Miniot, “self-described as a “small Dutch family with big deals,” hasn’t reinvented the wheel, but it has reinvented the turntable as a wheel. The latest iteration, the Wheel 3, is among the most minimalist vinyl-spinning apparatuses ever created, with a “spaceship” profile is crafted from just two parts: a solid composite block forms the rear, while a thick billet of aluminum, turned and milled to perfection, makes up the unibody front. This aluminum is then circularly polished to a mesmerizing luster that, when paired with translucent records, creates a radiant, glowing effect .
The linear tonearm glides silently along a narrow, elegantly embedded track within the aluminum rim. This design choice not only ensures perfect symmetry but also helps protect the stylus from dust. A discreet, dimmable display remains hidden until you need it, preserving the clean lines. With the ability to operate upright on a stand, flat, or even mounted on a wall, the Wheel 3’s mechanism works at any angle, even upside down, offering a level of versatility and visual flexibility previously unheard of in high-fidelity audio.But the true genius of the Wheel 3 lies in its radical approach to sound reproduction. Unlike traditional turntables, which rely on moving magnet or moving coil cartridges to convert a stylus’s physical vibrations into an electrical signal, the Wheel 3 employs an optical stylus.
Traditional magnetic cartridges face a fundamental hurdle: they measure velocity or, more precisely, the change in a magnetic field. Low-frequency sounds, with their slow, deliberate shifts, are inherently difficult for these systems to capture accurately. Compounding this, the RIAA equalization curve—a necessary evil for fitting more music on a record—intentionally cuts bass during mastering, requiring a significant boost during playback that often results in a muddy, indistinct low end.
The Wheel 3’s optical stylus sidesteps this entire problem. Instead of measuring velocity, it measures position by shining a light onto a tiny plate on the needle and analyzing the shadow it casts. This allows the system to “see” every detail of the groove, from the highest highs down to 0 Hz. This position-based measurement provides a level of resolution in the low end that magnetic cartridges simply cannot match, revealing a newfound clarity and depth in your vinyl collection. The optical design makes the entire stylus assembly significantly lighter, allowing it to track high-frequency details.
This optical innovation also has profound implications for the Wheel 3’s linear tonearm. By directly tapping into the raw signal from the stylus, the system can precisely position the carriage in real-time, functioning almost like an analog joystick to maintain perfect groove contact and ideal pressure at all times.
The Miniot Wheel 3 is available to preorder now for $3,446 before deliveries begin in 10 weeks.