Takumi Level 1.1 brings the acrylic structure to a lower price range

The core of the Level 1.1 design features a resonance-optimized acrylic frame, an acrylic plate, and a suspension system. The plate is made of massive acrylic with CNC machining, and the goal is to achieve excellent rotational accuracy and a clean finish. Additionally, the structure includes an aluminum sub-drive system, and it is said that the entire assembly is designed to keep the rotation as quiet, stable, and mechanically undisturbed as possible.

Attention has also been paid to the bearing design. According to public product information, the ceramic axle moves in a oil-filled brass housing, and the lower end rests on a hardened steel ball. At the same time, the mechanical connections between the main shaft, the subshaft and the horn have been tried to be isolated from each other. The idea is familiar from even more expensive turntables: the less unwanted vibrations can travel from the structure to the needle, the more stable and pure the analog playback can remain.

While the higher Level 2.1 uses a regulated DC motor, the Level 1.1 has chosen a more traditional AC motor. However, the solution has not been implemented in such a way that the basic concept of the entire model has changed; rather, the difference has been sought primarily in the cost structure. Switching between 33⅓ and 45 rpm is done electronically, so use has not been completely left to purely mechanical manual control. This makes Level 1.1 an interesting proposition in the market: it is not a completely stripped-down basic model, but a device that has been intended to retain comfort of use as well.

The three-leg structure has been retained as part of the overall design, and this is where the practicality characteristic of Takumi’s thinking comes to the fore. The three-point support is a logical way in the turntable to ensure stable positioning on various levels, and at the same time the detached legs help to reduce vibrations from the platform. The solution itself is not new, but in this price range its consistent integration with other mechanical design makes the model more interesting.

Of particular note is that the same audio arm is expected to be used in Level 1.1 as in the Level 2.1 model. This very detail sets the new product apart from many similar turntables, where savings are often the first thing to be sacrificed. When the audio arm in Level 2.1 has been described as modern, precisely engineered and ambitious in tests, it can also be expected that Level 1.1 will provide a very solid foundation for any future audio upgrade. This is a justified interpretation, as the manufacturer says it uses the same arm in both models.

There also seem to be further development possibilities. Takuma currently has its own series of five MC audio cartridges, ranging from the Aka model to the Myo top model. This shows that Level 1.1 was not intended to be a disposable entry-level product, but rather a platform around which a more advanced analog system can be built.