“Analogue Sound, Digital Technology”. These words define the Zephyr Apollo turntable, a belt-drive turntable with a linear tracking tonearm, touchscreen control, and the ability to skip tracks and the chance to use a smartphone as a Bluetooth remote via an app.

Behind this record player, currently crowdfunding via Kickstarter, are the owners of Vinylicious Records (a record shop in Singapore).

The Zephyr Apollo is also the first turntable on the market to provide a fully digital and programmable vinyl experience with three modes of playback: Automatic, Create-Your-Own-Playlist and Manual. All three choices can be made through an LCD touchscreen.

1.- Automatic Playback: Your record will play all your tracks from start to finish sequentially. At the end, the tonearm returns to the starting point and the system turns off automatically.

2.- Create Your Own Playlist: The linear tracking sensor arm scans the record and displays the number of tracks on the LCD touchscreen. You select the tracks and the order you want to play them in. The tonearm automatically returns to the starting point and the system turns off. Additional features include Pause, Skip to Next Track, Skip to Previous Track, and Repeat.

3.- Manual Mode: Control the tonearm left, right, up or down anywhere along the record and play.

Bluetooth Remote Control

Imagine controlling your record player from the comfort of your lounge chair. All at the touch of a button on your Android or iPhone.

The Vinylicious team believes the next step is controlling the Zephyr Apollo via a Smartphone app.

“Given the worldwide ubiquity of Smartphones and the opportunities it presents, we have already begun looking into in-built bluetooth capabilities for remote control of the Zephyr Apollo.

However, given the high costs of app development, we are only able to provide bluetooth remote control via an android or iPhone app if we manage to hit a secondary goal of $150,000. So tell your friends about us!”

Features of Zephyr Apollo Turntable:

-Tangential tonearm for optimum sound quality throughout and entire play of the vinyl record.

-The revolving platter will be constructed of industrial grade plastic that will withstand higher heat and wear resistance instead of the traditional brass bush bearing.

-Dual voltage of the motor will eliminate the inconvenience of a separate step up/down transformer for different countries (110V/240V). A 12V power supply is sufficient to operate the turntable.

-Touch screen control aims to eliminate the wear and tear of buttons and knobs from repeated use and thus causing less sensitive connect points in the circuitry contact points.

-Optical scanner arm to auto detect tracks for track selection, starting of play, ending of play. This will enable the various function to operate on touch screen.

The project needs 42.794€ of funding by 1st August to become a reality. The campaign has raised just under 6.000€ so far with 22 days left to go.

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