“Das Laufwerk” – the German for turntables

Two new turntables with the distinctive name “Das Laufwerk” have recently become Scheu Analog’s top-of-the range models. In terms of performance they even comfortably exceed the company’s previous top model, the “Premier”, and represent the beginning of a whole new phase for Scheu Analog.

“Das Laufwerk” No.1

Conceived as a heavyweight turntable, it is based on the proven elements of the “Premier”. Thus it also features the chamber filled with lead shot to reduce resonance and the inverted precision bearing and electronically regulated DC motor with its fine-speed adjustment for 33 and 45 rpm using a string drive. The material for the shell and the turntable, which is 80 mm high and weighs 7.5 kg, both underline the expertise of Scheu Analog in the fashioning of acrylic.

Derived from the “Premier” Mk3's shell design and optimised for stability and diminution of resonance, the result offers increased flexibility, amongst other things, along with the possibility of using three tone arms of differing lengths. The turntable is seated on steel feet adjustable in height by means of a fine thread that are shaped into a spike and are located directly under the bases for the arms.

The choice of finish includes polished black acrylic, polished transparent acrylic or satin-finish colourless acrylic, each in conjunction with stainless steel. An acrylic armboard is also supplied as standard. Armboards are also available in brass and bronze for a supplementary price.

“Das Laufwerk” No.2

Weighing a total of about 38 kg, this turntable is also a heavyweight, although it uses an entirely different design.

By omitting the lead shot chamber and the joining of two shell halves, a turntable of unadorned elegance came into being. Since no lead shot could be used to diminish resonance effects, other solutions needed to be found. By combining various materials such as multi-ply acrylic, steel and bronze, it was possible to achieve extremely effective adaptive resonance suppression and damping.

This turntable also features three tone arm bases along with the electronically regulated DC motor with its fine speed adjustment and string drive, an 80-mm turntable and height-adjustable steel feet in spike format.

“Das Laufwerk” No.2 is available in polished black acrylic and satin-finish colourless acrylic. There is also an exclusive version with a slate shell. Armboards for various tone arms are available in acrylic, brass or bronze.

The sound

A description of sound is of course always subjective. During the in-house development phase the “Premier” was consistently used as a reference. The No.1 and No.2 turntables comfortably exceed even this in terms of sound reproduction.

Details are reproduced with outstanding originality. The bass is powerful and contoured, the fundamental sound is natural and needs no boosting. Both width and depth are faithfully reproduced and everything is realistically placed in the soundscape. The treble is not overloaded, so that cymbals, for example, ring long and clear. In spite of the extremely detailed resolution, the musical flow is never lost.

While “Das Laufwerk” No.1 sounds slightly warmer and more rounded, “Das Laufwerk” No.2 is characterised by an even more dynamic and unfussy reproduction.

Both turntables should appeal not only to those connoisseurs whose interest is purely in music, but also to ambitious listeners seeking to explore the limits of their turntable day after day. They provide an excellent basis and enough scope for you to approach your own individual ideal for the reproduction of music.

Listen for yourself!

Technical data

“Das Laufwerk” No.1

• Heavyweight turntable, total weight approx. 35 kg, turntable weight 7.5 kg
• Two-section acrylic shell with stainless steel bases for three tone arms, available in polished black, colourless, polished transparent or in colourless satin-finish.
• Height-adjustable spike-shaped steel feet
• Lead shot chamber for resonance reduction
• Inverted precision bearings
• 80 mm high, 7.5 kg acrylic turntable
• Armboards for various tone arms, available in acrylic, brass or bronze

“Das Laufwerk” No.2

• Heavyweight turntable, total weight approx. 38 kg, turntable weight 7.5 kg
• Multi-ply acrylic shell with stainless steel bases for three tone arms, available in polished black or in colourless satin-finish.
• Height-adjustable spike-shaped steel feet
• Combination of various materials for resonance suppression and damping
• Inverted precision bearings
• 80 mm high, 7.5 kg acrylic turntable
• Electronically regulated DC motor with fine-speed adjustment for 33 and 45 rpm, plus string drive
• Armboards for various tone arms, available in acrylic, brass or bronze

• Electronically regulated DC motor
• Microcontroller with digital 4-Q PI-controller
• Overload protection by integrated speed-dependent current-limitation
• Fine-speed adjustment +-3% for 33 und 45 rpm.
• for belt, tape or string-drive

Turntable Scheu Premier

The Premier is our most popular standard turntable and is available in a number of variants. It has been conceived as a heavyweight turntable distinguished by individual design details.
The bearing developed by Thomas Scheu is an inverted precision turntable bearing (the spindle is situated on the base while the bearing shell is inside the platter) made of 100Cr6 ball bearing steel with a contact surface hardness of 62 HRC and bearing tolerance range h6/H6, as used in other turntables. The solid spindle screwed into the base plate has a ceramic ball on top of it. The low-resonance, heavy acrylic turntable is effectively suspended on the bearing and therefore provides its own stabilisation. The DC motor in its own solid housing is separated from the platter and quickly runs up to the speed selected via the rocker switch (33 or 45 rpm). Fine adjustment is handled by a potentiometer, while power is provided from a plug-in transformer.

Connection between motor and turntable is made by means of a “string” composed of ultra-fine nylon thread. The advantage of such a “string” drive lies in the fact that the contacting surface transmitting the force is small. This means fluctuations in tension and unnecessary friction can be minimised. A cylindrical ring filled with resonance absorbing lead shot is located between the base plate, with its three height-adjustable threaded spikes, and the one- or two-lobed tone arm base. Either 9" or 12" tone arms may be fitted. The Premier MKIII even offers the capability of mounting two tone arms, which can even be of different lengths. There is also a choice of turntable heights: 50 mm (weighing 4.5 kg) and 80 mm (7.5 kg).

Turntable Scheu Cello

The Scheu Cello is our introductory turntable.

It was developed with the aim of transferring as many of the virtues of the Premier as possible to a compact and attractive turntable with its own integrated drive unit. We build in the same high quality bearings as in the great Premier. In terms of sound, the Cello is a truly matured record player that has plenty of power and resolution.

The Cello is exclusively designed for 9-inch tone arms. The platter is 300 mm in diameter and 30 mm high and weighs about 2.5 kilograms. The dimensions of the shell are 425 by 330 mm. The turntable can also be fitted into very small spaces and is perfectly happy located on wall brackets.