.

Internal Mogami studio-grade copper wiring, 24k gold-plated connectors and supplied Audioquest PSC DIN/RCA cable make for exceptional standard equipment in this category. REGA 3-point and SME mounts included, both with precise VTA adjustment.

A combination conceived as the ideal entry point

It's exactly the combination Acoustic Signature recommends for the Maximus Neo. The 9-inch geometry matches the chassis dimensions, the 10 g effective mass works with the vast majority of cartridges, and the resulting balance is immediately musical. You receive the system mounted, aligned and ready for your cartridge.

In listening: power, articulation, dynamics

The Maximus Neo delivers a signature of striking power and articulation. Its bass is deep and precisely defined, without the slightest overhang. Dynamics rank among the most impressive in this price range, without masking detail or subtlety. Timbres carry real substance, midrange is rich and complex, treble beautifully silky. The soundstage is wide and precise.

The TA-500 Neo extends this signature with remarkable clarity and definition. Without added coloration, it holds the cartridge in the groove with perfect stability and lets the Maximus fully express its power. Listening fluidity is notable: the whole breathes, music flows without tension, and the signature remains pleasant over time.

This is an entry point with nothing symbolic about it: it's already a complete audiophile system with an assertive signature. And that's precisely what makes its value.