Then there s the Fortissimo S, from European Audio Team. It s a Bentley Continental GT: sleek and elegant in its own boxy way, but also larger than life. Hugely powerful, but undeniably elegant. Fat tires, squat to the road with unlimited torque, but so comfortable and silent that you don t even know it s running.

It s not often that an audio component hits all my requirements. Appearance? Check. Sound quality? Check. Ease of use? Check. I ve said it before a number of times: a turntable has to inspire lust, it has to feel good in the hand, and it has to make you smile. These factors are as important as sound quality. The Fortissimo S checks all my boxes and gets my highest recommendation.

Read the full EAT.'s Fortissimo S and F-Note Tonearm review on SoundStage! Ultra.