Ingenious Plug-and-Play Operation: British-Built Avid Ingenium Turntable Is Finest-Quality Entry-Level Audiophile Model in Class, Includes Fitted Tonearm and Cartridge

The Avid Ingenium turntable has one simple goal: To be the highest-quality, entry-level plug-and-play turntable money can buy. Yes, at its price range, Ingenium is a level (or two) above most ‘tables in what most would consider entry-level territory. Then again, it touts features — an inverted true single-point sapphire jewel bearing, solid aluminum chassis with a 2.5 x 2-inch cruciform shape, sorbothane isolation feet, a screw-down vibration transfer clamp, and an upgradeable platter — that its brethren lack. The same goes for its elastomer suspension, taken from the company’s Diva Series and responsible for giving the playing surface excellent mechanical isolation.

Hand-built in England, Ingenium espouses Avid’s renowned engineering and construction principles. Able to play at 33RPM and 45RPM speed with tremendous accuracy, the belt-drive design leverages the combination of an Avid TA-1 tonearm and CA1 cartridge to offer excellent tracking, stability, and control. A high-powered synchronous motor with the correct power to platter mass ratio helps account for fast dynamics and powerful drive. 

While offering authentic plug-and-play ability — forget any hassles associated with many high-end ‘tables — Ingenium plays with degrees of solidity, authority, transparency, and precision seldom associated with models that afford such convenience. Not convinced? Consider that since its introduction in 2013, and enhancements in 2018, Ingenium has won awards and rave reviews from an international audio community that includes TONEAudio, Hi-Fi Choice, StereoNET, Stereo, and more. 

We invite you to peruse a sampling of the observations below, and further consider Ingenium comes with a five-year manufacturer warranty. We’re also around to answer any questions you might have about this tremendous analog package. 

“As with all the other AVID tables I’ve owned and reviewed, the Ingenium shares a signature core sound that is lively, detailed, and never over-damped. The sense of musical pace is easily discernible.”
—Jeff Dorgay, TONEAudio, Product of the Year (Turntable category)

“This is still a very accurate and revealing turntable, but it offsets this against a rhythmic energy and sense of fun that makes for a truly enjoyable listening experience.”
—Hi-Fi Choice, Recommended review

“It’s essentially a neutral platform that allows you to hear its accompanying tone arm and cartridge strut their stuff. You really can’t ask for more at this price.”
—StereoNET

"[This] is an affordable turntable that oozes quality in both construction and sound and offers an excellent en try point into serious music listening.”
—Hi-Fi World

“For a plug and play turntable this was a stonker of a machine; a very able arm, excellent motor and a sound that matched.”
—HiFi Pig 

Screw-Down Clamp 
Fundamental in the design of all Avid turntables, a unique screw-down clamp grounds the record to the bearing, allowing unwanted vibration to pass away to the main chassis. This lowers the noise floor of the record itself, allowing the cartridge to more faithfully trace the groove, giving a more transparent and realistic sound whilst reducing record wear and damage. Precision-machined from solid aluminum and stainless steel, the clamp also automatically flattens all but the most warped records to the platter mat, allowing the cartridge to trace the groove more faithfully and preventing air pockets under the record from reducing sound quality.

Trademark Bearing
A specially shaped sapphire rotates on a captive tungsten carbide ball with no friction, noise, or wear. Different to other designs, the Avid bearing has no lateral movement at the contact point, so the platter does not wobble or suffer from rumble noise. The main spindle is tapered to prevent standing waves and the single self-lubricating sleeve remains maintenance-free.