Turntable Kuzma Stabi SD 12 PS

AUTHOR MIROSLAV MAGLEN
FOTO KUZMA

One day three boxes came to us. We were a bit worried that Bambuľka would be in them and that she would have to be gradually taught how to set up the hi-fi equipment. But fortunately there was a new Kuzma turntable and in the other two there were hangers, also from this Slovenian manufacturer. The Stabi SD 12 PS is a special version of the Stabi S turntable, but it can be fitted with up to two 12-inch hangers.

The gramec was disassembled so it wouldn't be damaged in transit, so it had to be assembled and all the necessary attributes had to be set. It takes some molding, templates, and scales and so when you buy it, I definitely recommend using those services from the dealer. The turntable base consists of two polished brass cylinders, which are turned and milled to the required shape and to have precise holes for the platter and hangers. The high weight of the individual cylinders told me that this is an extended version. According to the instructions, I screwed them into the shape of a T. The rubber rings around the perimeters were already installed by the manufacturer and form the anti-vibration "feet" on which the device stands. Speaking of vibration, brass itself, with its weight and density, is an excellent damping material, with properties similar to bronze, which is also used by many other manufacturers, at least in part, by inserting various cylinders and bronze components.

I then removed the aluminum subtanner and lubricated the brush with the included petroleum jelly. The bearing is made of highly polished fine-grain carbon steel with single-point contact, while the bearing housing is made of resin and textile material, which has excellent damping and anti-vibration properties. I then prepared the engine housed in a heavy bronze cylinder and connected it with a rubber strap to the subtanier. It is better to do this operation before inserting the plate, because the whole gear is located in the lower cutout of the plate. The plate is made of aluminium with a black matt finish, in which there is an anti-vibration pad and a rubber cushioning pad underneath.

The attachment of the hangers is designed elegantly into additional brass rollers, which are fixed with worm screws in the axis of the large rollers. The arm holes are offset, and when we rotate the rollers, the distance of the arm from the center of the plate changes. This is exactly what we need in a detailed setup.

I adjusted the arm of the Kuzma Stogi S 12 in this way and also the distance of the arm from the platter with the help of worm screws and an Allen screw so that the arm was in a horizontal position during playback. With the Kuzma Stogi S 12 VTA it is much easier, as it has a so-called VTA tower, used by Kuzma in their best hangers. The trick is that it's so simple that we can adjust the VTA (vertical tracking angle) even during playback. This is all done without changing the attachment strength, it stays still with zero clearance. The setting accuracy is 0.01 mm and can be repeated and changed as required. For example, when we have a thicker plate and we want to be really detailed, all we have to do is turn the top of this tower to one side or the other and the arm will either go up or down.

The other structural elements of both arms are identical. So let's go through them in order. The arm system is unipivot, meaning that the arm is anchored to the base at one point. The transmission is mounted in a solid square head (headshell), which is made of a solid aluminium block. Other components are also turned or milled from blocks of aluminium or brass. The bearing point is positioned as high as possible to improve the guidance of the needle in the groove. Its silicone damping dampens resonance and ensures azimuth stability.

Azimuth is set quite simply by screwing the worm screw inside the counterweight sideways. Simple and elegant, it actually only changes the centre of gravity of the counterweight, which tilts the arm so that the needle hits exactly perpendicular to the groove. This setting does not affect other, previously made settings. The counterweights are made of brass and we can put two or even three, depending on the weight of the transmission.

Antiskating is solved by a silon line through a pulley on a weight. Installation of the transmission and other adjustments went relatively quickly. An important piece of information for me was that the cables from the transmission go directly, without interruption, to the cinch connectors. Symmetrical wiring with XLR connectors can be made to order.

The external motor adapter has electronics built into it to control the speed. And so we can change the revolutions 33 and 45 with the button on it, even with the + buttons we can gently accelerate or decelerate the revolutions. These are then shown to us on the display.

Kuzma Stabi SD 12 PS
Weight:13 kg
Plate weight: 4.3 kg (from 2018 onwards a thicker plate is available - 30 mm)
Plate material: aluminium
Bearing type: pointed shaft with resin/textile material
Shaft diameter: 10 mm
Drive: flat rubber belt
Chassis: brass
Engine: 1 pc AC
External power supply: optional
Speed: 33,45 rpm
VTA adjustment: yes
Dimensions: 400 x 300 x 170 mm
Surface finish: brass or black (according to RAL finisih order)
Accessories: brass clamp (370 g), support platforms for other arms

Sound

Since I had the opportunity, I tested three transfers on it, and I also switched the transfers to another gramec. Yes, it was a lot of adjusting, but for the sake of better objectivity it was worth it.

To start with, I mounted the EAT Jo No8, which I had listened to before on other turntables, to see what the chassis itself could do. I dropped the first plate I had handy onto the spinning plate and let the needle drop into the groove. After the first track I had to say that excellent spatiality was immediately apparent and no details were glossed over. Gramec nicely highlighted the deep bass foundation of this transmission. Then the testing merry-go-round started. After a while it turned out that this combination also suited the older recordings, which were not so audiophile refined. Led Zeppelin is exactly my cup of coffee, so I ran through the whole side even with Whole Lotta Love at the beginning. The vocals sounded very present, the guitar wailing, as it should be.

The harder nut to crack is the large choir with organ. Requiem and Jonh Rutter from Reference Recordings confirmed that nothing really blends, each note was very well separated. I was amazed how such a seemingly subtle gramophone can transfer microdetails with peace of mind. I'm usually used to this kind of presentation on machines with much thicker, more massive plates. Even the jazz sound suited this line-up. Jacintha provided just the musical experience I was expecting. A breathtaking singer's voice with a great natural piano, trumpet, double bass and drums... What more is needed? All this to make it all swing, that is - as they say - to have a vibe.

Components on which to listen
Transmissions: Kuzma CAR 20, Kuzma CAR 40, EAT JoNo8
Phono preamps: EAT E-GLO, Homemade MC point to point with 4 EAT tubes
Preamplifier: Ayre K-1
Koncák: Ayre V-1
Speakers: Avalon Eidolon
Cables: Nirvana (Repro), Nirvana XLR and CINCH
Turntables for comparison: Garrard 401 + SME IV, EAT E-FLAT

CAR 20 a CAR 40

I had at my disposal two transmissions from Kuzma and so, of course, I tried them out. Both play very detailed, clear and airy. CAR 20 had the least bulky bass of all. This doesn't mean that the double bass or other sonically similar instruments have completely moved out of the recording, just perhaps as if they have retreated a step into the next row. The subtle details of Jacinta's voice stood out more. So, whoever is looking for microclicks and is obsessed with studying a singer's vocal cords, I think they will be satisfied with this transfer as well. I put the Requiem on again. As I said before, it was confirmed here that some of the lower bass volume has receded, but it has given way to detail. This was most noticeable in the sound of the organ and the lower registers, where many vibrations were revealed that had previously been enveloped by other sounds. The CAR40 was sonically fuller and a hair more detailed, which is hardly understandable anymore. The sound was not lacking in pomposity and a great scene. This was confirmed when I played the full symphony orchestra again.

In all three transmissions, a very detailed and spacious sound was a distinctive attribute. It can therefore be attributed to the turntable and the arms mounted on it. If I were to describe it metaphorically, I could call this sound crystal clear and full of joy.

Conclusion

A very serious turntable with tight details, both aesthetic and musical. Its sound is characterized by a balance of all bands and good neutrality, but not in the sense that it has a dry uninspiring sound, but rather that it lets all the sonic qualities of the transmission fully manifest.

KLADY

• small practical size
• deep, wide sound space
• precise micro-details

Kuzma Stogi S 12
Effective length: 304.8 mm
Shoulder mounting distance: 291 mm
Distance from spindle to horizontal bearing: 291 mm
Bearing type: unipivot
Effective weight: 12 g
Total weight: 810 g
Shift angle: 17.85*
VTA adjustment: yes
Azimuth adjustment: yes
Tube: straight
Bias: yes
Max. standard weight of the transmission: 15 g
Light and heavy counterweight - optional: yes
Damping: yes
Removable headshell: no
Standard cables: copper, RCA connectors (66 pF)
Options: XLR, 5 pin
www.dreamaudio.eu

Kuzma Stogi S 12 VTA
Effective length: 304, 8 mm
Shoulder mounting distance: 212 mm
Distance from spindle to horizontal bearing: 291 mm
Bearing type: unipivot
Effective weight: 12 g
Total weight: 1 750 g
Shift angle: 17.8*
Modification of VTA: VTA tower
Azimuth adjustment: yes
Tube: straight
Bias: yes
Max. standard weight of the transmission: 15 g
Light and heavy counterweight - optional: yes
Damping: yes
Removable headshell: no
Standard cables: copper, RCA connectors (66 pF)
Options: XLR, 5 pin
www.dreamaudio.eu