Continuum Caliburn turntable with Cobra Tonearm and Castellon stand review

Turntables come in all shapes, sizes and prices. But here's one so extreme in its pursuit of perfection it breaks the mould. The Continuum Caliburn is not only the most expensive turntable ever made; it's also one of the heaviest, one of the most solidly engineered and (not least) one of the most functionally attractive and elegant too.

The Caliburn is undoubtedly a tour de force – a labour of love. The design aim was simple: produce the finest turntable possible, regardless of cost.

But this is 2009, not 1979. That the 'obsolete' vinyl LP still fascinates fresh generations of listeners is nothing short of remarkable.

The creators of the Caliburn are living proof of this. They didn't start as vinyl aficionados; being of a certain age, their introduction to hi-fi came via CD. The love affair with analogue LPs began when they encountered a top-class turntable and experienced a quality of sound CD didn't approach.

This led to a desire to produce a new 'super turntable' – one designed from the ground up and without compromise.

Access to universities with advanced testing and measuring facilities meant the early part of the design process could be 'simulated' using advanced computer software.

After certain fundamentals were established, prototypes were built and evaluated. While no single factor explains the Caliburn's superior performance; there are several significant design details.

Among the most important is the motor – a battery-powered DC-type, developed to be free from the 'cogging' effects common to virtually all motors.

It has sufficient torque to drive the 30kg platter and is in absolute control – power isn't reduced once the platter reaches speed, nor is any deliberate belt slippage allowed (two-ways lesser turntables reduce the cogging effect).

The motor is built in-house and constitutes a significant part of the Caliburn's cost. Speeds of 33, 45, and 78rpm are available, with +/- fine-tuning.

The Caliburn's chassis is made from solid magnesium alloy, chosen for its strength and low resonance properties. However, magnesium is a difficult material to work with and not easy to finish, so the front and sides of the deck were given aluminium panels, creating a more attractive appearance, with the top section veneered in French walnut as standard.

A magnetic suspension system was developed for the centre bearing and plinth suspension. With the latter, powerful magnets are placed with their poles opposite one another to create a 'floating' system that's firm, but de-coupled.

While the platter weighs a hefty 30kg, magnetic part-suspension ensures the oil-Pressurised hydrostatic centre-bearing only supports a load of around 2kg. Magnets also play a similar role in the Castellon stand.

A great turntable deserves a special arm and the cobra looks quite different to most tonearms on the market. Its shape was dictated by the desire to avoid symmetry, which might lead to common resonance modes.

The arm shell is made from fibrous resin and is inherently self-damping. Many different types of bearing were considered, but eventually a kind of stabilised uni-pivot arrangement was chosen. This has the advantage of very low friction, high torsional stability and excellent rigidity.

Cartridge vta and azimuth can be precision-adjusted while the disc plays and the counterweight is placed below the tonearm's centre of gravity to improve stability and the tracking of warped LPs. Not that warped LPs would trouble this deck; the Caliburn incorporates a special vacuum mat with air pump that sucks the record flat to the platter.

This virtually eliminates LP dishing and warpage, while dampening resonances that might occur within the vinyl LP itself. The pump takes a few seconds to achieve suction; after that, it's switched off while the record plays.

Our review Caliburn was pre-fitted with a Koetsu Red K Signature which sounds absolutely magnificent – rich, tactile and highly detailed – even if it could be considered a bit 'low-priced' in this context!

Although the Caliburn is highly inert and very well isolated, the Castellon stand is an integral part of the package. It provides a solid, stable platform for the turntable, houses the motor power supply and pump, and raises the deck to mid-chest height, making it easy to use.

The complete package comes in six boxes with a total shipping weight of about 450kg and an actual weight of 300kg. Installation is a two-man job, taking about eight hours.

Sound quality

So – what might the 'perfect' turntable actually sound like? While CD sets a benchmark in terms of pitch stability and overall security, it lacks other qualities.

The Caliburn certainly equals CD on its home territory, giving an exceptionally solid, secure and stable musical presentation. It sounds absolutely unflappable – as though nothing short of an earthquake could upset it.