Musical Fidelity Roundtable S: Unique turntable boasting excellent anti-vibration

Musical Fidelity states that the design of the Roundtable S features excellent anti-vibration and anti-resonance characteristics. The turntable’s platter is crafted from polished steel, while the central bearing utilizes materials that ensure smooth operation and exceptional durability. The Roundtable S is equipped with a straight aluminum tonearm measuring nine inches, which is statically balanced. This mechanism allows for precise adjustment of the clamping force, ranging from 0 to 25 mN. Additionally, the adjustable counterweight enables compatibility with cartridges weighing between 5 and 13 g. The electric motor facilitates two rotation speeds of the platter, 33 and 45 rpm, through a drive belt.

The varnished MDF table differs from most of its classmates in its rounded corners, which apparently gave the product its name. It has a motor, a bronze sleeve of a classic, non-inverted bearing, and a 9-inch tonearm of a straight design. The Musical Fidelity Roundtable S model is supplied fully adjusted at the factory, all you have to do is set the recommended value of the clamping force (1.5-2.5 g) for the complete Ortofon 2M-Red cartridge. But if you suddenly want to change the head to another, there is an option to adjust the tonearm height.

The Ortofon 2M-Red moving magnet pickup is released in an updated series of heads from the company, the models of which differ in the color of the case. And the name 2M itself denotes the type of pickup – MM. The Danish bureau Møller Jensen Design, also responsible for the design of the top heads MC Jubilee and Kontrapunkt, took part in the development of these models.

The design of these pickups uses the company’s proprietary development – magnets with split pole pieces. This provides the Ortofon 2M-Red with the same flat amplitude-frequency characteristic as more expensive MC-type models. The head has an elliptical stylus with precision sharpening, providing accurate tracking, excellent sound detailing and minimal wear of the record when listening to music.

Ortofon 2M-Red develops an audio signal with an amplitude of up to 5.5 mV at the output, which ensures good compatibility with phono preamplifiers of various types. The tracking force range for this model is between 1.6 and 2 grams, and its recommended value is 1.8 grams. A tracking angle of 20 degrees is a typical value for most tonearms, which simplifies head adjustment.

All the electrical parameters of the cartridge are within the standard values, so in most cases there is no need to adjust the input impedance of the phono preamplifier. The weight of the cartridge, the body of which is made of high-quality anti-resonance translucent plastic, is 7.2 grams and the dynamic compliance value is 20 μm/mN.

The Ortofon 2M-Red cartridge provides a very rich and dynamic sound, and is perfect for listening to modern electronic music. An extended frequency range and a minimum level of intrinsic noise and distortion make listening to vinyl records with the Ortofon 2M-Red a real pleasure. This cartridge is an excellent example of a modern cartridge that can be successfully used on many models of mid-range turntables.

Musical Fidelity Roundtable S Specifications

Nominal Rotation Speed ​​- 33 and 45 rpm
Drive Type – Belt Motor
Speed ​​Shifting – Manual
Disc Rotation Speed ​​Instability – 33 rpm – ±0.30%, 45 rpm – ±0.20%
Wow & Flutter Coefficient – 33 rpm – ±0.10%, 45 rpm – ±0.09%
Mechanical Noise: -39 dB
Electrical Noise: -65 dB
Tracking Force Adjustment – 0-25 mN
Tonearm Type – 9 ” Straight Aluminum Alloy Tonearm
Counterweight – N82, 114 g (±1 g), for cartridges weighing from 5 to 13 g
Effective Tonearm Weight – 14 g
Effective Tonearm Length – 230 mm (Mounting Distance 212 mm)
Overhang – 18 mm
Supply voltage – 15V 0.8A (AC adapter included)
Power consumption > 25 W (operating mode), 5 W (standby mode)
Input voltage range of the AC adapter – 90-264 V AC, frequency 47-63 Hz
Dimensions (WxDxH) – 482x100x342 mm (including terminals)
Weight – 6 kg (without packaging)

Characteristics of the cartridge Ortofon 2M-Red

Type MM
Frequency range 20 Hz – 22 kHz (+/- 1.5 dB)
Stereo channel separation more than 22 dB
Self-inductance 700 mH
Recommended input impedance 47 kOhm
Output voltage 5.5 mV
Tracking force 1.6 – 2.0 g
Vertical tracking angle (VTA) 20 degrees
Tracking 70 μm (315 Hz)
Dynamic compliance 20 µm/mN
Height 18 mm
Weight 7.2 g