Holbo airbearing turntable

I have had a Holbo since 2018, I was a first adopter here in the US from what Bostjan Holc, the designer/builder/company owner told me a the time. There were no US distribution at the time, and I had just read a review in Polish online Hifidelity I believe, and the design seemed relatively simple(not to say it is simple by any means) and very promising.

Most air bearing tables looked like an oil rig, and overly complicated to set up and keep working. Bostjan had said that his arm bearing was in use for almost 20 years at the time, and that he had spent a lot of time perfecting the table over the course of time, and decided to manufacture it. By the way, I have no affiliation or monetary gains from this, I am only an end user!

After talking with Bostjan over the course of several weeks, I decided to give the table a shot, and ordered it. The transaction and delivery went as smooth as anything I could have asked for. He promised, and delivered. He was very straight forward, and I would do business with him again. It is a bummer that the US distribution has been off and on again, but I am sure that he will deliver.

With that said, I am very pleased with the table, yes it can be slightly fiddly to set up initially, but if one has been around tables and set them up, this is really a very straight forward design and setup. Like anything, worth taking the time with set up. Mainly leveling the table, and getting the arm set right with your cartridge. I find azimuth/alignment a bit tough at first, as the arm tube has a single allen bolt that holds it to the carrier. You have to use a bit of patience, a bit of practice makes perfect. The rest is easy.

The air pump is simple and very quiet, it does not make much noise at all, mine is situated right on the bottom shelf of my rack, and I cannot hear it while things are playing, let alone while it isn’t. Mine is also the very first edition, so I have to be mindful of operation, switching on the pump prior to starting the main drive, and then reverse when finishing. I believe the new model takes that bit out of the equation, it really is easy to get used to, and becomes second nature.

I have used several different cartridges on the table, from Dynavector, Denon, Van den hull, and cheap Nagoaka’s. Personally I like the Dynavectors, but the table seems very easy to match with various cartridges, MM or MC.

The table is very quiet in operation, and probably one of the quietest I have used regarding surface noise. The table is very dynamic sounding, yet still gives fine detail and shading of the recording.

I really have no real gripes about the table or how it sounds, or even set up. Yes, the motor mounting appears simplistic although I do think there are isolation o-rings, yet I find nothing seems to intrude upon the music itself. I am not one that tinkers continually, once set, I let it go, I enjoy music, not playing around.

As past owner of a couple of decently specced Linn LP12’s and Well Tempered tables, all of which I still like, the Holbo overall is still my favorite of them, and it has remained for the last 6 years. I also think these days, the price of it, seems very fair. I say this as analog isn’t my primary source, and has not been for a number of years, but when I play it, I enjoy it so very much! Good design, solid, great sounding table. One could spend a lot more and get a lot less in my humble opinion! FWIW.....

Oh, and as to the comment about the Holbo being a dust magnet, I have no idea there. I am just careful to keep mine covered when not in use, especially the air bearing carrier arm, but I have never had issues with that at all.

Seeing how the table itself is kind of a matte black finish, yes it will show dust maybe a bit more than other finishes, but again, no issues otherwise. I try to keep my area clean, and yes, dust is something I am careful about regardless! 

Ask the man who owns one. Sounds like everything I like in a turntable - and once you've heard good air, there's no going back. IMO. YMMV.

Suggest you practice installing a dirt cheap cartridge a few times. Then graduate to something worthy of the table.

@terry9  - @frazeur1 Both your reports are enough to further stimulate my interest already expressed in the recent past about an Air Bearing used on the Platter.

The idea of having one of these TT's to be as the TT, that is assisting my return to using a Belt Drive is of interest, as I am without regular use of a Belt Drive for many many years.

The Linn used a few decades ago is stored to be used for a periodical demo' but I can listen to Linn Decks in other systems so do not hold too much interest in them.

An Idler Drive TT, is also a relatively easy to produce Belt Drive TT, the design lends itself to being dual motor drive option, where a Standalone Pod Motor is utilised.

As discussed on here on quite a few occasions there is seeming a risk of convection when Standalone Pods are used with a TT, so in about a 1000 years a Speed Stability issue might be a concern to a museum housing the archaic device.

Where the Holbo generates the real interest for myself, is the idea to Modify its method to drive the platter, make use of Phenolic Resin Impregnated Densified Wood to produce a Structure that is very attractive to myself and introduce the Signal Path to PC Triple C Wire.

The above mod's used in conjunction with the not so common Bearing Design, might easily produce a TT, that will fend of the $50k+ Belt Drives.

My Hiatus from the Analogue section is beginning to feel a little  Whack-A-Mole 🔨