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
- 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.
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
Reference (Turntable)
reviews
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An excellent review of a great product
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Publisher
/
3/1/2022
An excellent review of a great product
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
Video Review
Manufacturer details
Features
Specifications
Weight:~71 kg – ~156.5 lbsTURNTABLE
Dimension: 67x 45 x 28 mm (26 x 17.8 x 11.6 inches)
TURNTABLE PSU Dimension: 40x 32 x 10 cm (15.7 x 12.6 x 3.9 inches)
Description
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.
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.
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:
- Nagra products draw heavily from their professional audio recording heritage, evident in their rugged build quality, compact form factor, and the inclusion of the iconic Modulometer.
- The company meticulously handcrafts its own components, including transformers and custom capacitors, often exceeding industry standards by rejecting a significant portion of sourced parts to maintain exceptional quality control.
- Nagra integrates sophisticated solid-state electronics with vacuum tubes, achieving a balance of modern performance with the desirable sonic characteristics of tubes, often described as a musical and emotionally engaging experience.
- They offer a modular system approach, where external power supplies and vibration-free systems can significantly enhance the performance of their components, allowing for a scalable upgrade path.
Select products
Select product comparisons
Nagra Classic Amp
- Positioning: The entry-level high-end amplifier in Nagra's lineup, suitable for high-quality installations.
- Description: Features pure class A operation over a large power band. Uses tandem MOSFET transistors, which are simpler than the more complex designs in the Reference and HD lines. Its power supply concept with an overdimensioned transformer ensures stability, but it lacks the advanced mechanical damping and larger power supplies found in the more expensive models. Making it ideal for smaller rooms or those with a moderate budget.
Nagra HD Amp
- Positioning: A high-end model designed for ultimate performance in large rooms with demanding speakers.
- Description: Features a 1600 VA transformer and a dual Pi filter for stable power delivery. Offers more power and a larger chassis compared to the Classic Amp, making it suitable for larger spaces and those seeking a more powerful soundstage. However, it does not have the latest mechanical and electronic improvements of the Reference Amp.
Nagra Reference Amp
- Positioning: The flagship model, representing the pinnacle of Nagra's amplifier technology.
- Description: Distinguished by its new power supply, 25% larger than the HD Amp, and features like adjustable resonance decoupling feet and new input circuits. Offers the most refined sound with increased class A operation and advanced mechanical damping. Compared to the HD Amp, it provides even greater sonic detail and flexibility in matching with various speakers and room acoustics.
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Avg. Product Price
$100,001+
Used For Sale
14
Available (Scroll Down)
Brand Popularity
183
of 900+
Badges
Top 50 Brand
Top 250 Brand
Products Listed
19
Founding Year
1951
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.
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Brand Page
Our interview with the brand
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What if you spend more?
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What competes at this price?
Kronos
Discovery
120000
/
Released
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.
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.
Expand Details
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Our Summary
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.
Video review
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.
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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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