Bergmann Audio Galder Signature Turntable

Advantage Of Using Air Bearings

The platter is centered by a steel spindle running in a very frictionless, low noise and hard wearing polymeric bearing material, and also floats on a thin air cushion which lowers the mechanical bearing noise to an absolute minimum - if any. (A Traditional bearing solution which keeps the platter centered AND support the platter weight makes a higher level of mechanical bearing noise as the contact point between spindle top and platter generate a very high pressure - and hereby noise.)

By floating on an air cushion the platter also gains the advantage of a very good isolation from the surroundings, same way as the known - and very expensive - air supported shelf used in many high-end audio systems.

Plinth

Both the motorbase and the plinth are composed of a single, solid piece of die-cast aluminium that has been CNC-machined. Both have been painted with a black velvet finish.The plinth is securely tightened to a 10mm aluminum bottom plate which is standing on three adjustable feet.

The feet are made of ceramic balls and stainless steel. One larger ceramic ball at the bottom is supported by three smaller ceramic balls arranged in a triangle on top of each other. No matter the feet’ position, the three upper ceramic balls will always have perfect contact to the lower ceramic ball.

The motor base is standing on the aluminum bottom plate – but decoupled – and will always be aligned with the plinth, no matter the feet’ position.

The back panel is mounted on the back side of the plinth.. It consists of: Grounding, Air input, Vacuum input, output for the Odin Signature air-bearing tonearm, and air adjustment valves for the platter and tonearm.

Motorbase

The motorbase on Galder is equipped with a DC tacho motor. The platter will be kept at a very precise speed via communication between the tacho and the high precision motor control electronic. Bergmann Audio measured 0.0027% speed variation!

The power supply for the motor control electronic is build into in the air supply box to keep high voltage distant from the inter connects delicate signal transmission. Connection is by a 5 meter cable with M-12 connectors.

The air supply is remote controlled from the motorbase. By pressing either 33 or 45 rpm, first press the air supply goes “ON”, and second press the platter starts to spin. When turning “OFF” the selected speed, the air supply goes “OFF” automatically after 2 minutes. Very user friendly and convenient.

Air Supply

The air supply has been the object of Bergmann Audio's greatest attention. The goal is to design a silent air supply which could be placed in the listening room and deliver an even, clean and dry air flow. The pump is an oil free, long life unit which do not require much maintenance. 

The impulses from the pump are absorbed in an encapsulated reservoir. This results in an even airflow to the air bearing. The air supply is mounted with a filter, which prevents dust particles in entering the system. This filter is replaceable when necessary.

Vacuum Hold Down

A record can be flattened in a variety of methods, making sure that the record makes good contact with the record mat/platter. A clamp covering the record label will only keep the center of the record perfectly flattened. A metal ring on the outer etch will only keep the outer part of the record flattened. 

The only way to flatten the record completely is by obtaining a vacuum between the record and the mat/platter – vacuum hold down. The vacuum hold down invented by Bergmann Audio is the most user friendly system. The vacuum pump – which is in the air supply box – doesn’t need to be turned “OFF” when changing a record. 

The user simply removes the vacuum clamp that is covering the center spindle and the vacuum is released, and thus the record can easily be changed while the platter is still spinning. After changing the record, put back the vacuum clamp and the record is automatically flattened by the vacuum hold down system.

Strength In The Linear Tracking Air-bearing Tonearm

The linear tracking tonearm tracks the record as it is pressed = no tracking error. The benefit is a distortion-free and relaxed reproduction, even at complex passages.

One more important advantage of the air-bearing is the tonearm`s immunity to acoustic feedback, as it has no mechanical contact (the moving part) to the turntable. The only contact is through the stylus tip and the tonearm wire.

Timbre details and nuances is a natural part of the transparent and vivid acoustic image.

Galder-Odin Signature

With the Galder-Odin Signature, Bergmann Audio achieves even more depth and weight in the low frequencies. The transparency is dramatically improved and the full sound image has become even more vivid.

A pleasure for the ear – and the eye.