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E.A.T. - European Audio Team Fortissimo Turntable
Massive turntable with Subchassis
- Separate Sub Chassis and a mass loaded turntable
- Platter has 12 brass inserts and one top brass insert under vinyl top plate for increased speed stability and weight of the platter.
- Chrome bearing block
- Bearing spindle with new coating for lowest friction possible
- Optional new F-Note tonearm
- Fortissimo Base optionally available: isolates the turntable perfectly from any resonances from the ground
- Also available as Fortissimo S, in a smaller turntable configuration
The Platter
The platter has been upgraded with 12 brass inserts and one top brass insert under vinyl top plate add additional weight and further stabilize the platter for even better speed stability. It consists of two parts. The first part uses a soft alloy, the second part, a harder one. This reduces energy flow. The first part also incorporates the neodymium magnets. The platter weighs more than 22 kg. The diameter of the platter is 400 mm (not the usual 300 mm). This means that with the same weight you gain more moving mass on the platter. The platter also incorporates sorbothane damping to make it resonance free.
The Bearing
The bearing is not standard but inverted with an oversized polished shaft. The new platter with its huge mass creates more energy, which has to be absorbed better. Therefore we designed a new bearing block with a chrome alloy able to withstand more energy and damp the entire system more effectively. In addition the bearing spindle has a new "Movic" coating with the lowest friction coefficient possible (6 times less than previous spindle versions). This is the same coating that is used by NASA for bearings in satellites.
A ceramic ball is used on the top because it is very hard and inert. This, in combination with a Teflon plate as a bearing mirror, is also a good damping device. Teflon's accurate satin surface produces perfectly smooth movement without any rumble. The platter has a magnetic suspension using neodymium magnets. By increasing the distance from the bearing to the cartridge, the small neodymium magnets eliminate magnetic infl uence on the cartridge. Due to the magnets we can still move a large mass allowing the bearing to see virtually no pressure. This avoids rumble. (A mass loaded platter usually causes high levels of rumble.) The pressure of the bearing is adjustable. There are different philosophies about the bearing pressure. With the Forte turntable you can adjust it according your preferences and taste..
The Motor
(applies only to Fortissimo motor, not Fortissimo S motor!)
The motor is a stand-alone, decoupled AC unit. It uses a sophisticated electronic circuit to create 100% clean AC. It is very heavy motor with lot of mass to reduce all the existing vibrations. Motor energy is absorbed by using a sandwich system of metal and MDF. We decided to use a "dual motor design" to eliminate noise in the motor. By using two relatively weak, but silent running motors, we achieve perfect torque.
The Belt
Long belts usually have some amount of wobble. To avoid this we use a special silicon string. This movement is also absorbed by the bearing block and by the huge mass of the platter itself.
The F-Note Tonearm
(optionally available)
The F-Note Tonearm is a new E.A.T tonearm design that mixes a high mass tonearm with a low-friction bearing. Due to the high mass these tonearm usually have to use a bearing that is a little bit "slower". The F-Note goes a different way and innovates on a new level. The tonearm is very easy to set up and also a perfect match for the new Jo No. 8 cartridge.
The Fortissimo Base
(optionally available)
The optionally available Fortissimo Base has been purpose designed for the new Fortissimo turntable. It acts as a perfect subchassis, isolating the turntable in the best possible manner. This design improves on the magnetic feet found in previous turntables, and makes it more silent and less prone to outside interference. The feet have been redesigned and the base uses 6 new magnetic feet, to accomodate the size and weight of the Fortissimo turntable.
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Professional Reviews 91/100
Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
92/100
Build Quality
94/100
Features Usability
86/100
Value for Money
89/100
Built for massive stability and pinpoint separation, the Fortissimo turns complex records into a poised, deeply organized performance. HiFi News praises its authoritative bass and seamless coherence, while hi-fi+ highlights its strong speed control, precise imaging and surprisingly approachable sound for such a heavyweight design.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Delivers powerful, well-controlled bass with excellent speed stability and a composed overall presentation.
Separates dense, multi-layered music with impressive clarity and focus, making complex recordings easy to follow.
The F-Note arm offers exceptional adjustability, including easy VTF/VTA changes and laser-assisted setup.
Its engineering and damping help keep rumble and resonance under tight control.
&
Cons
The turntable is extremely large and heavy, so it needs serious space and a very solid support.
The F-Note arm is highly capable but not especially simple to live with, with setup complexity that may deter less patient users.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 92/100
Reviewers describe a big, composed and highly resolved sound. One calls it almost forensic in the way it separates massed instruments, while another praises its poise, honesty, strong bass and the way it brings extra precision and snap without sounding forced.
Overall Sound
94/100
The Fortissimo is repeatedly described as musical and highly organized, with excellent separation, strong bass and a smooth, coherent presentation. Reviewers also praise its ability to make complex music easy to follow, while noting it can be a little forgiving rather than aggressive.
Speed Stability
92/100
Speed performance is praised as excellent, with one review saying it simply wasn’t an issue and another explicitly citing excellent speed stability. The reviews don’t dwell on pitch problems or drift, and the deck’s high-mass design is presented as part of its calm, authoritative timing.
Tonearm Performance
89/100
The F-Note arm is widely praised for its adjustability, with easy VTF and VTA changes, azimuth and anti-skate adjustment, and even a laser alignment aid. Reviewers also make clear that all this flexibility comes with complexity, so it sounds superbly capable but not especially effortless to live with.
Noise Isolation
91/100
The reviews point to very good control of unwanted resonance and rumble, helped by the heavy platter, Sorbothane damping and magnetic suspension elements. One review specifically says the design means an order of magnitude less rumble, and there are no recurring complaints about motor noise or vibration.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
94/100
The Fortissimo is presented as a serious feat of engineering, from the 22kg platter and brass inserts to the inverted bearing and layered damping approach. Reviewers repeatedly emphasize its physical presence, mass and elaborate construction, though they also make clear it is a very large, very heavy machine that demands proper support.
Features Usability
86/100
This is a very substantial, highly adjustable deck rather than a convenience-packed one. The electronic speed change, the highly adjustable F-Note arm and the laser alignment system add real usability, but the reviews also stress that the arm is complex and not for the faint-hearted.
Value for Money
89/100
The reviews are positive about value for a flagship-level product, especially because one says it competes with similarly specified turntables that can cost far more. Hi-fi+ also frames it as a true reference-grade turntable without the usual flagship excess, which makes the price look relatively strong in context.
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- Analogue Seduction — online and in-store — Whittlesey, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Art & Voice — online (website)
- Atelier 13 Audio — in-store — Forest Hills, Tennessee, United States (website)
- Audio Advice — online and in-store — Raleigh, North Carolina, United States (website)
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- Audio Breakthroughs — in-store — Manhasset, New York, United States (website)
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- Audio Lust — in-store — Mönchengladbach Ost, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany (website)
- Audio Natali — in-store — Montecatini Terme, Toscana, Italy (website)
- Audio Solutions — online and in-store — Indianapolis, Indiana, United States (website)
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