TN-4D-SE: Employing an ultra-stable, direct-drive motor, a classically designed turntable with knife-edge tonearm bearings
The TN-4D-SE is a direct-drive, analog turntable with an elegant, low-profile design, made possible by the use of a newly-developed brushless DC servo motor.
Its brushless DC motor (with feedback control system) achieves crystal-locked speed stability and smoother rotation while also eliminating cogging*. This low-profile motor allowed us to design a plinth that’s extraordinarily sleek and stylish compared to that of most other direct drive turntables. The new tonearm employs knife-edge, pivot-point bearings, developed in collaboration with SAEC Corporation, a world-famous, high-end tonearm manufacturer. The result is an insightful, high-resolution sound quality that tonearms with conventional bearings can’t match. Partnering it is a carefully designed PHONO EQ amplifier that allows you to directly connect the turntable to the line-level inputs of your existing hi-fi system. A high quality NJM8080 op-amp, specially designed for hi-fi applications by New Japan Radio Corporation, is employed to convey the finest of musical detail.
To extract the music from your vinyl, the TN-4D-SE comes with a highly-regarded Oyster MM cartridge from SUMIKO – a legendary American cartridge manufacturer. Noted for its innate musicality, the cartridge comes pre-installed on the headshell at the factory, allowing near ‘plug and play’ operation. The S-shaped tonearm meanwhile allows for quick cartridge/headshell swaps, so users can alter the sound quality by experimenting with different cartridges, if the desire takes them.
The TN-4D-SE is an analog turntable that achieves highly accurate rotational speeds and is very distinctive, for a direct-drive design, thanks to its sleek and stylish aesthetics.
What is Cogging?
Cogging is a phenomenon in which the periodic attraction of the armature and rotor inside the motor is dependent on the rotation angle, resulting in a fine pulsing. For example, if you turn the axle of a motor with your fingers, you'll feel the rotation occurring in steps. This phenomenon is known as cogging. In order to eliminate cogging on a direct-drive turntable, a motor needs to have large numbers of poles, along with complex circuits and a mechanism to achieve smooth rotation. As a result, most turntable direct-drive units are relatively large, which is why the resulting turntables are so bulky.
A sleek motor, developed exclusively for direct-drive turntables
The TN-4D-SE uses a sleek, brushless DC motor, offering crystal-locked speed accuracy, regulated by a computer-controlled feedback circuit and achieving low wow-and-flutter levels for a direct drive turntable, especially one with such a stylish, low-profile design.
Knife-edge, pivot-point tone-arm bearings
In collaboration with SAEC Corporation, a world-famous, high-end tonearm manufacturer, the TN-4D-SE's tonearm employs a knife-edge, pivot-point bearing. Unlike the case for tonearms with conventional bearings, any fine vertical movements encountered by this tonearm actually help in delivering a more dynamic sound with excellent resolution. The S-shaped tonearm also employs a universal headshell fitting, allowing users to quickly and easily swap cartridges/headshells, and supports a wide range of cartridge weights (from 14 - 23g / 0.5 - 0.8 oz.)
Precision anti-skating and stylus-pressure adjustment
As you might expect, the tonearm is equipped with a counterweight, for precise stylus-pressure adjustment, and an anti-skating mechanism.
Pre-installed Oyster cartridge by SUMIKO
The TN-4D-SE comes with a well-regarded Oyster MM cartridge from SUMIKO – a legendary American cartridge manufacturer. Regardless of the type of music, the Oyster cartridge delivers a powerful but insightful performance.
Built-in PHONO EQ amplifier supporting MM cartridges
The TN-4D-SE comes with a built-in PHONO EQ amplifier that allows you to directly connect the turntable to the line-level inputs of your existing hi-fi system. The NJM8080 IC from New Japan Radio Corporation is employed for op-amp duties, bringing up the level of the tiny signals received via the cartridge up to LINE level strength without any loss of quality.
Die-cast aluminum platter
In conjunction with the newly-developed motor, the high inertia, die-cast aluminum platter helps to achieve better speed stability.
Insulating feet with excellent shock absorption
The insulating feet comprise a machined aluminum shell topped with a rubber cushion that is fixed to the high-density MDF plinth. Thanks to their excellent shock absorption characteristics the TN-4D-SE is very resistant to acoustic feedback.
2-speed turntable for 33-â…“ and 45 rpm
The TN-4D-SE supports 33-â…“ and 45 rpm for LP and EP records. Our insistence on quality engineering can even be seen in the construction of the rotary control for start-up/speed selection, formed of machined aluminum.
Features at a glance:
- Direct-drive analog turntable
- Crystal-locked speed stability, thanks to a new brushless DC motor with feedback control
- Die-cast aluminum platter
- Knife-edge, pivot-point tonearm base, designed by high-end tonearm manufacturer SAEC
- Multi-layer piano black or natural walnut veneer finish
- Built-in PHONO EQ amplifier for high-quality sound (PHONO/LINE switchable)
- Audiophile-grade NJM8080 op-amp used in PHONO EQ stage
- 2-speed drive offering 33-â…“ and 45 rpm
- Gold-plated oxidation-resistant output connectors
- Oyster MM cartridge by SUMIKO
- Shock-absorbing insulating feet
- GND terminal
- RoHS compliant
Spec description:
- Turntable section
- Type: Direct Drive
- Motor: Brush-less DC Motor
- Speed: 33-â…“ rpm, 45 rpm
- Wow and Flutter: 0.1%
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 67dB or higher (A-weighted, 20kHz LPF)
- Platter
- Material: Aluminum Die-cast
- Diameter of Platter: 30cm
- Tonearm section
- Type: S-shaped, Static-balanced
- Effective Arm Length: 223mm
- Needle Pressure Range: 0g to 5.0g
- Compatible Cartridge Weight: 4.0g to 13.0g, 14g to 23g (including Head-shell)
- Head-shell and Cartridge sections
- Type: MM-type (SUMIKO Oyster factory installed)
- Output Voltage: 4.0mV (1kHz)
- Needle Pressure: 1.5 to 2.5g (appropriate value: 2.3g)
- Weight: 5.3g
- Head-shell weight: 10g (including nuts, screws, and wires)
- Compatible Stylus: Styluses for SUMIKO Oyster
- Analog Output section
- Connector: RCA Pin jack × 1 pair (PHONO/LINE switchable)
- Output Voltage
- PHONO: 4.0mV (1kHz)
- LINE: 224mV (–13dBV)
- General
- Operating Power: AC 100 to 240V, 50/60Hz
- Power Consumption: 2W
- Standby Power: 0.5W or less
- Overall Dimensions (W×H×D): 420 × 117 × 356 mm /, 16.5" × 4.6" × 14.0"
- Weight: Approx. 6.1kg / 13.5 lbs.
- Included Accessories: Felt Mat, EP Adapter, Counter Weight, Head-shell (SUMIKO Oyster installed), Platter, Dust Cover, Hinges × 2, RCA Audio cable with GND terminal, AC Adapter (GPE036W-24015), Owner's Manual (including Warranty Card)
