Kuzma Stabi R

I’ve been the proud owner of a Kuzma Stabi S turntable and Stogi S tonearm since 2001. The combination was an impulse purchase, made after seeing and hearing it in action at Stereophile’s Home Entertainment Show at the New York Hilton. Even under unruly show conditions, the Kuzma player created rock-solid images and played music with serious jump factor. With its matte brass finish, tubular bell looks, and overtly industrial design, the Slovenian-made Stabi S/Stogi S was steampunk before steampunk. Looking back, it was one of my best-ever audio purchases.

The 29lb belt-driven Stabi S turntable, which remains in the Kuzma line ($2156 without tonearm), was and is a brilliant concept, ingeniously executed. Built upon two 50mm-diameter solid-brass rods, interlocked to form a “T” shape, its platter bearing and aluminum platter are fastened at the point where those two segments meet, with the tonearm mount sited at the other end. An outboard pod, also brass, houses its AC motor. All in all, the Kuzma “pipe bomb,” as some call it, is a substantial black-disc spinner that punches far above its weight.

Upgrades to my audio system have only confirmed the excellent value and sound of the Stabi S/Stogi S: Stellar sonics and nearly 20 years of fault-free performance make Kuzma’s entry-level record player an easy recommendation. So when the invitation came to review Kuzma’s latest turntable, the Stabi R ($9595 with wood frame and a single tonearm mount), I jumped.

This Kuzma combo transformed my