Continuum Audio Labs

Caliburn Motor

About Motors

Continuum Audio Laboratories sampled several well-respected brands of motors and concluded off the shelf motors limited the audible potential of the turntable primarily through cogging or hysteresis.

We trialled AC synchronous motors, DC Brushless, DC brushed, and a number of very advanced solutions costing many thousands of dollars.

Our conclusion – It is all to no avail unless you can solve the cogging or hysteresis issue found in most motor designs.

We also evaluated multi-motor designs and concluded having two or three motors only increases the vibration problem no matter how configured.

Multi motors with belt pulleys also do not “stabilise” platters - example of 3 rubber o-rings trying to “stabilise” a 10-15Kg platter is a fair stretch (pun intended) in engineering terms.

They are used primarily to add torque to start platters. But multiple sources of cogging vibration are still felt at the platter no matter how massive the motor housing is made.

Belt Choice

Choice of belts is also critical and the method of mounting pulleys.
Whilst it is important to damp motor vibration by correctly designed housings the cogging vibration of the motor is still transferring itself to the belt and platter.

One has to tackle both the housing and the motor to raise performance to the next level.

Several attempts using DC Brushless motors (which are in fact AC motors!) with ever-smaller motors with low torque and different helical coil windings all failed to pass the “zero cogging” test.

The belt just transmitted these pulses to the platter and caused audible resonances.

Caliburn Motor Design

The Caliburn motor uses the most advanced technology currently available, which has been selected by the US military for select advanced motion control systems.

The Caliburn uses a patented motor coil technology similar in principle to a voice coil.

By working with the underlying technology we reduced the mechanical and RF noise to a minimum resulting in a super quiet motor which does not pulse or cog.

Housed in a solid block of damped alloy with precision-engineered bearings the motor delivers new benchmark levels of performance and motion control.

When compared to the most expensive turntable motors the “true zero cogging” technology we employed delivers superior audio results.

Features and Specifications

Key features:

Powerful enough to drive a 80Lb platter and bearing.
Computer controlled startup cycle launches the platter in a gradual smooth fashion.
Precise speed adjustment
High torque with no cogging – Gives the platter “authority” to handle the most demanding passages and delivers bass control.
Battery powered with trickle charge during down cycle times.

Specifications: