YUKISEIMITSU AP-01

The YukiSeimitsu AP-01 represents an extraordinary achievement in the design and engineering of analog audio. Introduced in 2022, this turntable is the latest product from Yuki Precision, a company with a long history of success in the manufacture of precision components since its founding in 1961. Over the decades, Yuki Precision has built a solid reputation in the aerospace, medical, and Swiss watchmaking sectors, producing high-precision components, including 60 parts for the prestigious Swiss watch brand Tourbillon.

What sets the YukiSeimitsu AP-01 apart from other turntables is its ability to combine meticulous craftsmanship, advanced engineering, and exceptional sound performance from the very beginning. The result is a product that showcases the company’s unique depth in manufacturing, craftsmanship, and acoustic properties.

The platter support system utilizes a special magnetic bearing, which stabilizes the platter only during rotation, ensuring minimal interference with the spindle. The precision of the materials used in its construction is of the highest level, with parts produced using the same machines that make components for Swiss watches and the aerospace industry.

The turntable's tonearm, designed by Nagamatsu and his colleague Tobimaru Takata, represents a departure from traditional designs. After years of experimentation with different materials and geometries, the team opted for a straight tonearm without curvature. This design offers several advantages, including greater ease of balancing based on the arm’s length and material. Stainless steel was chosen for its optimal damping properties, promising excellent balance, stability, and low resonance. The tonearm is particularly suited for low and medium compliance cartridges, such as AIR TIGHT, KOETSU, and PHASEMATION. Additionally, a second tonearm can be mounted on request for further customization.

The platter design follows a unique approach, favoring lightweight components with low mass. Instead of completely damping vibrations, the turntable dissipates them efficiently. The 4 kg platter is treated with a special coating, applied by only two companies in Japan, that instantly dissipates static charges without negatively affecting the stylus tracking process. This treatment provides an immediate improvement both audibly and tactically.

A DC motor, powered by a specially designed PLL power supply, reliably drives the motor pulley. Another idler pulley helps evenly distribute tension across the Kevlar drive belt, which has proven to be particularly responsive and precise after years of experimentation. Fast energy transfer and its dissipation are key aspects of the design.

Specific components, including the turntable frame, platter, and tonearm, are separated by rubber elements at defined points to further reduce vibrations. The turntable frame is primarily an open structure, with only a few closed sections, designed to prevent unwanted energy or vibrations from being stored. This open-frame construction follows the principle that form follows function, ensuring that the turntable remains as inert as possible during playback.

Technical Specifications:

• Drive System: Non-elastic Kevlar drive belt
• Motor: DC brushless motor (encoder feedback)
• Speed: 33 1/3 rpm, 45 rpm, 78 rpm
• Platter Bearing: Magnetic bearing (non-contact radial magnetic repulsion)
• Platter: Aluminum, diameter 310 mm, height 20 mm, weight 4.0 kg
• Tonearm Type: Static balance – Straight tonearm without curvature
• Length: 240 mm
• Overhang: -15 mm
• Adjustable Tonearm Height: 0-10 mm “on the fly”
• Output Terminal: RCA terminal
• Power Supply: AC100-240V 50/60Hz
• Motor Control: PLL
• Dimensions: L560 x H213 x D352 mm (including feet and housing)
• Weight: 29.5 kg