Amadeus GTA

About the Amadeus GTA

The Well Tempered Lab Amadeus GTA is a premium turntable designed by William Firebaugh, emphasizing mechanical stability, damping, and simplicity for superior vinyl playback. It features a two-piece damped aluminium and acrylic sandwich plinth weighing approximately 16.5 kg, mounted on squash ball isolation to minimize vibrations. The tonearm is the LTD/Symmetrex model, which uses a unique golf ball suspended by a monofilament thread in a viscous silicone fluid bath, eliminating conventional bearings and providing adjustable damping for optimal tracking and minimal distortion. The platter uses a zero-clearance bearing with a stainless steel spindle rotating in a triangular Teflon hole for enhanced stability. The motor is servo-controlled with vibration isolation, driving the platter via a 0.004” polyester thread belt, ensuring very low wow and flutter. Speed change between 33 1/3 and 45 RPM is manual via belt repositioning on the pulley. The plinth construction incorporates multilayer plywood encapsulated in aluminium, combining rigidity with energy dissipation. The design philosophy focuses on eliminating mechanical resonances and side-band distortion, resulting in a highly coherent and stable playback system. The Amadeus GTA MkII includes refinements such as the LTD tonearm in the Symmetrex configuration and improved power supply units. It is regarded as a robust, practical, and musically transparent turntable with a distinctive minimalist aesthetic and exceptional performance.