Audio-Technica Hotaru: High-end turntable makes music float – and shine!
The First Turntable With a Club Feel for Your Living Room
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Audio-Technica Hotaru: High-end turntable makes music float - and shine! · Source: Audio-Technica
Hotaru from Audio-Technica is more than just a turntable – it combines high-quality audio technology with a staged light installation to create a multi-sensory experience that goes far beyond traditional music enjoyment. The Japanese manufacturer unveiled the model, which is limited to 1,000 units worldwide, at Milan Design Week 2025. The most striking feature is the magnetically levitating acrylic platter construction, which rests on an aluminum housing. This technology not only allows for a futuristic design, but also effectively decouples the cartridge from unwanted resonance. For $10,000, you can have this player in your living room.
Hotaru Glows Like a Firefly – And Sounds Like in a High-End Studio
The name Hotaru, Japanese for “firefly,” is emblematic of the luminous aura of this Audio-Technica device. A built-in lighting system with twenty different colors provides constant, beat-synced or softly flowing illumination, depending on the mode selected. The Link and Gradation modes, in particular, create a visual spectacle that combines with the music to create a unique atmosphere. The turntable uses a belt-driven subplatter system, which is hidden inside and driven by a DC servo motor. A special VM cartridge and a carbon tonearm provide the sonic foundation.
Technically, the system is much more than a design object. With an integrated speaker system consisting of two 63.5 mm full-range speakers and two tweeters, Hotaru produces an astonishingly wide frequency range from 60 to 20,000 hertz. One of its particular strengths is the combination of powerful bass, delicate mid-range and present treble that is usually only found in much larger systems. The statically balanced carbon tonearm construction contributes to this attention to detail, as does the specially adapted headshell. The result is not only a design statement, but a sonic one that lives up to Audio-Technica’s long history of analog expertise.
Floating music in color and form
Those interested in the Hotaru must register by May 30, 2025 at the latest, as this is the only way to acquire one of the limited edition pieces. The price will be just under $10,000. Deliveries will begin in October 2025. Whether you love the staging, appreciate the technical concept, or are looking for a collector’s item: Audio-Technica’s Hotaru is undoubtedly a product that adds a design touch to the music experience. The new turntable demonstrates how sound and light can work in perfect harmony – and that is what makes Hotaru so fascinating. By the way, we reported about this turntable in collaboration with Brian Eno some time ago.
Availability and Specifications
Audio-Technica Hotaru features a DC servo motor and concealed belt drive that powers the floating platter. The drive supports 33⅓ and 45 rpm. The carbon tonearm is statically balanced and carries a special VM stereo cartridge with matching headshell. Two integrated 2.5-inch speakers and two 0.75-inch tweeters make up the internal sound system. The frequency response is 60 Hz to 20 kHz with a sensitivity of 82 dB. Connections include a line out, a subwoofer out, and a power connector for the 12-volt power supply.
The price is $9,999 (plus tax). You can register for purchase on the manufacturer’s website now.
More information
- Product page from Audio-Technica
- More about Audio-Technica
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One response to “Audio-Technica Hotaru: High-end turntable makes music float – and shine!”
Most of the records I own are black, but is this meant specifically for clear records?