This article was taken from the May 2012 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
Record players, meet rocket science: "I applied the same methods of design and engineering analysis that I would use in the development of a spacecraft or an aircraft," says Aleks Bakman, 57-year-old designer of the One Degree of Freedom (Onedof) Turntable.
The Nasa-medallion-winning aerospace engineer originally envisaged the turntable as a scientific instrument to read analogue data, but realised he could make a music player that "would match the quality of the musical instruments used to perform music". The Onedof's platter allows only one degree of freedom, around the vertical axis. A film of oil -- rather than the usual spring - suspends the bearing, eliminating unwanted resonance and distortions, and the drive equalises noise from the motor in the same way that noise-cancelling headphones work.
At $150,000 (£100,000) plus shipping, the turntable is marginally less expensive than actually going to space (cost of a Virgin Galactic ticket: $200,000). But it's still cheaper than Bakman's usual going rate: "The 2005 flight to Mars cost American taxpayers $720 million -- I helped to develop the rocket, launch tower and spacecraft... I do not expect a profit from the sales of the Onedof. I built it in order to make a statement: this is what I can do."
We'll take two and a mixing desk, thanks.
Specs from space: -- The parts come from Colorado factory used by Lockheed Martin Space Systems
-- A processor cancels distortion and locks the motos to the desired speed
-- A self-centring liquid bearing permits only steady rotation and doubles as suspension
-- There is enough space from four towers, holding four tone-arms of any type
-- Part of the rotating mass is thick liquid suspension, to deaden the platter
-- The clamping ring and knob are centred and dampened by polymer rings
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
