A Paris-based creative studio has announced a minimalist turntable with controls streamlined to just a play button and a volume knob. Waiting For Ideas’ PP-1 — short for Plug and Play — doesn’t even have a visible tonearm, and it’s made from a solid block of anodized aluminum requiring about 12 weeks of production time to manufacture. That makes it easier to understand why the PP-1 has a €5,800 (around $6,012) price tag.
Although companies like ELP of Japan sell turntables that swap needles and tonearms for laser pickups, the PP-1 does feature more traditional record player hardware. The studio worked with a company called Miniot that created a similarly minimal turntable lacking a visible tonearm. Waiting for Ideas adapted Miniot’s technology so that the PP-1’s inverted cartridge and stylus are hidden behind a closing door system and kept out of sight when there’s no record sitting on its platter.
There’s also no speed control dial on the PP-1. Miniot’s technology can automatically detect if a record needs to be played at 33 or 45 RPM, and constantly recalculates the speed of the motor to ensure optimal playback at all times.
It’s not only a striking piece of design, it’s also a high-quality turntable. But if you’re a vinyl enthusiast, you’ll need to remember to place your records upside down on the PP-1 to hear the tracks you want.
Power is supplied by a single 5V USB-C port, and the PP-1 features just a single 3.5-millimeter audio jack for connecting it to either active or passive speakers that require an additional amplifier.
If you’re looking for a complete sound system, Waiting For Ideas has also created a set of passive 85-decibel 80W speakers matching the dimensions of the PP-1. They’re now available for preorder for €3,200 (around $3,320) and will take 12 weeks to make. You’ll just need to budget for a separate amplifier because the studio unfortunately doesn’t make a matching one of those.
