Basis 2800 Diamond Signature Turntable with Vacuum Hold Down

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 for lowest run out (flatness the platter surface and roundness). The platter material should be inherently non resonant 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 correctly design a turntable suspension, 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 50dB 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.

At the top of the Basis 2000 Series sits the model 2800 Signature turntable with vacuum clamping. Their 2" thick composite platter (same as is used on Debut turntable) sits on an ultra-close tolerance bearing which is mounted to a massive 2", stress-relieved acrylic plinth. The combination produce breathtaking results.

The 2800 Signature features the Debut Signature Series platter and bearing. The bearing is an ingenious design, unique in the history of record players. It is an oil-well design, (the smoothest, quietest bearing type) with a multi-component, two tiered structure resulting in the very desirable but seemingly impossible reality of placing the center of gravity of the platter directly between the top and bottom bushings of the bearing. Thus, the lowest possible lateral forces are achieved. The result is lower friction and lower noise, which yields the silent backgrounds, low grain, utterly transparent, and effortless sound for which the 2800 Signature is known.

The Basis Vacuum Record Hold-Down System applies a controlled level of negative pressure to the underside of the record guaranteeing a perfectly flat record that is so effectively coupled to the platter that record resonance is totally eliminated. Each record becomes a twenty-pound record! The true musical tonality and texture captured on the record are revealed, without any added coloration of vinyl resonance. No system, other than gluing the record to the platter, can result in such perfect resonance control. Tests of record outer rings, never considered at Basis due to resonance problems of their own as well as the danger they present to the stylus, show only a twenty percent coupling compared to the Basis Vacuum System. The vacuum system restores even the most warped record to exact flatness, eliminating speaker damaging and power robbing “woofer pumping” due to record warps. Dynamics, imaging, musicality, bass power, and tracking ability are all brought to levels unreachable without the Basis Vacuum system.

Basis Knowledge Base Videos

REVIEWS:

“The 2800/Vector system’s portrayal of space, depth, and air around instrumental outlines, and particularly the interplay between instruments, was simply peerless. The impression of individual instruments separated by air and surrounded by an acoustic space greatly added to the sense of musical realism.

“Finally, the 2800/Vector combination had another quality that is unique in my experience—a sense of ease, particularly on loud and complex passages. A shortcoming of the LP format is the tendency for the sound to congeal and harden at high signal levels. A related phenomenon is the “shattering” sound on forte piano passages played in the instrument’s upper register. Both are caused by the imperfect tracking of the groove by the stylus (the stylus momentary loses contact with the groove)—a phenomenon exacerbated at the inner grooves where tangent error is the greatest and the linear velocity as seen by the stylus is the lowest.1 Several times I found myself “tighten up” to brace for passages I knew would sound hard and distorted, only to discover that the Vector sailed right through them with a sense of ease and composure. I heard no tracking error on any LP. This freedom from distortion on challenging passages fostered a deeper and more sustained immersion in the music. “ - TAS

“It is hard to convey in a single summary paragraph all of the areas in which the Basis 2800/Vector 4 represents unequalled achievement, but let me try. I would certainly include perfectionist build quality, seemingly flawless fit and finish, exquisite attention to detail, utter neutrality of sound, unrestrained dynamics and the ability to render ambience, space and image size at a level I have never heard from other products. The Vector 4 tonearm never mistracks and is a joy to operate, yielding a significantly welcomed freedom from the anxiety that used to accompany the tracing distortions I heard in other arms. All of this comes from a company that has developed a sterling reputation while shipping high-end turntables for 22 years and offering a 10-year warranty. Bravo Basis Audio!” – 6 Moons

“I’m hard pressed to recall a component that has elevated the musical experience for me as much as the Basis 2800/Vector combination. Playing records on this turntable was nothing short of exhilarating, leaving me counting the hours until the next listening session. I can think of no higher praise for an audio component.”  - TAS

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Overall dimensions: 16.7" W x 15" D (including motor) x 5.5" H
• Overall weight: 65 pounds
• Shipping weight: 80 pounds
• Color: Clear acrylic/silver trim (DIAMOND configuration). Black acrylic/silver trim, black acrylic/black trim is an option.
• Revolution Belt included
• Absolute Sound Editor's Choice Award winner

Turntable pictured includes the optional Vector 4 Tonearm and Calibrator Base

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