Luphonic’s New H2 Turntable Makes Playback Easier, Here’s How

Jokes about the lengths to which audiophiles will go to chase sonic nirvana abound. One New Yorker cartoon perfectly skewers the obsession: A collector, standing in front of an elaborate turntable and shelves of records, explains to his friend, “The two things that really drew me to vinyl were the expense and inconvenience.” True, spinning LPs is a laborious ritual, but devotees say the rewards—aural, aesthetic, and even philosophical—far outweigh any hassle.

New from German maker Luphonic, the H2 will enhance any Bauhaus-styled residence. Beyond its minimalist design, the turntable also aims to simplify record playback: There are no buttons or switches—only a small, removable puck. Flip the puck to select either 33 or 45 rpm (the speed glows red beneath the white surface) and the platter spins. Remove it and the H2 stops, reverting to sleek eye candy.

The chassis is a “sandwich” of vibration-damping neoprene foam between outer layers of Corian, Dupont’s high-density synthetic. This blend greatly reduces resonance, the archenemy of clarity. The brilliant white plinth undergoes seven grinding and polishing stages to achieve its glass-smooth finish. Its H-shaped form also reduces platter and tonearm interference for purer sound.

A microprocessor-controlled synchronous motor, driving the platter by belt, further diminishes vibration. The motor and its digital controller are decoupled from the chassis and tonearm, ensuring minimal mechanical—or audible—interference during playback.

Apart from a phono cartridge, the H2 is turnkey. It ships with Luphonic’s sophisticated K2 tonearm, which features traditional gimbal suspension with precision Japanese ball bearings, and a silicone record mat. The carbon-composite arm tube and lightweight, digitally printed headshell marry low resonance with easy height, azimuth, and anti-skate adjustments (compatible with most cartridges).

The H2’s sound is as detailed and precise as its $4,995 price would suggest. It deserves to be paired with a capable two-channel system plus a high-quality cartridge and phono preamp to unlock its full potential.

We recently auditioned the turntable with an equally minimalist rig—Swiss Nagra Classic Series electronics and Boenicke W8 SE loudspeakers. The result was indeed expensive yet, thanks to the Luphonic H2, hardly inconvenient. Unless, of course, you lose the puck.