TechDAS Air Force IV Features Separate Motor & One-Piece Platter

Featuring the brand's pneumatic technology, the Air Force IV turntable was demonstrated to show-goers at the final Munich High End Show.

Equipped with an Air Force 10 air bearing tonearm at the show, the Air Force IV turntable is a step up from the Air Force V Premium unveiled five years ago.

The Air Force IV turntable employs a heavy-weight one-piece platter machined from solid A5056 alloy, whereas the Air Force V Premium, in comparison, uses a dual platter system. TechDAS tells us that this results in the IV having an overall improvement in sound quality, such as "an extended frequency range and noticeably enhanced dynamics."

As expected with an Air Force turntable, the new model sports the TechDAS air-bearing system that isolates the 9kg rotating platter, gifting the turntable an "extraordinarily low noise floor." The top of the platter is treated with a special thin pad made of a damping and antistatic material to protect records, while the tapered spindle absorbs any swaying of an o%-center LP, according to the brand. Wow and Flutter is listed as below 0.03%.

The Air Force IV has a relatively compact footprint at 168x420.5x368mm (HxWxD) and is not much larger than the diminutive V, which measures 168x312x368mm. However, the newcomer stores its low vibration, 2-phase, 4-pole AC synchronous motor in a separate 160x350x270, 9kg chassis for isolation, improving the unit's signal-to-noise ratio. The 4mm wide surface-polished polyester fibre drive belt is the same as used for the models further up the ladder.

The Air Force IV's 21.5kg one-piece A5052 aluminium alloy chassis sits on four suspension feet incorporating "specialised damping materials" as used for the Air Force III Premium S and promises to block external vibrations.

Despite its compact body, the Air Force IV can accommodate up to three tonearms using an additional tonearm base. The bases used for the other two positions are the same as those used on the Air Force V / Premium and Air Force III models.

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