MINIOT, the maker of the radical (at the time, anyway) tonearm-less turntable known as the Wheel, didn’t just survive the cutthroat vinyl turntable scene—it’s now on its third generation. Unlike the Wheel 2, which took a leisurely six years to materialize, the new Wheel 3 only took two. Progress!
Of course, the MINIOT Wheel 3 didn’t happen overnight. Back in 2022, the team set out to build the ultimate Wheel turntable. Fast forward to May 2025, and they’re finally ready to let you in on the finest Wheel they’ve ever made.
Billed as the definitive record player, the Wheel 3 could easily be the Bang & Olufsen of the turntable world—at least in terms of looks. Instead of the usual magnets and coils, this revolutionary (and frankly, very cool) turntable uses an optical stylus to deliver “the purest analog audio” using light. Yep, it’s basically a lightsaber for your records. Don’t worry. It will not slice up your precious records.
Despite its compact size, the Wheel 3 packs a bespoke, high-end preamp tuned specifically for the optical stylus, resulting in what MINIOT calls “exceptional sonic clarity.” Powering the whole thing is an in-house axial flux direct-drive motor with optically controlled speed. Fancy.
Technically, the Wheel isn’t truly tonearm-less. It has one, just not in the traditional sense. Speaking of which, it has a redesigned linear tonearm lurking beneath the record. This tonearm boasts precision geometry and whisper-quiet operation. All these tech seamlessly integrated to result in a super clean design that makes your vinyl look like it’s floating. So, yeah, music enjoyment can appear quite magical too.
But that kind of magic doesn’t come cheap. The MINIOT Wheel 3 will set you back €2,900 (US$3,363). If you’re ready to spin in style, you can pre-order now from miniot.com. Deliveries are set for June 2025.
Images: MINIOT.
Story via The Verge.