Auris Audio Funky

Auris Audio Funky, a turntable with a carbon tonearm

Made in Serbia by a company best known for its tube headphone amplifiers, this turntable launches Auris Audio’s vinyl catalog without compromising on mechanics. Belt drive, aluminum platter, motor decoupled from the chassis, and a carbon tonearm borrowed from the rest of the range: the Funky lays solid foundations for a carefully assembled first analog system.

The entry-level model from a tube specialist

Auris Audio, a Serbian manufacturer founded in 2013, made its name with headphone amplifiers and tube electronics before expanding its production to vinyl turntables. The Funky opens this range, below the Blues that immediately follows it. The difference is first and foremost the platter: aluminum on the Funky, acrylic on the Blues. The rest of the design remains the same, starting with the T809 carbon tonearm, shared from the entry-level model through to significantly more expensive turntables in the catalog. Manufacturing is European, and three finishes are available: walnut, white ash, and Sparkle Fields, the latter featuring a dark background streaked with light lines.

An aluminum platter on a ceramic bearing

The aluminum platter measures 299 mm and features a dense surface that is unlikely to resonate. A damping mat covers it to limit vibrations traveling back toward the record. Underneath, the spindle rotates in a grooved bronze bearing resting on a ceramic ball, a pairing of materials chosen for smooth rotation and low wear. The belt wraps around the outer edge of the platter and connects it to the motor pulley.

The carbon T809 tonearm and its adjustments

The tonearm tube is made of carbon, a choice intended to combine rigidity and lightness. Its effective mass of 11 g places it among medium-mass tonearms, compatible with cartridges with medium compliance. Setup can be finely adjusted: 18 mm overhang, 24° offset angle, adjustable tracking force from 5 to 40 mN, or 0.5 to 4 g. It also includes anti-skating, an adjustable counterweight, a cueing lever and tonearm lock, as well as a headshell. The tonearm accepts cartridges weighing from 6 to 11 g, to be selected freely since the turntable is supplied without one.

Decoupled motor and belt-selected speeds

The DC motor is isolated from the chassis by rubber spacers that filter out some of the vibrations before they reach the turntable. Its speed remains stable regardless of mains voltage variations. Switching from 33.3 to 45 rpm is done manually by moving the belt one step on the pulley located beneath the platter: there is no electronic switch here, which means the platter must be lifted to change speed. The power supply is housed in an included external unit, kept away from the signal.

Damped chassis and level adjustment

The chassis uses a specific rubber compound that enhances overall stability and dampens vibrations. The feet are height-adjustable to level the plinth perfectly, an important point for speed stability and groove tracking. At the rear, the RCA audio output is paired with a ground screw for connecting the ground of a phono preamp, next to the power supply connector. An acrylic dust cover comes with the turntable to keep it protected from dust between listening sessions.

What to plan for before the first listen

Two items are missing from the box and should be anticipated. The turntable arrives without a cartridge: one must be fitted, while remaining within the tonearm’s weight and tracking-force range. It also comes without an RCA cable, and without a built-in phono preamp. Its output delivers a phono-level signal, to be connected either to the phono input of an amplifier or to a separate phono preamp, capable of handling a moving magnet cartridge or a moving coil cartridge depending on your choice.

Technical Specifications

Drive and motor

• Belt drive
• DC motor, decoupled from the chassis by rubber spacers that limit vibration transmission
• Stable speed, independent of mains voltage variations
• Two speeds: 33.3 and 45 rpm, manual change by moving the belt on the pulley beneath the platter
• Speed tolerance: ± 0.012% at 33.3 and 45 rpm

Platter and bearing

• Aluminium platter, ø 299 mm, with damping mat
• Bearing with bronze spindle and ceramic ball bearing

Auris T809 tonearm

• Carbon tonearm tube
• Effective mass: 11 g
• Overhang: 18 mm
• Offset angle: 24°
• Tracking force: 5 to 40 mN
• Cartridge compliance: 6 to 11 g
• Headshell with cueing lever
• Tonearm locking system
• Cueing lever
• Anti-skating adjustment
• Adjustable counterweight

Chassis and isolation

• Special rubber compound ensuring stability and vibration reduction
• Height-adjustable feet to level the chassis perfectly

Connectivity and power supply

• RCA line output with ground screw
• Socket for external power supply
• External power supply included

Dimensions and weight

• Dimensions: 445 × 360 × 120 mm
• Weight: 4.5 kg

Package contents

• Funky turntable
• Auris T809 tonearm
• Power supply