Basis 2200 Signature Turntable

Description

MY TAKE: The philosophies underlying Basis designs are sound principles of physics; provable concepts that result in the most accurate replay of records possible. Precise execution of those principles is critical, and you’ll find Basis turntables are made with exacting care and precision machining unsurpassed in the industry. Without question, some of the finest analog gear on the planet.  – Galen Carol

Central to A.J. Conti’s design philosophy is the Basis System Approach of product development. Here each individual subsystem contributing to the performance of the product is identified. Specific goals for the performance of each subsystem are developed based on the function of that system. Each system is designed, based on fundamental principles of physics, and then tested and optimized to perform its function to the highest level. Only after each system has demonstrated superior performance at its defined function is it approved for use in the final product. The result is a totally engineered product. When looking at other products it can be obvious that the designer has “fallen in love” with a certain aspect of a product. This may be a novel shape, a supposed isolator made of many layers of materials, or an unusual material. Such shortsighted, incomplete designs are all too common in the record player field and result in one-dimensional performance. With the Basis Systems Approach, the buyer is assured of a complete design, a truly refined final product that will withstand the test of time by performing at a state of the art level for decades.
 

There is solid engineering and precision fabrication behind every Basis product. To appreciate the level of sophistication, let’s examine the thinking behind each main component of the turntable system. 

Bearing design: Key to the performance of any turntable is the bearing. Background noise, micro-dynamics, speed stability, and even timbre are all directly affected by bearing quality. Basis uses a micro-hone finishing technique that accurately grinds the bearing to an ultra-precise one ten-thousandths of an inch (.0001) tolerance. The oil well design of the bearing is both quieter and smoother running than inverted bearing designs. You can spend five times more on other turntables and not receive a bearing of this silence or smoothness.
 

Motor: Probably second only in importance to the bearing is the motor. The motor affects turntable performance in the areas of background silence, grain, sound-field cues and of course, speed stability. Basis employs an ultra high-quality synchronous instrument motor with a custom-designed, proprietary magnet assembly. This motor type is extremely smooth running with exceptionally low cogging and vibration. Basis’ measurements have shown that multiple motors, large motors, and round o-ring style belts can result in a one-hundred fold increase in noise when compared to the Basis drive system.
 

Platter: The platter should be balanced and machined to very tight tolerances (fractions of a micron!) for lowest runout (flatness the platter surface and roundness). The platter material should be inherently nonresonant and well-damped.
 

Suspension: A properly suspended turntable will always outperform one with no suspension, and yet a poorly designed suspension is far worse than none at all. Full understanding of mass-spring-damper theory is necessary to design a turntable suspension correctly, and not all designs conform to those laws of physics. Using well-respected principles, the Basis Resonance Annihilators silicone damped fluid suspension system design gives outstanding performance across the full audio band. Measurements of the Basis turntable using their suspension system show a difference of 48dB when compared to similarly-sized unsuspended turntables from other manufacturers.
Located close to the right rear Resonance Annihilator, the tonearm directly benefits from its close proximity to the damping pod through reduced vibration.
 

Belt: It may sound strange that we would talk about the belt, but the Basis Revolution sets a new standard in the industry and is, well, revolutionary. The complete story is beyond the scope of this introduction, but I invite you to download the PDF. The belt is available to all Basis owners and is a great way to get a boost in performance (yes, a belt will do that) for a modest cost.

The 2200 Signature is a brilliant mix of performance and value. Borrowing heavily from the 2500, the 2200 Signature achieves a remarkable level of resolution at the price point.
 

The 2200 Signature platter is machined from a solid block of stress-relieved acrylic. Its thickness, like the thickness of the 2200 Signature subchassis, is closer to the thickness of the 2500 platter than to that of the 2001. The surfaces that mate to the bearing is derived from the Debut platter/bearing mating system. A large horizontal diameter forms the vertical mating surface. The result is an undetectable vertical motion of the 2200 Signature platter as it rotates, meaningless woofer pumping and less amplifier strain. The vertical movement of the rotating 2200 Signature platter is equivalent to the thickness of a human hair or less. The radial location is provided by a pair of concentric cylindrical surfaces, which provide superior accuracy to the ubiquitous tapered shaft so often seen in lesser products. The superior radial precision of this fit forces the outer belt-driven surface of the platter to be perfectly centered, again guaranteeing the great speed stability of the 2200 Signature.
 

REVIEWS:
 

"I’ve been setting up turntables and listening to vinyl for almost forty years, and as a reviewer, I’ve had opportunities to hear under pretty reliable conditions many of the high‑end turntable/arm combinations that are thought to define the current state of the art. Ironically, I’ve never heard the higher Basis models. I assume they must be better, but until I do hear them, the 2200/Vector has for me redefined what is possible in the playback of vinyl sources." - TAS
 

"At $10,800 ($9000 if you skip the Calibrator base, which can be added later), the 2200/Vector combination is far from inexpensive. But when you add its peerless level of precision to its peerless level of performance, factor in the company’s unprecedented ten?year warranty, then survey the far more expensive competition—can its value in any sense be seriously disputed?" - TAS
 

Basis Knoweledge Base Videos

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Overall dimensions: 16.7"W x 15"D (including motor) x 5.5" H
• Overall weight: 35 pounds
• Shipping weight: 42 pounds
• Color: Clear acrylic, silver trim.
• Revolution Belt included

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