- The Audio-Technica Hotaru is a limited-edition turntable
- Magnetically suspended floating platter that lights up
- $9,999 (about £7,582 / AU$15,762), only 1,000 made
If you loved the idea of Brian Eno’s neon turntable but couldn’t quite stretch to the £20,000 / $20,000 price tag, Audio-Technica has some good news for you. Its magnetically levitating, music-sensing, illuminated Hotaru turntable is half the price.
If you want one you’ll need to be quick: the reservation period runs until 30 May 2025 and there are just 1,000 turntables planned for production. You’ll be expected to pay in August for an October delivery.
If you’d like to see the Hotaru in all its illuminated glory, there’s a fun video on Audio-Technica’s website here.
Audio-Technica Hotaru: key features
The Hotaru – it translates as “firefly” – has a magnetically suspended acrylic turntable whose floating structure isolates it from both internal and internal vibration.
And if it weren’t visually striking enough, it also has built-in illumination with 20 different color effects and a choice of smooth gradients or more dynamic reactions to the music.
Audio-Technica promises that you’ll love to listen to the Hotaru as well as look at it. It claims “shimmering highs and mids interwoven with deep, resonant bass” – as you’d hope, for $10k.
I’m not expecting us to get this in for review or for it to hit our best turntables guide, much as I’d love to test it myself; this will surely have sold out before it ever hits the streets. I certainly wouldn’t blame anyone who wants to grab this cool slice of Audio-Technica history as part of they audio collection.
If you do fancy getting your hands on one, you’ll need to register your interest on the Hotaru website. But if your budget is more modest, Lenco in the UK will happily sell you a light-up turntable for £169 (about $223 / AU$351).
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