J. Sikora Initial Max Turntable

Like the J.Sikora flagship turntable, the Standard Max Black has been engineered from the ground up as a no-compromise design. Every element is optimised for maximum rigidity, minimal resonance, low vibration and exemplary rotational stability. Its multi-layer “sandwich” construction combines carefully tuned materials to control energy transfer and suppress unwanted noise.

Rotational stability is handled by an advanced motor control circuit housed in the lowest plinth, while two diametrically opposed motors further cancel any remaining irregularities. The Standard Max Black can accommodate two tonearm boards and is designed for broad compatibility with a wide range of tonearms.

Both the motors and the platter’s movement are completely silent in operation, something that even many far more expensive turntables fail to achieve and which is often audible from the listening position. Silent running should be standard at every price, but in practice it is not, and here it is a clear strength. Speed selection and fine adjustment for 33 and 45 rpm are managed via five buttons, with the current setting shown on a blue LED display, keeping operation simple and intuitive.