Soulines tt9 turntable & KiVi M3 unipivot tonearm
Serbian audio brand Soulines’ new tt9 turntable and KiVi M3 unipivot tonearm are now available to vinyl lovers in the UK seeking affordable high-end performance, thanks to a new distribution agreement with Sound Fowndations.
Launched in the second half of 2024, Soulines’ tt9 turntable and KiVi M3 tonearm combine rigorous engineering and build quality, ease of use, elegant design and superb sonic performance – all at a surprisingly accessible price point.
And, thanks to a new agreement with distributor Sound Fowndations, the full Soulines range is now available for the first time from retailers across the UK.
Sound Fowndations’ Chris Green said, “In today’s marketplace, our customers are as keen as ever to seek out excellent engineering, smart design and superb sound quality. However, many are also now prioritising value for money. For me, Soulines offers a winning combination of all of these attributes.”
The Soulines approach
Each of Soulines’ unique designs is underpinned by considerable engineering know-how and an impressive investment in attention to detail on the part of creator Igor Gligorov, whose credentials span all of the key audio angles: trained mechanical engineer, Conservatory-level musician and experienced sound engineer.
Three key principles drive the brand’s approach: all products are crafted to reproduce the music as faithfully as possible; all must be easy to use and install, and every design should be aesthetically stylish.
“At Soulines, we approach the creation of turntables in the same way as a luthier,” explains Gligorov, referring to the holistic design philosophy that underpins the craft of making high quality musical instruments. “There’s little point in favouring the individual components’ attributes – such as the mass of the platter or plinth – in isolation. Instead, we consider every part and its interaction with every other part to be of equal importance. Each design therefore seeks to be a perfect balance based on ‘good compromises’, so that everything works perfectly together as one musical whole.”
To ensure that this balance is optimally achieved in every single model, each of the key parts in a Soulines turntable, including the platter, main bearing and spindle, are manufactured individually to fit together rather than being produced in batches, and all aluminum parts are precision CNC-machined from solid blocks. Every component part is carefully examined before final assembly, and each product is hand-finished with high precision. Finally, every turntable is rigorously tested before packaging and shipping.
Throughout the design process, Gligorov is militant about vibration control, which he tackles in a way that is both art and science. Materials, shapes, thicknesses, geometries and drillings are all calculated according to the Fibonacci Sequence and its correlation with the Golden Ratio, in order to achieve uniform vibration damping and the reduction of the moment of inertia across all three planes.
The new tt9 turntable
Soulines’ new tt9 turntable draws on many of the advanced design principles already found in the brand’s top models, the tt42 (forthcoming in the UK) and Kubrick DCX (available now and recently upgraded).
Its construction is compact and lightweight yet highly rigid, with particular attention given to the elimination of sound-damaging resonance. Unwanted vibrations are effectively channelled out of the main assembly using the techniques and ratios described above to optimise the dimensions and shape of the plinth and sub-plinth elements.
The tt9 features an inverted main bearing with a stainless steel top outer cup, brass spindle sleeve and stainless steel spindle, all machined to the highest accuracy and with a Delrin thrust plate. The sub-platter is also machined from Delrin and is rigidly secured to the main bearing.
The platter, which is 30mm thick and weighs 2.5kg, is precisely machined from cast acrylic and, together with the advanced main bearing, it ensures smooth rotation and rumble- and noise-free performance. It has a 1mm-deep recess carved on the top for the vinyl record’s label, allowing the record to lie completely flat. Additionally, a bespoke record clamp is included with the tt9 to further enhance stability and damping.
The main bearing and solid aluminium armboard are mounted directly onto the machined aluminium sub-plinth, which in turn is three-point coupled (by means of rubber-cork washers of varying thicknesses and diameters) to the main plinth, the latter being made from cast acrylic and Delrin. The motor assembly, also machined from Delrin, is rigidly mounted onto the main plinth.
The drive mechanism utilizes a high-quality DC motor optimized for turntable use. Along with an easy operation and fine speed adjustment feature, an electronically controlled power supply provides a stable current for smooth motor rotation.
The turntable is supported by three adjustable cones machined from Delrin (POM) to allow easy levelling, as well as optimum transmission of unwanted energy into the surface it rests upon. Supporting cones are coupled to the main plinth by means of rubber-cork washers of different thicknesses and diameters for enhanced vibration control. Set-up is reassuringly intuitive and straightforward, with no need for any special tools or experience.
KiVi M3 unipivot tonearm
The Soulines KiVi M3 is a tonearm designed to minimise resonance and maximise sonic accuracy. Key features and design principles include:
Mass distribution principle: The tonearm’s design emphasizes proper mass distribution to minimize unwanted vibrations and resonances that can degrade sound quality, resulting in a cleaner, more accurate sound.
One-piece construction: The bearing yoke and arm tube are integrated into a single piece, further enhancing rigidity and reducing potential resonances.
Captive unipivot bearing: Combining the sonic benefits of a unipivot with the stability of a rigid bearing, this design ensures smooth and precise tracking of the record groove, minimizing distortion and maximizing detail retrieval.
Versatility: A carefully designed counterweight system ensures that the KiVi M3 can effectively accommodate a wide range of cartridge weights, from light to heavy, making it suitable for a variety of system set-ups.
Neutral sound: The Kivi M3 is designed to minimize its own sonic signature and deliver instead a neutral sonic character, allowing your chosen cartridge to express its full sonic potential without colouration.
Complementary accessories crafted by Soulines to further enhance the sonic performance of your system include:
BBS feet: The ultimate vibration control devices, featuring a multi-layered construction incorporating ball bearings to effectively de-couple equipment from the supporting surface. Designed for use with turntables, electronics and loudspeakers.
U-Base isolation platform: Manufactured from aluminium and stainless steel and designed to control unwanted vibrations for turntables and other audio equipment.
The Soulines range is available now, priced as follows (all prices include VAT):
TT9 turntable with KiVi M3 tonearm includes acrylic dust cover and locking POM record clamp £3,990
KiVi M3 unipivot tonearm £2,090
Kubrick DCX turntable with KiVi M3 tonearm includes acrylic dust cover and locking POM record clamp £6,490
BBS feet £1,150 (set of 4) £890 (set of 3)
U-Base isolation platform £1,290