DELRIN PLATTER
The Takumi TT level 3.1 comes with a precisely machined Delrin platter. Delrin is the material of choice for multiple reasons. The material properties of Delrin and Vinyl records are very similar, resulting in near perfect coupling and therefore minimizing mechanical vibrations. Furthermore, the density of Delrin is higher than that of Acrylic, increasing the mass of the platter, which increases speed stability thereby reducing wow and flutter. Finally, the elegant look of the Delrin platter is the “cherry on the cake” for the level 3.1.
SOLIDWOOD
The level 3.1 plinth is constructed from carefully selected solid wood enclosed by two Acrylic layers. The top layer is mechanically decoupled to reduce possible vibrations. Wood options are Beech or Walnut.
INTEGRATED ARMLIFT
Both controls, speed and tonearm lift, are located at the front right corner, a typical 70’s configuration. One lever is for speed selection, 33,33 or 45 RPM. The other lever is for the arm lift. The tonearm rest and the damped tonearm lift are integrated with each other. The result is a clean, minimal design, without compromising the ease of use. The height of the tonearm rest can be adjusted to match the VTA of the tonearm, allowing all lines to remain straight and even.
*The final layout of the controls illustrated here may differ slightly from the production model.
SPEEDPOD
You control the speed with the SpeedPod, a small external unit. It switches between 33.33 and 45 RPM, and lets you make fine adjustments in 0.01 RPM steps — helpful for older records or tuning by ear. Designed to integrate seamlessly, the SpeedPod fits precisely under the Takumi chassis.
ABOUT RIK STOET
From an early age, audio was part of my life. I grew up with a grandfather who was widely known for his transformer factory, renowned for producing high-quality audio transformers and tube amplifiers. On Sundays, he would invite me into his world, showing me his work and introducing me to the fundamentals of electronics. I was still too young to grasp it all, but the fascination stayed with me.
Years later, I pursued Electrical Engineering and, in 1993, founded my own company: Rik Stoet Audio. My first products were tube amplifiers, released under the brand names Heart and StoetKit. Over the years, this journey led to many more products. Our tube amplifiers and tube CD players found their way into many Dutch homes, while the Marantz “tubed-by-Heart” CD players even reached the United States.
About ten years ago, I turned my attention to a new challenge and designed my first turntable — the Takumi.
The very first Takumi made use of a few third-party components. It was a smart, straightforward design — simple in form, but with impressive sound quality. The limited run of one hundred units quickly sold out in the Netherlands.
Encouraged by that success, I knew I wanted to continue. But this time, my goal was clear: to create a turntable that not only sounded even better, but also had a refined appearance — all while remaining reasonably priced.
That decision marked the beginning of the Takumi journey. It was the moment this turntable was truly born — and from then on, Takumi became my passion.
Rik Stoet
It is Newton all over
Playing vinyl on a turntable is a physical wonder. It is all about vibrations. Of course, the vibrations of the sound waves are the most important – after all, you want to listen to music! However, the different parts of a turntable also create vibrations, and this phenomenon must be considered during the construction of a turntable.
For example, did you know that the vibrational waves which are created reach the element and the needle through the base, the tonearm, and other ways? And speaking of the needle… it generates all kinds of forces on the grooves of the record which must be kept under control.
According to Newton’s third law, vibration will occur inside the record as the needle scans the groove. The details of your favourite music can be lost or distorted if the turntable is not well designed for these vibrations.
Therefore, every force and path that can be travelled by vibration waves must be examined. By making sure that you use the right materials and by connecting them in the right way, your music sounds like never before on the Takumi TT level 2.1DC.
Newton’s Laws of motion:
1st law: an object either remains at rest or continues to move at a constant velocity, unless acted upon by a force.
2nd law: the vector sum of the forces F on an object is equal to the mass m of that object multiplied by the acceleration a of the object: F = m.a
3rd law: when one body exerts a force on a second body, the second body simultaneously exerts a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction on the first body.