#Waiting For Ideas PP-1 Turntable attractively aligns digital ease with depth of analog sound

Some things seem pretty straightforward but require precision. One of the many such intricate little things is the act of placing the needle on a vinyl record. You can argue otherwise, or simply ditch the idea and take home this deftly created turntable by French studio, Waiting for Ideas. The makers say, “This isn’t just another turntable; it’s a revolutionary ‘plug and play’ experience,” and we couldn’t agree more.

Dubbed the PP-1, the new turntable takes away the complexity from analog music and replaces it with a subtle change to topple the music experience upside down. Being a “true audiophile turntable,” it is made without the tonearm on top. So, you are spared the effort of placing the needle to set the music flowing on the platter. Where did the needle go, you ask?

Designer: Waiting for Ideas

The little needle is placed on the fascinating platter of the PP-1. When you place the record on it – there is a special way to do that – the protective cover opens up and the needle automatically aligns with the record. Since the needle is on the underside, PP-1 turntable requires you to place the vinyl disc carefully upside down in the groove cut out on the PP-1. By the very process, the turntable is plug and play: Simply connect it, set the record in place, and hit the play button. Any complexity whatsoever is out of the equation and you have the easiest way to play your favorite records without moving a finger. Over the convenience and functionality, the turntable from Waiting for Ideas has a design to drool over and it even has a 3,5 mm Mini-Jack; nostalgic!

It is made from a single, square block of aluminum which has been precisely chiseled to make a cutout on top where the vinyl would go and sit flush against the height of the bluish-green turntable. It measures 35cm x 35cm x 7cm and can be used placed flat on a surface, or vertically on one side. In addition to minimizing the need to place the tonearm, the PP-1 also eliminates the guesswork. Using advanced technology, the turntable can automatically detect the 33 or 45 record speed when the record is inserted.

Waiting for Ideas has not just reformed the appearance and the style of record playing, it in fact means to redefine the sound output as well. To that accord, it is throwing in a set of speakers with the PP-1, which you can choose to use together or separately for a stereo sound experience. The speakers are finished in delightful black fabric to complement the aluminum turntable. If you want to embrace the digital ease with the depth of analog sound, you may just have to put together a few months of savings. The USB-C powered turntable is available for €5,800 (roughly $6,000). With the speaker pair, the price shoots up to €9,000 (approx. $9,500).