The Prelude comes to market at $1,899 RRP, and while there have to be some compromises, EAT has remained focused on unwanted vibration, resonance and colouration of the sound. It says the Prelude offers much of the principles of its higher-tiered turntables but is the perfect starting point for a true audiophile hi-fi system.

The Prelude still retains a heavy-weight platter for correct speed and precision, while a low tolerance polished stainless steel bearing in a soft bronze bushing “ensures a super silent and smooth movement”. According to EAT, this is the same base material found in its high-end designs.

The elegant piano finish plinth is made from dense MDF and protected by eight layers of lacquer. EAT claims that at this price point, its competitors typically use a particleboard chassis with glued-on veneer - not so with the Prelude.

The Prelude's lightweight, ultra-stiff and “resonance free” tonearm is cast in a single piece as EAT says this design, sans heavy metal headshell, “simply creates more ideal resonant frequencies with an MM cartridge”. It also features a mass bearing block for the tonearm and counterweight that behaves like an energy sink for cartridge resonances and low frequencies generated from the deck. “The anti-resonator damper reduces the amplitude of the natural tonearm/cartridge resonance”, according to a company spokesperson.

Finally, spinning the platter at precisely the right speeds is a free-standing motor that is completely isolated from the plinth, ensuring no motor vibrations are passed on.

The EAT Prelude is available and is supplied pre-fitted with an Ortofon 2M Red phono cartridge, and an acrylic dust cover.

For more information, visit European Audio Team.

Related: EAT B-Sharp Turntable Review