I am concerned about my purchase, as there are technical issues with the device and it is aimed at more "advanced" users, so it is reasonable for these issues to come to the surface.
Initial impressions:
The slow needle drop does not work properly, as it falls too abruptly. It tends to jump/scratch on the first drop, unless you raise the antiskate a little. This problem is confirmed in various YouTube videos.
After a week of use, I found that the needle was bent (and I assumed it was from the factory) and I had to replace it. The second needle I bought also bent in a week. It seems to be a general problem with this turntable/antiskate/head combination. I attach a relevant photo, which although I couldn't take it completely vertically, I think it is representative of the problem.
The strange thing is that the needle bends outward as if there is a reverse pull from the antiskate (i.e. as if someone is pushing the head towards the center instead of pulling it outward as the antiskate does). This is confirmed in several forums. So if the problem is not caused by excessive antiskate, then it may be an inherent problem with the needle design or related to the aforementioned needle jump at the beginning of the record.
Also (a detail), there is no way to turn off the lighting lamp, which has a very cold light, except to remove it (yes, it snaps on and off, but then there is no space to store it).
After 6 months of use:
The slow needle drop stopped completely within the first two months of use. I had to add a special silicone gel to fix the problem, which I bought in a syringe of a few ml from abroad as the price in a vial is exorbitant (Silicone Damping Oil fluid AK 500000). Now the needle drops extremely slowly. I probably should have bought less dense silicone.
After a year of use:
I found that the antiskate on my device works normally and accurately on the dial when testing the needle on a laserdisc. However, it has a very small range, i.e. if you adjust the antiskate to balance the needle in the center of the record, then if you put it at the beginning or end of the record, it is pulled back to the center with relative force. I don't know if this is normal or if the needle should remain stationary throughout the surface of the record.
The worst thing, however, is the following. I now realize that fully manual turntables do not suit me. I particularly miss the automatic arm return feature that my old turntable had, as it allowed me to listen to music every night without the anxiety of not falling asleep. The result is that I no longer listen to as many records as before...
Given the current price increase to €379 at the time of writing this review, I will have to give it only 3 stars.