Reed Muse 1C
The Reed Muse 1C combines pitch-stable friction drive with sumptuous, deep-reaching bass, vivid tonal textures and a remarkably natural three-dimensional stage. HiFi News admired its transparent speed and detail without fatigue, while hi-fi+ highlighted its articulate low end, tangible voices and finely engineered flexibility.
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Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
93/100
Build Quality
92/100
Features Usability
84/100
Value for Money
85/100
Pros
Delivers unusually deep, controlled and articulate bass alongside natural, tangible vocals and rich musical presence.
Quartz-controlled friction drive provides fast start-up and consistently excellent pitch stability.
Creates a spacious, highly detailed presentation with vivid transients, transparency and convincing instrumental separation.
The 3P tonearm’s extensive VTA and azimuth adjustment accommodates demanding cartridges exceptionally well.
Cons
The accompanying 3P tonearm is intricate to set up and handle, requiring patience and careful adjustment.
Its presentation can sound less airy and more spatially constrained than some rivals, despite strong scale and separation.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 93/100
Reviewers describe an unusually vivid, substantial and natural presentation, with exceptional bass authority balanced by delicacy and convincing space. Pitch stability and the highly adjustable 3P arm support a source that is praised for its transparency, attack and musical involvement.
Overall Sound
96/100
hi-fi+ found the Muse 1C richly involving yet articulate, with powerful low-end extension, tangible voices and a lively, natural sense of music-making. HiFi News similarly heard an uncoloured, three-dimensional presentation with vivid textures, authoritative transients and striking detail.
Speed Stability
94/100
hi-fi+ reported that the deck was utterly pitch-stable throughout its test. The quartz PLL system is specified for average speed deviation of ±0.05%, while the friction-drive arrangement spins up quickly and supports 16, 33, 45 and 78rpm playback.
Tonearm Performance
95/100
The accompanying Reed 3P arm offers in-use VTA and azimuth adjustment, allowing it to accommodate cartridges with unusual setup requirements. hi-fi+ called its result with the reviewer’s Decca cartridge the best they had heard from it, while HiFi News praised the arm’s exceptional performance, transparency and precision.
Noise Isolation
85/100
HiFi News approached the rim-drive concept with longstanding concerns about rumble, but said the Muse 1C changed that view. The review does not provide detailed listening comments on bearing, motor or external-vibration noise, so its quietness is less thoroughly documented than its musical performance.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
92/100
The 15kg deck combines a layered Karelian-birch-ply plinth with a nearly 3kg Delrin platter and an intricately engineered friction-drive mechanism. Both reviews commend the fastidious construction and implementation; the non-suspended layout is also described as straightforward once levelled.
Features Usability
84/100
The Muse 1C provides electronic speed control across 16, 33, 45 and 78rpm, with manual 78rpm adjustment, and accepts a wide choice of 9.5- to 12-inch tonearms. Its setup is helped by the absence of a fussy floating suspension, though this is a focused high-end deck rather than a convenience-led package.
Value for Money
85/100
HiFi News identifies the Muse 1C as the entry model in Reed’s range at £9,998 without an arm, while the supplied pricing places it firmly in the premium turntable market. Neither review directly weighs its performance against competing products in value terms.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
YouTube Reviews
Forum Mentions
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Specifications
- Color
- Moonlight Black, Karelian birch
- Drive
- Friction, belt, two direct current (DC) motors
- Speed
- 16, 33, 45, 78 rpm; 78 rpm can be manually adjusted
- Speed stabilizing system
- Quartz-based phase locked loop (PLL)
- Max deviation of average speed
- +/- 0.05 %
- Supply voltage
- DC 10-14V, via 100 – 240V AC adapter or Reed Source 12V
- Inclinometer accuracy range
- 1mm per meter
- Packaging dimensions
- 650 x 520 x 350 mm
- Product weight netto
- 15 kg
- Product weight brutto
- 20 kg
- Tonearms
- single, center or off-center mount; effective length from 9.5 to 12 inch
Manufacturer's Description — Reed
Reed Muse 1C is our first step into traditional design, middle range turntable market, while keeping our commitment to highest quality and representing our passion for innovations.
Shaped with traditional 70ies design elements in mind, Reed Muse 1C features robust, stable and resonance-free wooden body, however a lot of Muse 1C technologies, including main bearing and drive traction control, are inherited from our flagship Muse 3C. Traditionally, Muse 1C can play 33 and 45 RPM records, however if you have 16 RPM or 78 RPM LPs, you will find these operation modes in Muse 1C as well. For your convenience, 78 RPM speed can be manually adjusted in range of 70-85 RPM. Muse 1C also features electronic inclinometer (electronic level dedicated to measure turntable slope/tilt angle), which allows user to achieve perfect horizontal alignment without using additional tools.
Muse 1C can be fitted with one center or off-center mount tonearm with effective length ranging from 9.5 to 12 inch.
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Authorized dealers for Reed Muse 1C
- A 10 Audio Room 4 Music — in-store — Amsterdam Nieuw-West, Noord-Holland, Netherlands (website)
- Absolute Audio - Canada — in-store — Calgary, Alberta, Canada (website)
- Absolute Sounds — in-store — London, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Alma Music & Audio — online and in-store — San Diego, California, United States (website)
- Alternative Audio — in-store — Taunton, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Ana Mighty Sound — online and in-store — Paris, Île-de-France, France (website)
- Artisan Fidelity — in-store — Dyer, Indiana, United States (website)
- Audio Aktoren — online and in-store — Horten, Vestfold, Norway (website)
- Audio Freak — Germany (website)
- Audio Tempel — online and in-store — Zwolle, Overijssel, Netherlands (website)
and 25 more verified dealers