The Challenger turntable weighs in at 23kg and is Acoustic Signature’s statement entry-level, high mass turntable. With this Challenger design, AS bring together one of the most sophisticated external drive and power supply drive systems, with a massive, high mass 50mm thick platter, supported by a solid 40mm thick chassis. Sonically, the Challenger is outstanding.

The platter is made of a very soft aluminium alloy to optimize its periodic resonance, coated on the rear side with resonance-reducing material. This unit comes with the 8 silencer platter. The brass silencers inserted in the platter further absorb and reduce unwanted vibrations.

Through fundamental research and development, Acoustic Signature have invented a bearing with the ideal performance characteristics of exact fit, extremely low noise, very low friction and long-term stability. The bearing is the same construction as all the turntables in the AS range and is self lubricating. It runs dry - without oil.

The motor of the turntable is run by the BetaDig controller. This converts the AC mains voltage to DC current and produces a perfect sine wave at 12VAC resulting in a perfectly steady and constant platter rotation. It is impervious to the effects of problematic and 'noisy' mains voltage The BetaDIG controller is the perfect design solution and can supply up to 3 motors.

The tone arm mounting plates are adjustable. The mounting of any desired tone arm is possible, with a maximum of 3 tone arm mounting plates on one turntable

It has three adjustable feet to level the turntable. This unit comes without tonearm but can be mated with an Acoustic Signature TA-1000 or Jelco SA750-D tonearm.

Wayne Garcia of in The Absolute Sound said of the Challenger (with Funk Firm tonearm) ‘on a day-to-day basis I tend to prefer speed, detail, and low coloration as long as it doesn’t veer toward to the cool and clinical’ ……. ‘and that’s why, for these ears, the Challenger/Funk system is one of the best analog rigs I know of.’