Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.
Product Strengths
- The Chronos Discovery Turntable's performance completely resets the bar for what can be achieved sonically with the playback of LPs and is the new milestone in reference-level LP playback
- It presents an entirely fresh and previously unattainable level of musical experience, a new pinnacle of expressiveness and communication that is more than merely revelatory and bordered on transformative
- Discovery presents with an amazingly black, stark background, yielding a noise floor so decidedly defeated that it is all but imperceptible
- It exhibits this incredible ability to more finely differentiate and reveal the ever-so-specific size and locality, and with some recordings, even the shape, of each and every instrumental voice it regenerates
- The new model comes equipped with a massive custom hand-wound power transformer and uses a bank of super-capacitors on its output—optimising damping (towards back EMF), improving the microdynamic motor control, and increasing drive stability
Product Considerations
- The speed controllers on the front panel are not marked
- It is an intricate and complex piece of equipment to install, best left to experts
- Its size and Captain Nemo physicality may be a drawback
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Compared to the Kronos Pro, the Discovery shares no components—it isn't the Pro writ large, but runs along common evolutionary design channels
- The Discovery goes a lot further and is significantly better
Takeaway: The Chronos Discovery Turntable offers a new and improved music listening experience. It is considered a top-of-the-line product that uncovers sounds you may have never noticed before.
What are hifi reviews useful for? (1) Identifying products you should demo in person at a dealer. (2) Learning which products reviewers unanimously praise as the best they've heard (this means they probably are legitimately great). (3) Identifying a product's attributes that satisfy your idiosyncratic needs and tastes. Beyond that, we often discount what reviewers say because they heap praise on most products—and are often apprehensive about publishing strong criticism or comparisons between products. Further, they seldom have more than a few products on-hand, often relying on their memories to compare past products. Always listen for yourself.
All
Discovery
reviews
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An excellent review of a great product
/
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
An excellent review of a great product
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
Video Review
Manufacturer details
Features
Specifications
- Rotational speed: 33.3 rpm & 45 rpm
- Tonearm length: 9 to 12 inches
- Power supply: dual channel pure class A linear DC, CPU controlled
- Motors: 2× Maxon DCX DC motors
- Motor mounts: Delrin enclosure, height adjustable
- Speed guidance system: continuous dual-loop feedback, continuous correction
- Sensors type: hall sensor (platters) /optical encoder tachymeter (motors)
- Correction cycle: 60 times/rotation. 0.015% max. 0.005% min
- Control CPU: independent system for each platter
- Platters type: resonance tuned compressed phenolic/aluminium/copper
- Platter weight: 8.2kg (x2)
- Drive belts: 2 silicone/Viton, one-piece moulded, 0.230/platter
- Compensation pulley: Teflon and zircon bearing
- Main bearings: dual hydraulic isolated inverted sleeve and ball
- Shaft type: grounded heat hardened tool steel, surface treated
- Ball type: precision ceramic 7mm
- Suspension: full floating top suspended, level adjustable
- Elastomers: 317 elastomers, Viton/silicone proprietary mix
- Dimensions (W×D×H, no SCPS): 71 × 37 × 29cm
- Weight: 65kg, PSU 22.5kg, SCPS-D 22.5kg
Description
Kronos developed a wholly new way to attach the chassis to the suspension system, using completely different soft clamping methods. This treats the chassis more like the soundbox of a guitar or a violin because in that case how it's held dictates to some degree how it sounds.
Release Timeline
Manufacturer Site
Brand highlights
Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:
- The counter-rotating platter design effectively eliminates torsional forces, contributing to exceptional stability and reduced blurring of the musical signal.
- Kronos products incorporate materials with different resonant Q factors in modular structures, minimizing interactive parasitic vibrations and improving isolation.
- Kronos components enhance the resolution of recorded details to an exceptional degree, making the walls of the recorded venue "flex, bend, contort, and pulsate as if live/alive," delivering a singularly revelatory experience.
Select products
Select product comparisons
Sparta 0.5
- Positioning: The entry-level model in the Kronos lineup.
- Description: Offers a solid frame base with a single subchassis, making it a great choice for those seeking high-quality sound in a more compact and affordable package. Unlike the more advanced Sparta model, it features a single tonearm mounting plate, which is ideal for users with limited space or budget but still desiring excellent performance.
Sparta
- Positioning: Positioned as a mid-range option in the Kronos lineup.
- Description: Features a dual-platter design, providing enhanced stability and sound quality. It uses the counter-rotational technology of the flagship Kronos Pro but in a more affordable package.
Kronos Pro
- Positioning: The high-end model in the Kronos lineup.
- Description: Features a dual-platter system that rotates in opposite directions, effectively eliminating torque-induced vibrations for superior sound clarity.
Discovery
- Positioning: The flagship model in the Kronos lineup.
- Description: Introduces a groundbreaking chassis suspension system that enhances sound quality by treating the chassis like a musical instrument's soundbox. It surpasses the Kronos Pro with its innovative design.
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Avg. Product Price
$100,001+
Used For Sale
0
Available (Scroll Down)
Brand Popularity
293
of 900+
Badges
Top 50 Brand
Top 250 Brand
Products Listed
6
Founding Year
2005
Our take on the brand
Kronos Audio's turntables feature a unique counter-rotating dual-platter system that cancels out rotational forces and minimizes vibrations, setting them apart in the industry. Their turntables also use supercapacitors to operate off-grid for reduced electrical noise, while their Discovery RS tonearm employs a proprietary bearing system for precise playback.
Look inside the brand
Brand Page
Our interview with the brand
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NAGRA
Reference (Turntable)
128000
/
Released
2024
Following in the footsteps of Nagra's flagship Reference Anniversary turntable/tonearm system, Nagra's research and development team devoted an additional two years applying all that was learned in the preceding four years of Anniversary system development to expand our commitment to LP reproduction to a wider audience of vinyl lovers. The Reference turntable/tonearm maintains the same level of obsessive attention to detail embodied in the limited edition Reference Anniversary turntable/tonearm, including our insistence on technical achievement validated by extensive listening. Its concept, design and execution are befitting of its inclusion in Nagra's flagship Reference line of products.
Nagra Audio, a Swiss brand with roots in professional recording and film (including two Oscars for soundtracks), brings watchmaking-level precision to their hifi equipment through extensive in-house manufacturing of components like transformers. Their HD Preamp and Classic DAC showcase unique technologies, including virtual battery power supplies and PCM-to-DSD conversion, while their commitment to quality is demonstrated by rejecting over half of their tested valves to maintain exceptional standards.
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Designed specifically for Nagra's 70th anniversary, with only 70 units produced, making it an exceptional and exclusive piece
- Provides a silent listening experience, with surface noise remaining at an almost inaudible level
- Offers precise sound reproduction, where all instruments are perfectly distinct with great definition
- Excellent instrument separation, allowing listeners to discern individual instruments within orchestral formations, creating a sense of depth and space
- Clean and well-defined low-frequency response without any muddiness
Product Considerations
- A complex piece of equipment, requiring 4 years of development and production
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- The sound is closer to an analog master tape listening than to vinyl as we know it—rounder and softer
Takeaway: The Nagra REFERENCE ANNIVERSARY turntable is a technologically advanced and meticulously crafted product designed for exceptional vinyl playback. It is a premium option for audiophiles seeking the highest level of precision and clarity in their listening experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Nagra Audio, a Swiss brand with roots in professional recording and film (including two Oscars for soundtracks), brings watchmaking-level precision to their hifi equipment through extensive in-house manufacturing of components like transformers. Their HD Preamp and Classic DAC showcase unique technologies, including virtual battery power supplies and PCM-to-DSD conversion, while their commitment to quality is demonstrated by rejecting over half of their tested valves to maintain exceptional standards.
Product Page
Product Page
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Gryphon
Apollo
160856
/
Released
2024
Never before has so much intellectual horsepower been devoted to the service of Analog Playback. The culmination of a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration between Soren Slebo of The Gryphon Design Team, Turntable Legend Helmut Brinkmann, Cartridge Master Ortofon and the Aarhus Technical Institute, Apollo by Gryphon is more than a turntable: it is a seminal event in the history of High End Audio.
Gryphon is one of the most respected high-end amplifier brands in the world. Its bass grip is phenomenal, thanks to an unusually high level of capacitance, which keeps everything tight and controlled, even with demanding speakers. Gryphon is also known for its bold, brutalist design—a look that a lot of people love. You’ll find their gear all over Europe and Asia, and the Diablo 333 is often considered an ‘endgame’ amp by those chasing the very best sound and aesthetics.
Expand Details
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Huge, open, and relaxed sound, with a touch of sweetness in the upper registers
- Focuses on the deeper meanings of the music
- Might be a turntable for the ages
Product Considerations
- MSRP of $150K
- Demos were sometimes interrupted by the room next door
Takeaway: The Gryphon Apollo turntable offers a stunning sound that is huge, open, and relaxed. It is worth checking out if someone wants something that can really dig into the music.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Gryphon is one of the most respected high-end amplifier brands in the world. Its bass grip is phenomenal, thanks to an unusually high level of capacitance, which keeps everything tight and controlled, even with demanding speakers. Gryphon is also known for its bold, brutalist design—a look that a lot of people love. You’ll find their gear all over Europe and Asia, and the Diablo 333 is often considered an ‘endgame’ amp by those chasing the very best sound and aesthetics.
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