Vertere has announced a new and improved DG-1 S turntable – three years since the original DG-1 'Dynamic Groove' deck's launch. As the DG-1 is our current Award-winner ("a formidable combination of clever engineering, fine build and excellent sound" we said in the review), we're excited to see what Vertere has done with the upcoming DG-1 S.
You'd be fooled into thinking nothing much has changed at first glance – the attention-grabbing design with its distinctive plinth and unique flat tonearm remains. But Vertere has made plenty of adjustments throughout that promise significant gains in performance - greater detail, better dynamics, and more precise stereo separation.
Vertere's unconventional tonearm design was one of the DG-1's star attractions. The new Groove Runner S tonearm is now made of twin five-layered polymer laminates (the previous model was triple-layered and used aluminium alloy alongside polymer).
Unlike most tonearm's bearings, Vertere uses threads, and these have also been updated: the vertical Kevlar thread can now be adjusted for tension and azimuth, while the horizontal nylon thread is now fitted with greater precision to ensure even greater consistency.
Additionally, improvements to the platter bearing should deliver lower noise and less rotational variability. The new motor drive software and coupling between the three plinth layers have been tweaked to reduce noise and vibration.
We praised the original DG-1 for its sub-£3,000 pricing – as it was the first time Vertere had brought its high-end turntable design ethos to a more (relatively) affordable level.
However there's understandably been a price hike as cost of materials has risen. The Vertere DG-1 S turntable will cost £3,550 (€4148, $4995, AU$7000) when it's available in September 2022. Happily, this does include the Magneto cartridge fitted, keeping the deck's 'plug and play' set up intact.
We can't wait to give it a spin.
MORE:
Read our Vertere DG-1 turntable review
Here are all the best turntables you can buy
Tips on getting the best sound from your turntable
Vertere recently announced a new and improved Phono-1 MkII L phono stage
