SASKIA IDLER TURNTABLE The first all new idler drive turntable in decades, Saskia was designed from the ground up by Win Tinnon to reach a new level of excellence in vinyl playback. Assembled from solid, specially selected clear Pennsylvania slate, the turntable weighs slightly over 200 pounds. The idler mechanism, bearing, platter and spindle are all new designs, not copies of designs of the past.
For several years there has been a growing resurgence in interest and appreciation for vintage idler wheel turntables. This is not driven by nostalgia, but by the inescapable sonic benefits of the idler drive system.
Detail of arm module shown here with a Schroeder Reference SQ tonearm. Arm modules are custom made for any arm 10 inches or less. Each module is easily removed in less than one minute.
New lubricant-free materials help insure that mechanisms are reliable beyond a lifetime, and by reducing linkages to a bare minimum, associated resonance problems are relegated to the history books. By avoiding a top plate, mechanical parts are anchored directly onto a slate chassis with no traditional metal infrastructure, and the damping characteristics of the slate guarantees that the table is absolutely silent. Even then, all mechanical action is carefully controlled. For example, the idler wheel mates directly with the motor's shaft and platter rim, while the turn-on linkage is completely disengaged while the record is playing. It is a case of "Less is more" because the dictum "form follows function" was the first rule of Saskia's creation.
Saskia's motor controller was designed by Quiddity Technical Services of Australia. It regenerates power into three synchronized phases resulting in an accuracy of greater than one part per million in real world terms. An added bonus is that the tightly controlled external rotor motor when combined with the turntable's heavy platter results in an effective mass of well over two hundred pounds. It would require a belt driven platter of that actual weight to equal it from a sheer mass standpoint. Such efforts help bring idler turntable design to a new level.
	A turntable's job is to spin a record as quietly and perfectly as possible. It should be a pleasure to use, and a delight for the eye. This is the design philosophy that created Saskia. The Saskia turntable is distributed exclusively by Oswaldsmillaudio. Price on request. . Photos © OMA