Holbo Mk II Airbearing Turntable System

I was excited to see that Holbo has introduced a MkII version of the excellent original Holbo turntable. I did a deep dive review on this turntable back in the Spring of 2020. I was quite impressed with the original turntable. I consider this “review” more of an addendum to that original. I would highly encourage you to read it first as it covers a lot of ground that remains applicable to the MkII.

 “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”

Frankly, there was not a lot to address in a MkII version as the original design was well thought out with a simplicity that belies its excellent engineering. This is a complement to Slovenian-born designer Bostjan Holc.

Leonardo Da Vinci is quoted as saying, “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” and the Holbo turntable is one of those rare products that exemplify that. 

But, below its simple-looking exterior are several items manufactured to extreme tolerances.

The film of air that the platter and arm ride on is less than 10 microns. The tolerance of the air-bearing is  + – 0.003mm! It may look simple, but the table and arm are exceedingly labor-intensive to manufacture. I am told that an estimated 20 hours of labor goes into the making of each turntable. Holbo says that almost 1 out of 3 air bearings are rejected for not meeting the required tolerances. 

Turntables are a component that you have a physical interaction with, and the solidity of each aspect of the Holbo turntable’s operation delivers a very reassuring feeling. Cueing has a solid feel, and the descent rate is determined by how fast you lower the lever and not by a silicone-damped cylinder. I like that control. And while it may look harder to use than a pivot arm, I find it much easier to maneuver the arm, especially when I am trying to line up a specific cut on an album.

What is new on the Holbo Mk II

All of the Mk II changes center around the operation of the table.

On/Off and Speed Controls

Two buttons now reside on the top left for on/off and 33/45. A much more convenient arrangement than the previous rear-mounted speed selection switch.

Changes to Air Pump Behavior

More important, in my estimation, is the fact that when you turn off the turntable, the platter stops turning, but the air pump continues to run for 3-5 minutes and then automatically shuts off.  This allows the platter to be still rotated by hand if needed. This extra pump time is appreciated when you are changing records or making any cartridge/table adjustments. 

Also, I can’t tell you how many times I left the pump running overnight on the original turntable while reviewing it. That is no longer an issue. 

Single Box Power Housing

The linear power supply and air pump are now in one housing instead of two different boxes. This makes it much easier to deal with in terms of wiring and locating a place for it to reside.

Included Record Weight

In my original review, I mentioned the positive effects the Stillpoints LPS record weight had on the performance of the turntable. I am glad to see Holbo now includes a very nice record weight.

Improved User Manual

A much-improved setup manual with outstanding graphics. Seems obvious, but so many manufacturers fall short in this area. I am glad to see that Holbo gave this the attention it should have. This will help new owners get the best performance out of the turntable. 

My wish list

Time to nitpick. There are still a couple of things I would like Holbo to address.

Calibration for individual speeds is offered but is on the rear of the unit and requires a screwdriver to adjust.  

I would like this adjustment to be more accessible and be able to do it without the need for a tool. The simple addition of two knobs on the pitch controls that I can turn with my fingers would be welcome.

No azimuth reference line on the tonearm.

When you adjust the cartridge’s azimuth, a reference line down the tonearm tube a la SME V would be a nice addition.  If it was on the side of the arm tube  (like the SME), it could also serve as a VTA adjustment line.

Last but not least, some scale markings on the rear of the tonearm tube where the counterweight resides would aid in knowing how much you have moved the counterweight when you are fine-tuning the cartridge tracking force. 

 Why Holbo?

The Holbo Mk II should be on your shortlist when you are considering a new turntable.

Readers of my reviews know I am a straight-line tracking or underhung tonearm enthusiast. Done correctly, like the Holbo, air-bearing arms offer a wonderful soundstage that exhibits excellent height and width and remains rock solid and consistent over the entire side of an album. 

They also do not have the potential for the detrimental effects of improperly adjusted anti-skating that can impact pivot arms.

Early air-bearing arms made in the ’80s and ‘90s suffered from wider production tolerances. This sometimes impacted the ability of an early air-bearing arm to achieve quality deep bass. 

While that perception still lingers, this issue has been virtually eliminated by the much closer tolerances that can be machined nowadays. That includes developing a low-pressure air delivery system that reduces the pump noise to very low levels and reduces the risk of dust being sucked in.  Air pressure for the Holbo system is regulated by a precision regulator that resides inside the turntable base and is individually adjusted at the factory during production. 

I would submit that it would take an individual pivot tonearm in the price range of the ENTIRE Holbo turntable to compete with the quality of sound the Holbo System produces, and even then, the pivot arm may not deliver the goods over the entire side of the album.

Speaking of the entire turntable, let’s not forget that you also have an air-bearing platter driven by a DC motor.  There is a fluidity/ liquidity to the sound of the Holbo that immediately reminds me of listening to my Studer A810 tape deck. The turntable just gets out of the way of the music. 

I used a DS Audio E1 cartridge on the original Holbo table, and it worked wonderfully. During my audition of the MkII, I used the Grado Statement 3 and the new Audio Technica ART-20 (review coming). Both were excellent, but the Holbo/Grado combo was magical.  

I cannot think of a more refined air-bearing system at its price point, and while it may not be the answer for everyone, I think it brings enough High-End performance to be the potential end game for many. 

Conclusion 

While the changes implemented in the Holbo MkII are subtle, in everyday use, they are significant. Holbo had already achieved a very high-performance level in the original Holbo turntable. Now the Mk II just makes it a bit more of a pleasure to use. 

This turntable system embodies Albert Einstein’s quote, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”

As I said in the conclusion of my original Holbo review, “ at $7900, it is nearly half the cost of its closest competition that offers similar features, and the Holbo turntable will challenge many turntables/tonearms out there that cost a lot more. If you are searching for a turntable system that is well engineered and beautifully built and that will provide endless hours of hassle-free music pleasure, this could easily be your desert island turntable. “

After spending three months with the new MkII version, I will double down on that conclusion.  I regretted the day, over two years ago, that I returned the original Holbo turntable at the end of the review period. 

I will not experience that regret again.

STILL….   Very highly recommended.

Price $7900.00 USD 

Product details:

Turntable:

• Air bearing design
• Linear Power Supply (NEW)
• DC motor
• Belt-driven
• Aluminum platter 5 kg (11 lbs)
• Air bearing 2.16 kg (4.8 lbs)
• Dimensions (WxDxH): 430mm x 400mm x 150mm (17 x 15.7 x 5.9 inches)
• Total weight: 12 kg (27 lbs)

Tonearm:

• Linear tracking air-bearing tonearm– aluminum alloy/carbon
• Effective length 163 mm
• Effective vertical mass 7.5 g
• Total tonearm mass 31.6 g

Adjustments:

• Azimuth
• Leveling
• vta +/- 7 mm

Wire: high-quality silver/copper litz

Power supply: 110V-240V / 50hz-60hz 2 W

Airpump:

• Power consumption: 10 W
• Noiseless
• Dimensions: 225mm x 147mm x 120mm (8.9 x 5.8 x 4.8)
• Weight: 1.8 kg (4 lbs)

Associated Equipment used in this review: