Audio T Verdict
The Audio Note TT-Three combines three synchronised motors with a lightweight Lexan platter, external rim belt and three-point suspended sub-chassis.
Its high-torque, low-platter-mass approach differs from turntables that rely on a heavy platter to maintain rotational stability.
The TT-Three requires careful configuration and installation. A compatible Audio Note 9-inch tonearm, cartridge, phono stage and one of the available TT-Three power supplies must all be considered as part of the complete system.
Audio Note TT-Three Three-Motor Suspended Turntable
The Audio Note TT-Three is a suspended belt-drive turntable using three motors positioned around a lightweight Lexan platter.
The motors drive the outside edge of the platter through a rubber belt and are synchronised by the selected external power supply.
Its suspension is centred around the main bearing and balanced according to the combined mass of the fitted tonearm and cartridge.
This Is Not a Complete Ready-to-Play Turntable Package
The TT-Three requires a compatible external Audio Note power supply, 9-inch Audio Note `/II` tonearm, cartridge and phono stage.
The current Audio T listing does not state which power supply, tonearm or cartridge is included in the quoted configuration.
Confirm the complete package and price before ordering rather than assuming that the displayed product includes every required component.
What Is Required to Complete the TT-Three?
Turntable Components
- TT-Three turntable chassis and platter
- Compatible TT-Three external power supply
- Audio Note 9-inch `/II` tonearm
- Compatible moving-magnet or moving-coil cartridge
- Correct cartridge mounting hardware
- Suitable equipment support
System Components
- Moving-magnet or moving-coil phono stage
- Step-up transformer for a suitable low-output MC cartridge
- Amplifier and loudspeakers
- Correctly routed tonearm cable
- Grounding connection where required
- Professional setup and suspension adjustment
Three-Motor Drive System
Three motors are positioned around the platter to provide the torque required to bring the lightweight platter up to speed and maintain stable rotation.
The motors are controlled together rather than operating as three unrelated drive sources.
The selected TT-Three power supply generates and controls the signal used to synchronise the motors.
High Torque Without a High-Mass Platter
Many turntables use a heavy platter to create rotational inertia. The TT-Three takes a different approach by concentrating mass and torque within the motor system while keeping the platter relatively light.
Audio Note's intention is to provide strong rotational drive without storing unnecessary mechanical energy within a high-mass platter.
The lightweight platter can respond to the motor system without relying on a large rotating mass to maintain speed.
Lightweight Lexan Platter
The platter is manufactured from Lexan, a polycarbonate material selected for its combination of low mass and mechanical behaviour.
Audio Note uses the material to minimise reflected and stored resonance energy at the record-support interface.
The platter should be handled carefully and cleaned only with products suitable for polycarbonate surfaces.
External Rim Belt
A rubber belt runs around the outside edge of the platter rather than driving a small inner sub-platter.
The outer drive position allows the motors to apply force at a larger effective radius.
The belt must be correctly positioned, free from contamination and in good condition for stable operation.
Three-Point Suspended Design
The TT-Three uses a three-point suspended sub-chassis centred around the main bearing.
The bearing position is also the central point of the three-motor drive arrangement.
Aligning the suspension and drive system around the same centre reduces the tendency for the platter assembly to move between different mechanical centres.
Three-Arm Sub-Chassis
The suspended sub-chassis has three structural arms extending from the bearing area.
One arm carries the tonearm in the standard right-hand position. The other two carry balancing masses equivalent to the combined tonearm and cartridge mass.
This arrangement is designed to load the three suspension points evenly.
Suspension Balancing
Changing the tonearm, cartridge, counterweight or mounting hardware alters the mass carried by the tonearm side of the suspension.
The balancing weights and suspension must therefore be set for the exact arm and cartridge combination fitted to the turntable.
A cartridge change may require more than simply adjusting tracking force and alignment. The overall suspension balance should also be checked.
Professional Installation Is Recommended
Correct setup includes levelling the support, adjusting the suspension, balancing the sub-chassis, installing the belt and aligning the tonearm and cartridge.
Audio T can arrange initial setup and advise whether the suspension should be checked again after the turntable has settled in its final position.
Designed for Audio Note 9-Inch Tonearms
The TT-Three is supplied with an arm board cut specifically for Audio Note's 9-inch `/II` tonearms.
Audio Note does not currently offer alternative arm boards for unrelated tonearm mounting patterns.
The
Audio Note Arm Three/II
provides one compatible tonearm option.
Does the TT-Three Include a Tonearm?
The manufacturer states that the arm board is prepared for its `/II` 9-inch tonearms, but this does not mean that a tonearm is automatically included with every TT-Three order.
The selected arm, internal cable specification and installation cost should be identified separately on the quotation.
Do not order an unrelated tonearm on the assumption that a replacement arm board will be available.
Choosing a Cartridge
Cartridge selection should take account of the selected tonearm, required tracking force, compliance, output level and the available phono stage.
The
Audio Note IQ III moving-magnet cartridge
can connect to a compatible 47kO moving-magnet phono input.
The
Audio Note IO I
is a low-output, low-impedance moving-coil cartridge requiring a correctly matched step-up transformer and moving-magnet phono stage.
Using a Moving-Magnet Cartridge
A moving-magnet cartridge normally connects to a compatible moving-magnet phono input.
The input resistance and capacitance should be checked against the cartridge manufacturer's recommendation.
The cartridge signal must not be connected to a conventional CD, AUX or other line-level input without a phono stage.
Using a Moving-Coil Cartridge
A suitable high-output moving-coil cartridge may be compatible with a moving-magnet input, depending on its output and loading requirements.
A low-output moving-coil cartridge normally requires an active MC phono stage or a correctly matched step-up transformer feeding a moving-magnet stage.
The
Audio Note AN-S5/L
is intended for very low-impedance cartridges, but the transformer version must be selected according to the cartridge's internal impedance.
The TT-Three Requires an External Power Supply
The three motors do not connect directly to the mains without a compatible TT-Three power supply.
Audio Note currently offers PSU1, PSU2 and PSU3 configurations for the standard TT-Three.
The power supply should be treated as an essential part of the turntable rather than an optional accessory that can be omitted.
Confirm the Power Supply Included in the Price
The Audio T page does not currently identify whether the listed turntable includes PSU1, PSU2, PSU3 or no power supply.
The selected PSU and its fascia finish should be shown clearly in the product options or confirmed on the quotation.
TT-Three PSU1
PSU1 is the entry point in the current TT-Three power-supply range.
It uses 0.5-watt Audio Note tantalum resistors and Audio Note electrolytic capacitors.
Its control modules and output stages are designed and modelled in-house by Audio Note.
TT-Three PSU2
PSU2 builds on PSU1 with improved local regulation for the signal generator.
It also introduces changes to the clock line and output stage.
PSU2 should be treated as a separate build choice rather than a setting that can be enabled within PSU1.
TT-Three PSU3
PSU3 uses a specifically designed analogue computer, individual analogue oscillators and a fully discrete circuit from input to output.
Its discrete output stage is designed to provide a different level of control over motor damping and energy transfer.
The PSU3 architecture is materially different from PSU1 and PSU2 and should be specified at the quotation stage.
PSU1
- Entry TT-Three power supply
- 0.5-watt tantalum resistors
- Audio Note electrolytic capacitors
- In-house control modules
- In-house designed output stage
PSU2 and PSU3
- PSU2 adds improved local regulation
- PSU2 revises the clock line and output stage
- PSU3 uses analogue oscillators
- PSU3 uses a fully discrete circuit
- PSU3 has a discrete motor-output stage
Speed Selection
The selected external power supply controls motor operation and speed selection for 33? and 45rpm records.
Operating controls and adjustment procedures should be followed according to the manual supplied with the exact PSU version.
Speed should be checked only after the turntable is correctly levelled, the belt is fitted and the platter has reached stable operation.
Positioning the External Power Supply
Position the power supply close enough for the supplied connection cable to reach without tension.
Keep it away from the cartridge, tonearm cable and step-up transformer to reduce the possibility of electromagnetic interference entering the low-level phono signal.
Do not stretch, tightly coil or trap the motor-control cable behind the equipment support.
Equipment Support and Levelling
The TT-Three must be placed on a rigid, stable and accurately level support.
A suspended turntable should not be positioned on unstable furniture or a surface that moves when someone walks through the room.
Suspended wooden floors may benefit from a suitable wall shelf, subject to checking the wall construction and total system weight.
Keep the Turntable Away from Loudspeakers
Avoid placing the TT-Three immediately beside or directly in front of a loudspeaker.
Mechanical and airborne energy from the loudspeakers can reach the cartridge and turntable support.
The suspension reduces external vibration but does not remove the need for sensible system positioning.
Tonearm Cable Routing
The tonearm cable must have sufficient freedom of movement to avoid pulling on the suspended sub-chassis.
It should not be stretched tightly, tied to mains cables or forced against the rear of the equipment support.
Cable position should be checked after the suspension has been adjusted because an incorrectly routed cable can disturb the turntable's level and suspension movement.
Grounding and Hum
Follow the grounding arrangement specified for the selected tonearm, cartridge and phono stage.
Keep cartridge and tonearm cables away from the TT-Three power supply, amplifier mains transformers and mains leads.
If hum is present, check cable routing and grounding systematically rather than adding multiple unverified earth connections.
No Built-In Phono Stage
The TT-Three does not contain a phono stage or line-level output.
The cartridge signal must connect to a compatible external phono stage, step-up transformer or phono-equipped amplifier.
The required arrangement depends on whether the fitted cartridge is moving magnet, high-output moving coil or low-output moving coil.
No Automatic Operation
The TT-Three is a manually operated turntable.
The user positions and lowers the tonearm at the start of the record and returns it to its rest when playback has finished.
It does not provide automatic start, automatic tonearm return or automatic record changing.
Dust Cover Not Included
Audio Note does not supply the TT-Three with a dust cover as standard.
The manufacturer provides plans for two alternative acrylic cover designs that can be produced by a suitable local acrylic workshop.
One design sits on the turntable plinth, while the larger version sits on the supporting surface around the plinth and includes cable cut-outs.
TT-Three and TT-Three Reference
The TT-Three Reference is a separate turntable and should not be confused with this model.
The standard TT-Three uses an arm board for Audio Note's 9-inch `/II` tonearms.
The TT-Three Reference is supplied for Audio Note's 10-inch AN-1S tonearm and uses a different analogue motor-control system.
Turntable Finishes
Satin black and satin white are the standard TT-Three finishes.
High-gloss black and high-gloss white are available at additional cost.
Finish availability and current production lead times should be confirmed when ordering.
Power-Supply Fascia Finishes
The TT-Three power supplies are available with an anodised aluminium or black acrylic fascia.
The PSU fascia can therefore be selected separately from the black or white finish of the turntable.
Both turntable and power-supply finishes should be identified clearly on the quotation.
Key Features
- Three-motor suspended turntable
- Externally driven rubber platter belt
- Low-mass Lexan platter
- High-torque motor arrangement
- Synchronised three-motor control
- Three-point suspended sub-chassis
- Suspension centred around the main bearing
- Three-arm sub-chassis structure
- Two tonearm-mass balancing weights
- Arm board for Audio Note 9-inch `/II` tonearms
- Choice of TT-Three PSU1, PSU2 or PSU3
- External power supply required
- 33? and 45rpm record playback
- Satin black or satin white standard finish
- High-gloss black or high-gloss white at extra cost
- Anodised aluminium or black acrylic PSU fascia
- Dust cover not supplied as standard
- Professional installation recommended
Technical Specifications
- Product type: Suspended belt-drive turntable
- Drive system: Three synchronised motors
- Drive connection: Rubber belt around the outside of the platter
- Platter: Lightweight Lexan
- Suspension: Three-point suspended sub-chassis
- Suspension centre: Main bearing and centre of motor inertia
- Sub-chassis: Three-arm balanced design
- Tonearm position: Right-hand mounting position
- Arm-board compatibility: Audio Note 9-inch `/II` tonearms
- Alternative arm boards: Not offered by Audio Note
- Compatible power supplies: TT-Three PSU1, PSU2 or PSU3
- Power supply: External supply required
- Speeds: 33? and 45rpm
- Plinth dimensions: 480mm wide x 442mm deep
- Published height: Not stated
- Published weight: Not stated
- Standard turntable finishes: Satin black or satin white
- Optional turntable finishes: High-gloss black or high-gloss white
- PSU fascia finishes: Anodised aluminium or black acrylic
- Tonearm: Confirm separately
- Cartridge: Confirm separately
- Phono stage: Not built in
- Dust cover: Not supplied as standard
Audio Note currently publishes only the plinth width and depth. A complete height, weight and power-supply dimension specification is not provided on the public TT-Three product pages.
Specifications may change as Audio Note continues product development. Confirm the selected power supply, arm, cartridge, finishes and included accessories before ordering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the TT-Three include a power supply?
The turntable requires a TT-Three PSU, but the Audio T listing does not identify which supply is included. Confirm whether the quoted package includes PSU1, PSU2, PSU3 or no power supply.
Can the turntable operate without the external PSU?
No. A compatible TT-Three power supply is required to control and drive the three motors.
Does it include a tonearm?
A tonearm should not be assumed to be included. The turntable is prepared for Audio Note's 9-inch `/II` tonearms, but the selected arm must be confirmed on the quotation.
Can I fit a different manufacturer's tonearm?
Audio Note supplies the arm board for its own 9-inch `/II` tonearms and does not currently offer alternative arm boards for unrelated mounting patterns.
Does it include a cartridge?
A cartridge should not be assumed to be included. It must be selected to match the tonearm and phono stage.
Does it have a built-in phono stage?
No. The cartridge output must connect to a suitable external phono stage, step-up transformer or phono-equipped amplifier.
Can I use a moving-coil cartridge?
Yes, provided the cartridge is compatible with the tonearm and is connected to a suitable active MC stage or correctly matched step-up transformer and MM stage.
What is the difference between PSU1, PSU2 and PSU3?
PSU1 is the starting power supply. PSU2 adds improved regulation and revisions to the clock line and output stage. PSU3 uses analogue oscillators and a fully discrete circuit and output stage.
Why does it use three motors?
The three motors provide the torque required to drive the lightweight platter and are synchronised by the selected external control supply.
Is it a high-mass turntable?
No. It combines a high-torque motor arrangement with a deliberately lightweight Lexan platter.
Does changing the cartridge affect the suspension?
It can. A cartridge change alters the tonearm-side mass, so the balancing weights and suspension setup should be checked.
Is it supplied with a dust cover?
No. Audio Note provides plans for two acrylic cover designs that can be made separately by a suitable workshop.
Is the TT-Three the same as the TT-Three Reference?
No. The Reference is a separate model with a different motor-control system and an arm board for Audio Note's 10-inch AN-1S tonearm.
What finishes are available?
Satin black and satin white are standard. High-gloss black and high-gloss white are available at additional cost. PSU fascias are available in anodised aluminium or black acrylic.
Why Buy From Audio T?
- Experienced Audio Note turntable specialists
- PSU1, PSU2 and PSU3 configuration advice
- Audio Note tonearm selection and installation
- Moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridge matching
- Step-up transformer impedance advice
- Suspension balancing and turntable levelling
- Cartridge alignment and tracking-force setup
- Grounding and hum-reduction assistance
- In-store demonstrations through participating branches
- Ongoing system setup and servicing support
Contact your local Audio T store
to specify the complete TT-Three package, including power supply, tonearm, cartridge, finish and professional installation.