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.
All
GSH-801 Edmund
reviews
Manufacturer details
- Power Supply: 230V AC, 50Hz 4W
- Standby Power Consumption: 0.42W
- Speeds: 33⅓ RPM, 45 RPM
- Finishes: Milled veneered MDF, Brushed aluminum panel, Aluminum platter
- Outputs: DIN
- Weight: 14.1 kg (31.1 lbs)
- Dimensions: 429 × 373 × 178.3 mm (16.9 × 14.7 × 7 in)
- Cartridge: Ortofon 2m Black
- Drive System: Unitra NB1 direct drive
- Motor: Air-core brushless DC motor
- Wow & flutter: 0.08%
- Tonearm Model: Unitra R10
- Tonearm Material: Aluminum
- Effective mass arm: 18.5 - 22 g
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:
Select products
WSH-605 Wzmacniacz Zintegrowany:
- Positioning: The entry-level integrated amplifier designed for compact spaces and everyday use.
- Description: Offers a straightforward circuit design that provides clean amplification with minimal complexity. Compared to other products in the lineup, it lacks advanced connectivity and tuning features, making it ideal for users on a tight budget or those in small rooms.
CSH-801 Odtwarzacz CD:
- Positioning: The mid-range CD player focused on quality disc playback.
- Description: Delivers clear and precise CD reproduction with a reliable transport mechanism and well-tuned digital processing. In comparison with the integrated amplifiers, its single-function design emphasizes high fidelity for dedicated CD systems.
ZGB-401 Kolumny Głośnikowe Podstawkowe:
- Positioning: The entry-level bookshelf speaker system tailored for small to medium rooms.
- Description: Produces balanced sound with clear midrange performance due to its efficient driver configuration. Compared to the floorstanding speakers, it has a simpler design with less bass extension, making it a cost-effective choice for users with limited space or budget constraints.
WSH-805 Wzmacniacz Zintegrowany:
- Positioning: A higher-end integrated amplifier aimed at enthusiasts who demand refined performance and build quality.
- Description: Features advanced amplification circuits and enhanced tone control that ensure low distortion and rich sound details. When matched with the WSH-605, its superior connectivity and power output justify a higher budget.
ZGZ-801 Kolumny Głośnikowe:
- Positioning: A premium floorstanding speaker system built for spacious rooms and high-performance listening.
- Description: Uses a multi-driver configuration that creates a wider soundstage with improved clarity and deeper bass extension. Compared to the bookshelf speakers, it offers better dynamics and a fuller frequency response.
Our take on the brand
Look inside the brand
Our interview with the brand
What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?
Dual-Mono Class A Architecture: Unlike many amplifiers that cut corners with shared power supplies or Class AB switching, our WSH-805 amplifier is a true dual-mono, fully discrete Class A design — with separate toroidal transformers for left and right channels. This preserves signal integrity, improves stereo separation, and delivers the kind of rich, analog warmth that’s becoming rare in the industry.
Bistable switches and the ability to control key functions via our patented switching system. It’s a unique combination of precision, durability, and tactile satisfaction. This is something you won’t find in most modern hi-fi equipment.
We also implement a current feedback topology, which, while more challenging to design and fine-tune, offers superior performance in terms of dynamic range, speed, and feedback response. It allows our amplifiers to handle complex signals with greater accuracy and musicality.
Finally, we’re proud of the unmistakable vintage character and appearance of our products. For us, "vintage" doesn’t just mean retro styling. It means embracing timeless design while building everything with modern technology and contemporary engineering standards. It’s a fusion of heritage and innovation, and a signature of everything we do at Unitra.
In terms of vintage products, we just released a new version of WSH-805 amp, called Classic edition. It is a tribute to the legacy of Unitra, blending the timeless elegance of natural wood and brass with the power of precision engineering. With its refined design, this special edition highlights the beauty of craftsmanship and the enduring charm of classic hi-fi.
What's your approach to customer support?
At Unitra, we take support personally. Our products are designed and hand-assembled in Poland by a close-knit team of engineers and technicians so if something goes wrong, it often ends up in the hands of the people who built it. There is great movie, made by polish YT channel, "Factories", where You can see the whole process of doing the amplifiers.
For day-to-day questions, customers can of course reach out to their dealer or distributor. But if the issue concerns something deeper or if a customer simply wants to talk directly with us, we’re always available. On our website you can find a direct contact via email [email protected] and we try to handle the issue as quickly as we can.
Our mission is to create timeless and repairable devices. We design them in a way that allows a single faulty component to be replaced, not the entire product. It’s something we’re proud of and see as a feature of the future even though, to us, it’s simply common sense and a matter of respect for quality craftsmanship.
What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?
1. Jennifer Warnes/ Soundtrakc: The Hunter/ song: Somewhere, somebody (CD).
The track is built around a very distinctive bassline that forms a solid foundation for the entire composition.
This track is ideal for testing the depth and precision of bass reproduction. It’s also excellent for evaluating how well a system handles simultaneous vocals — their separation, balance, and harmonic interplay.
2. Daft Punk Random Access Memories Get Lucky (Vinyl)
This track is ideal for testing bass control, vocal clarity, and dynamics. The funky guitar groove and bass line reveal how well speakers handle rhythm and sound separation. Additionally, the delicate, spacious electronic elements in the background help evaluate the width of the soundstage, while the clear but subtle vocals aid in assessing midrange detail.
3.Allan Taylor Colour to the moon Colour to the moon (CD)
Great for testing vocal clarity, midrange detail, and separation of individual elements in the soundscape. This track shows how well the equipment handles intimate, acoustic recordings (separation of 2 guitars) and the natural sound of instruments.
4. Johnny Cash American IV Hurt (Vinyl)
An excellent track for testing vocal clarity and its emotional depth. Cash's voice is very expressive, which allows you to assess how the equipment reproduces details in the low and mid tones (for vocals). The delicate guitar and strings require precision in reproducing quiet, subtle sounds. Attention should be paid to the dynamics, as the song gradually gains intensity, and each addition of an instrument gives the impression of a larger sonic space.
What other products pair best with yours?
Used
UNITRA
What if you spend more?
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Our summary
Product Strengths
- The Naia epitomizes Rega's design philosophies, and its sonic performance confirms this
- Exceptionally capable, setting a sky-high standard for resolution and transparency
- Incredibly neutral and transparent for a vinyl source, doing a more effective job of getting out of the way and letting the record itself be the story
- Genuinely high end and trades blows with the best, but is no more demanding in use than one at a tenth of the price
- Delivers better timing than 99.9% of audio sources–analogue or digital
Product Considerations
- The foam edges on the plinth look a little unfinished
- An otherwise admirably off-hand approach to music-making did leave some wanting more in the way of rhythmic drive
- Can expose weaknesses in record quality, so upgrades to some of your record collection may be needed
- Minimalist design and understatement might not impress those unfamiliar with high-end audio
- The removable dust cover doesn't offer quite the same protection as a more conventional lid and, combined with the fairly small stylus guard on the cart, means Rega is slightly more vulnerable than some rivals
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Rega Planar 10, the Naia brings it closer technologically and, unfortunately, in price, but it is also better in every way, and the measured performance demonstrates that the Naia is a step above the Planar 10
- Vs Rega Planar 10, the Naia gets significantly more information out of records, has a lower apparent noise floor and even better timing
- Vs Technics SL-1000R, the Rega is significantly better with low-frequency transients, delivering them with greater heft and power while also revealing that the Technics has a slightly sludgy quality in comparison
- Vs Linn Seleckt LP12, the Naia is more neutral and transparent
Takeaway: The Naia is a high-performance turntable that offers exceptional clarity and detail, providing a very neutral sound. If you want a turntable that reveals every nuance in your vinyl collection, the Naia is worth considering.
Video review
Our take on the brand
The VPI Avenger Table was originally a project started by Harry over 12 years ago. In the process of the design, the project was dropped in mid-production due to excessive demand by HR-X customers which left the design and proto-type chassis to be mothballed. The good news about the abandoned design is Harry instead shifted his focus to starting and completing the VPI Classic Turntable.
Our summary
Product Strengths
- Customizable and upgradable, it can handle up to three tonearms
- It produces a big soundstage with life-like proportions and scale, which provides a holographic sound
- Offers an effortless power and control and is unflappable at any volume
- VPI's chassis is versatile, allowing a different and more complex drive system
- Has great speed stability
Product Considerations
- Setup is critical and may require assistance from an experienced dealer or audiophile
- It can be sensitive to vibrations from the room and speakers, requiring careful placement and isolation
- It may not suit those wanting a 4/4 beat to everything, because it does not emphasize the beat in the way that a suspended turntable does
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Minimizes resonance problems with both moving-coil and moving-iron cartridges
- Avenger Direct has the speed stability of the best direct drives
- Avenger Direct is competitive in overall level of detail and silence, sometimes slightly superior, to the VPI Classic Direct
- The three-legged layout solves the problem of accommodating two tonearms
- Compared to VPI Scout 21, the Deep In The Night track has depth and scale to it that's grander in every direction and dimension via the Avenger
Takeaway: The VPI Avenger is a high-end turntable with a customizable design and strong performance, offering great sound quality and the ability to use multiple tonearms. With its solid engineering and powerful sound, it is built to deliver great sound from vinyl records, allowing listeners to hear music with a new level of engagement.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our summary
Product Strengths
- Offers a sweet spot in price/performance terms
- Delivers a quintessential Sondek sound, and is highly emotional
- Unlocks the music in real time, making for an extremely immersive sound
- Strong and taut bass
- Sounds sweet, refined, and smooth
Product Considerations
- Setting up an LP12 needs to be done by someone who knows what they are doing
- The Kendo MC cartridge feels very exposed
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Is a definite step up from the Majik LP12
Takeaway: The Linn Selekt LP12 embodies the best of the venerable turntable in its classical form, offering high-quality engineering and an immersive sound. It's a worthwhile option for those seeking a significant upgrade in their vinyl listening experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our summary
Product Strengths
- Delivers a beautifully noise-free background, which allows the micro detail, the hall sound, and the instrument sound to shine through beautifully
- Rock-solid sense of stability and noiselessness on LP after LP
- Build quality seems very high in most elements
- Allows differentiation between different components, easily and in detail
- Operationally, there's nothing really weird or unusual about it
Product Considerations
- It weighs 112 lb, so it is a beast of a turntable
- Near the entry level to the J.Sikora line, but it's not an entry level turntable by any means
- A highly flexible tonearm mounting system gives room to play, and get into trouble
- Not incredibly difficult to assemble, it does take time to get everything just so
Takeaway: The Initial Max is an outstanding turntable that delivers a beautifully noise-free background, which allows the micro detail, the hall sound, and the instrument sound to shine through. It just works and offers a tremendous amount of flexibility if you want to change tonearms.
Video review
Our take on the brand
What competes at this price?
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Shares the plinth, bearing and suspension design with higher-end LP12 models
- Great build quality and finish, made with precision aluminum and stainless-steel components
- Offers upgrade paths with higher quality phono cartridges, arms, chassis, and power supplies
- Known for its musicality and ability to make listeners forget about typical audio criteria and focus on enjoying the music
- Great value package bringing LP12 ownership to a wider audience without major compromise
Product Considerations
- Requires professional setup and adjustment
- Speed change to 45rpm requires fitting a pulley adaptor, which may be annoying for some users
- Footfall and external vibrations can affect performance, requiring a lightweight and rigid support
- Some reviewers found the bundled Adikt moving magnet cartridge to be the weakest link in the system
- Lid is an optional extra, which may come as a surprise
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Technics SL-1200G: Majik LP12 offers a more relaxed and beguiling sound, while the Technics is crisper and tighter
- Vs Origin Live Calypso Multilayer/Silver: Majik LP12 sits in the middle, more relaxed than the Technics SL-1200G—but not as expansive and tonally natural as the Origin Live Calypso Multilayer/Silver
- Vs Thorens TD160 HD or Michell's Gyrodec SE: Majik LP12 has a relaxed warmth and fluidity that the others do not
Takeaway: The Majik LP12 is a well-built, musically engaging turntable that brings the classic Linn sound to a more accessible price point. It's a great way to get into vinyl and enjoy records without being distracted by technicalities and has plenty of upgrade options available.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Heavy weight and high mass design combats resonant frequencies and provides a stable platform for playing vinyl records
- Delivers a clean, dynamic sound with superb imaging and soundstage
- The motor is integrated into the chassis giving the turntable a very clean look
Product Considerations
- No dust cover/lid is included
- No ground/earth cable included with the RCA's
- RB330 tonearm is not known for its easy adjustment and cartridge matching
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- TTP has similar solidity of image and body to the Thorens TD-124 and Garrard 301 idler-wheel turntables
Takeaway: The Cyrus Audio TTP is a well-engineered turntable that delivers engaging music from a stable platform and a clean background. It offers a blend of modern technology, thoughtful design, and flexible upgrade options.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Sleek acrylic construction that is visually appealing and acoustically excellent
- A beautifully open window onto the performance, achieved in a commandingly authoritative manner
- Muscular sounding, exhibiting a solid grip on the music, especially through the bass and into the lower midrange
- Utterly coherent, with an uncanny ability to untangle complex music
- Precision opened up the record, presenting sometimes-busy albums as if they were giant paintings
Product Considerations
- Consistency of speed was not what was expected from a turntable of this pedigree
- The headshell lacks sufficient offset angle, so rotation of an MM or MC slightly inwards may be needed
- If a cartridge is less than about 17mm tall, spacers may be needed to use it with the M8xTT's arm
- Acrylic scratches easily and shows dust, so care must be taken when cleaning
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- The M1 was always a little soft at the low end, but the Musical Fidelity's new model couldn't be more different
Takeaway: The M8xTT is a wonderful turntable with exceptional sound quality and outstanding construction. The crystalline chrome-and-acrylic chassis and visual effect of the spinning platter make it a thrilling machine to use.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Designed by Allen Perkins, incorporating groundbreaking technologies and design principles.
- Every component is designed to work in perfect harmony, extracting every nuance and detail from vinyl collection.
- Features a three-point isolation system with Harmonic Resolution Systems (HRS) feet.
- Has a 10-inch dual-pivot carbon-fiber tonearm with Cardas Audio internal wiring.
- Offers speed options and trim control.
Product Considerations
- Setup is extremely critical and may require assistance.
- The tonearm rest requires a strong pull to secure the arm, which can cause the arm to ricochet if not handled carefully.
- Additional head shells should be purchased with the turntable, if the user anticipates swapping them to use different cartridges.
- Maintenance parts may be difficult to secure for the next 40 years.
- The design is not for those looking to customize the table with different tonearm mounts and components.
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Compared to StudioDeck and UltraDeck, the MasterDeck's collar screw drive VTA adjustment is easier to set and more precise in its movement.
Takeaway: The MasterDeck is a well-engineered turntable that delivers realism and detail while keeping the musical enjoyment alive. Its innovative design and precision components provide a high-quality listening experience for vinyl enthusiasts.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Extremely well built and beautifully finished, demonstrating extraordinary tolerances between mating parts.
- A quiet and stable platform for playing records.
- Its tonearm is very flexible in cartridge support.
- It provides balanced outputs via XLR, which is unusual, but phono cartridges are inherently balanced.
- It provides an accurate and consistent rate of spin.
Product Considerations
- The antiskating mechanism is effectively uncalibrated and extremely sensitive to correct adjustment.
- The manual provides very little detail about attaching the cartridge to the tonearm.
- The manual lift has to be operated carefully because it is located on the moving part of the player.
- The manual TP 160 arm's lift lever is less damped, and any non-linear hand movements are transferred to the sub-chassis—incurring wobble.
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Thorens TD 1601: The TD 1600 is fully manual, while the TD 1601 is semi-automatic.
- Vs Linn LP12: Both models fall into the same audiophile category and are also quite close in price in terms of basic equipment.
Takeaway: The TD 1600 turntable is a well-engineered, beautifully finished turntable that offers a quiet and stable platform for quality vinyl playback. With its flexible tonearm and robust construction, it should provide years of listening enjoyment.
Video review
Our take on the brand
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