Awards:
7 products awarded with Editor’s Choice 2023 by The Absolute Sound
The Editor’s Choice Award 2023 of The Absolute Sound is published in their march 2023 issue. Five Acoustic Signature turntables and two Acoustic Signature tonearms are on their list!
Absolute Sound
03/2023
Awarded turntables:
Awarded tonearms:
Product of the Year 2022 award by The Absolute Sound
Our Maximus NEO turntable was tested in The Absolute Sound’s 09/2022 issue together with the TA-1000 NEO tonearm and the MCX3 cartridge and was now awarded “Product of the Year 2022“.
“…the Maximus NEO sounds far superior to any entry-level system I’ve auditioned over the years…”
Absolute Sound
09/2022
by Dick Olsher
PTA Buyers Guide 2023
Acoustic Signature’s Typhoon NEO with TA-5000 NEO was selected for Part-Time Audiophile’s (pta) “Buyers Guide 2023” in the category “The Best Turntables”. Both components were previously tested by Dave McNair in September 2021.
“We found that the ‘Acoustic Signature Typhoon NEO with a TA-5000 arm gets you near-perfect German engineering—direct off the Invictus lineage.’ This three-motor deck with digital motor control is exhilarating to the point where we almost reached sensory overload, with every LP sounding just soooo goood. A Reviewer’s Choice award winner.”
pta
12/2022
Goldenes Ohr 2022 award by Stereoplay
Stereoplay awards the Acoustic Signature Double X NEO in the category turntable with the Goldenes Ohr 2022 (“Golden Ear”).
The Double X NEO was tested in Stereoplay’s issue 08/2021.
Goldenes Ohr 2022 award by Audio
The Acoustic Signature Typhoon NEO was awarded with the “Goldenes Ohr 2022” (“Golden Ear”) by the german magazine Audio in the category turntable. MCX3 received the award in the category cartridges.
Fidelity Highlight 03/2022 award
Maximus NEO is awarded as the Highlight in Fidelity’s May/June issue.
“The turntable sets a new level in craftmanship and build quality in it’s price range. It delivers the perfect condition for outstanding music enjoyment, playing with a very neutral sound.”
Fidelity
03/2022
by Knuth Zensen
Stereoplay Highlight
04/2022 award
The Acoustic Signature Maximus NEO turntable was selected as the Highlight in the 04/2022 issue of the stereoplay magazine.
“…impresses with absolute calmness and perfect workmanship…”
Stereoplay
04/2022
by Alexander Rose-Fehling
“Wherever you wish to go sonically, the Montana NEO … can reliably take you there.”
stereophile
2022
by Michael Fremer
“…very balanced and natural with a beautifully deep stage…”
Audio
2021
by Andreas Eichelsdoerfer
The Acoustic Signature Invictus stands at the top!
Jonathan Valin, The Absolute Sound, 08/2016
Company reports
Factory report video
Michael Fremer visited us at the Acoustic Signature manufatory in Suessen! Watch the YouTube video on his factory tour by Analog Planet…
New product reviews & tests
Montana NEO
Michael Fremer comments and talks on the Montana NEO in this video, introducing his listening room. The video by the absolute sound is featured on YouTube…
the absolute sound
03/2023
by Michael Fremer
Invictus NEO & TA-9000 NEO
“After all, the Invictus / TA-9000 and its young heir were the best turntable / pivoted-tonearm combos I’d heretofore had in-house. […] The Invictus NEO and TA-9000 NEO are not only new and improved; they are, in my experience, unmatched.”
The Absolute Sound
06/2023
by Jonathan Valin
TA‑7000 NEO
“It feels as light as a feather. … The overall finish of the tonearm is perfect and meets our expectations for superior German craftsmanship. … The Acoustic Signature TA-7000 NEO tonearm is a pleasure to set up and use. The Montana Neo turntable earned a 10 LP rating, and since this arm contributed to that rating, the arm also earns the same rating. Try ‘The Feather’ for yourself. IMO, you will enjoy very satisfactory listening sessions with your favorite music.”
10 Audio
02/2023
Montana NEO, TA‑5000 NEO & MCX3
“Getting to know Acoustic Signature products over the years, all of them have been highly praised for the effort in the packaging and even the simple installation and adjustment. With the NEO generation, the metal fabrication and cutting is even more precise, making the whole set up process smooth and easy. […] The Montana NEO presents everything of the record “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, from the soundstage to the musical emotion in a comprehensive way, making it easy for the audience to enjoy the songs. It sounds so natural. A Montana NEO can accurately play multiple opposing elements simultaneously without just picking one of them. This is a sign of highest quality.”
Hi Fi Review
02/2023
Maximus NEO
“It’s a well-built machine that’s dead-quiet, fast off the mark, super-resolving, and uber-lively. In short, it’s a maximally great turntable well worth checking out. Gut gemacht!”
AnalogPlanet
01/2023
by Ken Micallef
Maximus NEO, TA‑1000 NEO & MCX3
“Configured as a system to include the Boston Audio Mat and the Grip Mk3 record clamp, the Maximus NEO sounds far superior to any entry-level system I’ve auditioned over the years. That’s clearly a testament to the synergy of the Maximus NEO system components.”
Absolute Sound
09/2022
by Dick Olsher
Typhoon NEO & TA‑5000 NEO
“The sound image is as if carved in stone, the dynamics are extremely finely graduated…
The world class starts with the Typhoon NEO!”
image hifi
06/2022
by Amré Ibrahim
Montana NEO & TA‑7000 NEO
“Authority over the entire bandwidth, transparency, verve – everything is there to let the die-hard analogue lover enter vinyl heaven. The longer I listen to the Monatana NEO and the TA-7000 NEO, the more I can join our American and Asian colleagues who have declared products from Acoustic Signature’s NEO series to be references. It’s time we got the message in this country too: This is simply world class! Full stop.”
image hifi
02/2022
by Amré Imbrahim
Hurricane NEO & TA‑2000 NEO
“A turntable like a rock. The Hurricane Neo, which is as solidly as it is precisely manufactured, impresses all around with finesse in mechanics and workmanship. With a suitable high-end cartridge on an equally refined tonearm, it easily plays in the reference class thanks to its unshakable performance, refined down to the smallest detail. Not cheap, but aims to provide pleasure for an eternity.”
Stereo
02/2022
by Matthias Boede
Montana NEO & TA‑7000 NEO
“I hear the table’s well-hidden, ingeniously designed, skillfully executed guts in every play. Wherever you wish to go sonically, the Montana NEO/TA-7000 NEO combo can reliably take you there.”
Stereophile
01/2022
by Michael Fremer
Tango Reference
“Tango Reference isn’t cheap, but the price isn’t prohibitive, and the sound performance is well balanced and well worth the price. Whether it is the voice, the individual instrument or the whole orchestra, it is not only played properly, the speed and air is excellent, but also very balanced, not focussed on a specific band.”
Audiotechnique
11/2021
by Thomas Leung
Montana NEO
“The Acoustic Signature Montana Neo turntable most definitely falls into the category ‘Worth Your Time’. This outstanding performer offers the special technologies in Acoustic Signature’s most advanced products in a beautifully finished, compact package. Listening to the wonderful transparency of the Montana Neo leaves this listener wanting for nothing. This is a great turntable offering the sound quality and reliability that satisfies a life-long dream.”
10 Audio
12/2021
Tornado NEO, TA‑500 NEO & MCX2
“Gunther Frohnhoefer’s Tornado NEO is definitively a musical all-rounder. Every moment you spend in its company, you can’t help but notice the extensive technical experience of its developer who extracted the maximum analog enjoyment out of a turntable, but without mixing in any artificial gimmickry.”
Fidelity
11/2021
by Roland Schmenner
Typhoon NEO & TA‑5000 NEO
“I heard a whole lot more of what I love about playing records when I played them on the Acoustic Signature Typhoon NEO/TA-5000 setup. Enough said.”
pta
09/2021
by Dave McNair
Double X NEO, TA‑500 NEO & MCX1
“The Acoustic Signatures Double X is a joy for the eyes: perfect engineering meets first-class finish and (optionally) macassar wood. However, with its uncompromising design the Double X is also a feast for the ears: the elegant, noble tonearm guides any pickup safely, the platter rotates in a stoic, controlled manner – the sonic result is beyond any doubt. The combo plays in an easy, transparent way, remains always clean and bullet-proof even with dynamic peaks. This is money well spent.”
Stereoplay
08/2021
by Alexander Rose-Fehling
Maximus NEO, TA‑500 NEO & MCX2
“The southern German analog specialist presents a turntable that has a thought-out design down to the smallest aspects and is manufactured exquisitely. The dynamically gripping and at the same time finely differentiated sound with compact, accurately ordered spatial imaging corresponds to the flawless finish in its finesse.”
Stereo
07/2021
by Matthias Boede
Typhoon NEO, TA‑2000 NEO & MCX3
“From the Typhoon Neo came the pure music. What sounds so trivial, is actually the very great art which only a few can master. The Typhoon Neo is a master of sound.”
Audio
06/2021
by Andreas Eichelsdoerfer
Customer reviews
I’m an audiophile approaching 70 years old. I have been a vinyl enthusiast for at least 60 years and after moving up to the Hurricane NEO and TA-5000 NEO combination, I am hearing a newness in my vinyl and many of these albums I have owned for over 50 years. I did not change cartridges (EAT Jo No 8) so what I am hearing is purely the mechanical attributes of the gear. It is mind blowing what this purchase has done to raise the bar of my system. Well done Acoustic Signature. I could not be more pleased.
S. G. (Vietnam) on his Hurricane NEO with TA-5000 NEO
This turntable should be mandatory for any cartridge/tonearm collector, because despite having the huge dynamics of the best idle drive, delicacy, flow and details of the best belt drive and effortless precision and impressive transients of the most perfect direct drive turntables, it does not print any spurious, unwanted signature in the reproduction. Hurricane Neo just allows the tonearm and cartridge to bring exactly what they are and what their virtues and uniqueness can really bring, in their top performance, to any system.
A. M. (Brazil) on his Hurricane NEO
I took my time for the setup, regarded the finished work and then I started playing. With good old Miles, some guitar tunes and other music that I’ve been listening to since my teenage days. I was completely astonished – escpecially with these recordings that I’ve heard over and over the past years. The incredible resolution along with ernormous details really put a smile on my face. I am very thankful. This is a totally great turntable.
J. F. (Germany) on his Hurricane NEO
Had Dr. Vinyl setup up my new Ascona NEO TT w/TA-7000 NEO Tonearm today and three words come to mind after hearing the first record, WOW, WOW, WOW. To say it far exceeds my expectations is an understatement. The build and sound quality is beyond what I could ever imagined and even my wife who never comments on my sound system said today ‘that sounds great’. The Ascona Neo is so beautiful it achieves the WAF and integrates well into our modern home. The sound, well ……… does anyone want to buy a dCS Vivaldi One Apex?
A valued customer from the USA on his Ascona NEO via facebook
The sound is just out of this world. I hear things on my records that I havn’t heard before, and the details along with the quiet background make it so much fun to play vinyl now. The size of the soundstage is gigantic and so is the 3D image. The deep bass is deeper and more tight than ever. The midrange is full but ever so calm and airy. The top end is like someone is pouring floating honey in the room. So smooth, briliant, exact, calm and very airy and relaxing. In other words: SUPER SUPER!
J. K. (Sweden) on his Ascona NEO
I never thought that “only” changing the turntable can inspire my Piega-speakers in such a way. I am happy every time the Hurricane starts and I’m absolutely convinced that I have made the right purchase.
T. S. (Germany) on his Hurricane NEO
What an amazing machine the Montana is … I’m more than satisfied!
N. S. (Sweden) on his Montana NEO
Finished the turntable and arm setup – been listening and it’s absolutely fabulous, beyond expectations. The bass is fuller and clearer, the midrange is more open, cleaner and clearer sounding and the high frequencies, like the high notes on the violin, are cleaner sounding and you can hear the texture of the bow along the strings like I’ve never heard it before. The overall sound is smoother flowing, the edges of the notes are rounder – very pleasant! Not analytical or dry sounding in any way, quite remarkable. Three things are new to me here – the turntable, the arm itself and it’s a 12″ arm – so I don’t know how each contribute to the improvements I am hearing but overall a remarkable upgrade over the VPI.
Bob (USA)
I thank you for this world class tonearm. The additional sound performance that this tonarm gets out of your cartridge is incredible.
D. B. (Germany) on his TA-5000 10″
I must also say that I am impressed with the very high quality German engineering and manufacturing displayed by your fine company. As a very satisfied Canadian customer, I would and will recommend your TTs to anyone interested in high quality analogue playback. The Ascona is a wonderful sounding TT and I am enjoying the sound with the 12″ AS-5000 tonearm … Keep up the great work and advancing the art of analogue playback.
J. T. (Canada) on his Ascona MK3 & TA-5000
Thanks again for the great service on modifying my turntable. Everything worked perfect and the result is really great. It is a huge benefit according to the depth and on moments of silence without a signal. It does now fit all of my acoustic needs. So thanks again for everything!!
H. G. (Germany) on the service / modification of his Samba
Complete archive:
Test reports, reviews & articles
Please note:
Some articles are only or additionally available in other languages. You may find the country code on the “read article” buttons, stating the specific language of the PDF:
- EN: English
- CN: Chinese
- ES: Spanish
- DE: German
Turntables
NEO series
Double X NEO
Hurricane NEO
Invictus NEO
The Absolute Sound
06/2023
by Jonathan Valin
Maximus NEO
AnalogPlanet
01/2023
by Ken Micallef
Absolute Sound
09/2022
by Dick Olsher
Fidelity
03/2022
by Knuth Zensen
Stereoplay
04/2022
by Alexander Rose-Fehling
Montana NEO
Hi Fi Review
02/2023
Stereophile
01/2022
by Michael Fremer
10 Audio
12/2021
Tornado NEO
Typhoon NEO
pta
09/2021
by Dave McNair
Discontinued models (archive)
Double X 2019
Audiotechnique
08/2019
by Martin Leung
High Fidelity Poland
01/2019
by Wojciech Pacuta
Challenger 2018
New Audiophile
10/2019
Invictus
The Absolute Sound
08/2016
by Jonathan Valin
Invictus Junior
The Absolute Sound
08/2019
by Jonathan Valin
Audiotechnique
01/2019
by Lee388
Maximus SE
Image Hifi
02/2020
by Heinz Gelking
My-HiEnd
02/2020
Merlin
Stereo
02/2017
Montana
Primus
Hifi & Musik Journal
03/2018
by Bernhard Rietschel
Storm 2018
Image Hifi
01/2018
by Eric van Spelde
Thunder Mk3
Image Hifi
03/2013
by Eric van Spelde
Wow XL
Stereoplay
10/2014
by Roland Kraft
Stereo
07/2014
by Matthias Boede
Image Hifi
04/2014
by Eric van Spelde
Wow XXL
LP
05/2015
by Holger Barske
Tonearms
NEO series
TA-500 NEO
TA-1000 NEO
Absolute Sound
09/2022
by Dick Olsher
Fidelity
03/2022
by Knuth Zensen
TA-2000 NEO
TA-5000 NEO
Hi Fi Review
02/2023
pta
09/2021
by Dave McNair
TA-7000 NEO
10 Audio
02/2023
Stereophile
01/2022
by Michael Fremer
TA-9000 NEO
The Absolute Sound
06/2023
by Jonathan Valin
Discontinued models (archive)
TA-500
Hifi & Musik Journal
03/2018
by Bernhard Rietschel
Stereo
02/2017
TA-700
My HiEnd
02/2020
TA-1000
High Fidelity Poland
01/2019
by Wojciech Pacuta
LP
05/2015
by Holger Barske
Image Hifi
03/2015
by Eric van Spelde
TA-2000
Image Hifi
02/2020
by Heinz Gelking
New Audiophile
10/2019
Audiotechnique
08/2019
by Martin Leung
Image Hifi
01/2018
by Eric van Spelde
TA-5000
TA-7000
TA-9000
The Absolute Sound
08/2019
by Jonathan Valin
Audiotechnique
01/2019
by Lee388
The Absolute Sound
08/2016
by Jonathan Valin
Cartridges
MCX series
MCX1
MCX2
Image Hifi
02/2020
von Heinz Gelking
My HiEnd
02/2020
MCX3
Hi Fi Review
02/2023
Absolute Sound
09/2022
by Dick Olsher
Image Hifi
02/2020
by Heinz Gelking
New Audiophile
10/2019
MCX4
Discontinued models (archive)
MC2
Stereo
02/2017
Phono preamplifier
Tango Reference
My HiEnd
02/2020
Tango Mk3
Audiotechnique
08/2020
Company reports
Stereoplay
08/2021
Audiotechnique
01/2019
by Lee388
HiFi Pig
01/2019
image hifi
02/2017
by Andreas Wenderoth