Hotaru 黑膠唱片機 by Audio-Technica Corporation

Hotaru 黑膠唱片機 by Audio-Technica Corporation is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award 白金獎 in 音響產品設計 Competition Category.

白金音響產品· 2025

Hotaru 黑膠唱片機

by Audio-Technica Corporation

Client: Audio-Technica

A' Design Award 白金獎 Winner in 音響產品 Category

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Verified Award Winner
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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Hotaru 黑膠唱片機

呢部精美嘅唱片機將徹底改變你嘅空間。佢嘅浮動式唱盤將聲音同燈光完美融合，營造出沉浸式嘅感官體驗。簡約嘅唱頭同唱臂呈現純淨音質同視覺美感，而隱藏式皮帶副盤驅動系統則有效減少震動，確保聲音嘅清晰純淨。採用優質壓克力、鋁材同黃銅製造，呢個系統唔單止提供卓越嘅音質，更成為任何空間入面引人注目嘅焦點擺設。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 白金獎

Hotaru 黑膠唱片機是 A' Design Award 白金獎得主，這是授予真正卓越、優雅和宏偉設計的極具聲望的認可。白金獎得主是創造的奇蹟，是智力創造力極限的見證，展現出其設計師無與倫比的專業精神和天才。這些設計被期待成為定義一個時代的美學、造福社會、並拓展藝術、科學、設計和技術界限的最負盛名的作品。Hotaru 黑膠唱片機展現出超凡脫俗的卓越水準，以其有益而寶貴的特質毫無疑問地讓世界變得更美好。Hotaru 黑膠唱片機是一件贏得 A' Design Award 白金獎的作品，它喚起慾望，啟發人心，令人愉悅，並迸發出巨大的喜悅。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This strikingly designed turntable features a floating platter that seamlessly integrates into any space, creating an atmosphere of harmony and depth. Its innovative design fuses sound and light for a captivating sensory experience. The minimalist cartridge and tonearm, paired with a concealed belt sub-platter drive, ensure both sonic clarity and visual elegance. Crafted from premium materials like acrylic, aluminum, and brass, the system delivers an unparalleled audio experience.
Dimensions & Packaging: 430mm x 430mm 235mm
Tags: analog, floating, turntable, record player, vinyl, music
Production Technology: The floating turntable, achieved through powerful magnetic repulsion, eliminates unwanted vibrations, unlocking the full potential of the cartridge. It also seamlessly blends function and aesthetics with a minimalist VM cartridge and carbon tonearm. Precision-crafted acrylic, a high-quality aluminum case with integrated speakers, and solid brass feet create a refined aesthetic. The meticulously engineered structure produces a depth and richness of sound that defies its compact size.
Design Challenge: The challenge was to make sure that the magnets used in the floating structure didn't affect the cartridge. This was especially important for cartridges, which contain strong magnets. If any magnetic energy leaked from the floating structure, it could directly lead to an unusual tracking force and sensitivity to movement. By using tools that analyze magnetic flux in product development and adding the right shielding materials to the case, we solved this problem.
Research: Speaker-integrated turntables typically use rubber or springs for vibration damping. But this time we considered a method of suppressing vibration by using magnetic repulsion to float the turntable from the speaker. Through repeated prototyping and signal analysis, we realized to achieve effects greater than existing structures. Generally, vibration suppression structures are internal mechanisms, but through these studies, we succeeded in sublimating this mechanism into an external design.
Inspiration: We envisioned a musical experience that transcends the ordinary. We believe that the moment of listening to an analog record holds the potential for more than just sound - it can be a captivating spectacle. With its floating analog record and ethereal glow, HOTARU is designed to stimulate the senses and create an immersive world where every moment becomes a cherished memory. This is our vision - to elevate the act of listening to an unforgettable sensory experience.
Project Duration: The project started in December 2022 in Japan and will be exhibited in Milan Design Week in April 2025.
Operation Flow: It is operated using three knobs.
The left knob selects the lighting mode, type, and brightness.
The center knob selects the turntable speed.
The right knob controls the speaker volume.
Team Members: Yuma Murakami
Yosuke Koizumi
Tomohiro Shiraga
Image Credits: Audio-Technica Corporation