[Viewpoint] A guide to choosing an analogue turntable on a questionable Mediaset Infinity article

Interest in vinyl and analogue replay shows no sign of decline and, in fact, it appears to be conquering new types of customers, particularly those who have never shown any interest in sound quality. It starts with 15-year-olds who want to stand out from their peers with headphones and listen to improbable Bluetooth turntables connected to sound-bars and cheap active speakers, all the way up to yuppies and middle-aged bourgeoisie who want to relive the glories of their long gone youth. The latter often do so by playing sexually abused grooves on old Japanese turntables that were already disastrous at the time. Into this whole fake revival are influencers and unprepared journalists who try to ride the wave with equally improbable videos or articles that are supposed to explain how to approach vinyl and its reproduction.

The latest is a fairly detailed article published in the X-Style column of Mediset Infinity (you can read it in full here), unfortunately unsigned, otherwise I would have known exactly who to direct my criticism at :-)

Let me get straight to the point: perhaps the article would have been better if it had relied directly on AI, which in some cases can produce good summaries or guides, taking excerpts from articles written by experts with some knowledge in a certain field. You might object that this is an article for the general public, and that's fine, but why write that only a belt-driven turntable can achieve the usual, hackneyed, and overused “warm and embracing” sound? If you missed it, this link takes you to an article I dedicated entirely to this particular mental disorder. Of course, we know that the belt has neither particular merits nor demerits; it's simply a damned smart system for isolating the platter from motor vibrations. Direct drive also works very well, but generally a good direct-drive turntable must rely on a higher-quality motor to avoid transmitting vibrations to the cartridge. In any case, when a turntable sounds good, it doesn't necessarily sound warm and enveloping. Rather, it's dynamic and precise.

Obviously, the author of the article doesn't stop at the warm and embracing sound of the belt (in fact, a belt is ”embracing” by all means, as it embraces your waist!) but explains what the turntable is. I quote: “It's not a vintage affectation, it's not a collector's whim: it's simply a different way of experiencing music. The act of taking out a record, blowing off the dust, placing the needle on the groove is a gesture that has the same intensity as a toast or an important greeting.” Now, aside from the vile rhetoric, which we can also forgive, we know well that blowing off the dust from the grooves is not exactly advisable, for the simple reason that we would spread humidity and saliva on the surface of the record, ingredients that don't go well with the good sound of vinyl.

Finally, the columnist also offers advice on how to “...choose vinyl. There's no point chasing rarities costing hundreds of euros. It's better to start with reissues of key albums, inexpensive but of excellent quality.” No, dear friend, you're wrong again. Modern reissues are often a disaster, sometimes obtained from MP3 files, then transferred to LP. Not only that, but modern remasters often sound worse than the original versions.

In conclusion, while some parts of the article are even salvageable, these blunders certainly don't help. It's modernity, we know, but we can't get used to it.

DISCLAIMER. TNT-Audio is neither a shop, nor a HiFi company or a repair laboratory for HiFi components. We don't sell anything. It is a 100% independent magazine that neither accepts advertising from companies nor requires readers to register or pay for subscriptions. If you wish, you can support our independent reviews via a PayPal donation. After publication of reviews, the authors do not retain samples other than on long-term loan for further evaluation or comparison with later-received gear. Hence, all contents are written free of any “editorial” or “advertising” influence, and all reviews in this publication, positive or negative, reflect the independent opinions of their respective authors. TNT-Audio will publish all manufacturer responses, subject to the reviewer's right to reply in turn.

November 2025 Editorial

Analogue replay and misinformation