Reed has built its reputation on the development and manufacturing of tonearms – a critical part of the vinyl replay chain - since 2007. However, it also now offers two turntables alongside five tonearms, or armwands as the company prefers to call them. These are all available in the UK through Absolute Sounds and its retail partners.

REED ARMWANDS

We are told that Reed tonearms are "painstakingly engineered" with Reed's 1H (below), 2G and 3P radial designs available in 9.5-, 10.5- and 12.5-inch lengths. Meanwhile, the flagship 5A and 5T are tangential-pivot armwands. Furthermore, the 5T is loaded with a laser to track the arm's lateral motion while a battery-powered motor applies real-time correction.

All Reed tonearms include height and azimuth adjustment, with the 3P offering on-the-fly fine VTA adjustment and the ability to adjust azimuth whilst playing a record. You can also add laser-calibrated VTA and azimuth adjustment to the 2G (below).

The 2G, 3P (below), 5A, and 5T have wooden armwands in a choice of woods, including wenge, light or dark teak, Macassar ebony and cocobolo.

In addition, the 1H features a wood-damped carbon fibre armwand. There is also a choice of finish options for the user-replaceable headshell and main assembly, with all models available in black or seashell white. Some additionally offer satin palladium, matt or gloss gold.

Further options include the effective mass of the wooden armwands being adapted to your specific requirements and a range of counterweights and wiring options, focusing on tailoring the arm to your turntable and cartridge.

REED TURNTABLES

The Muse 1C and flagship Muse 3C turntables are, of course, perfect partners for the company's tonearms, with the Muse 3C able to accommodate two arms.

The Muse 3C also features a pair of direct-current motors and can be used both as a friction-driven and belt-driven design, with the former being its default state. This model also boasts a reverse sliding thrust bearing, traction rollers to remove mechanical vibration, a quartz-based phase lock loop system for precise speed control and an electronic inclinometer to ensure perfect horizontal alignment.

The Muse 1C benefits from trickle-down tech from its flagship stablemate, including the main bearing, traction control and electronic inclinometer, albeit housed in a simplified, resonance-free wooden body. Although not user-switchable between friction and belt driven, you can order it in either form.

Speed options include 16, 33 1/3, 45 and 78 RPM, with the 78 RPM speed manually adjustable from 70 to 85 RPM.

The Muse 1C has two finish options – moonlit black or Karelian birch as pictured below.

Ricardo Franassovici, Absolute Sound's founder and MD, told StereoNET:

Vinyl remains an important part of the high-end audio landscape – arguably more important now than it was a decade ago... We have admired Reed's exquisite tonearms for some time, but the company's range is now better than ever. These exceptional tonearms and turntables are the perfect addition to our portfolio of products for vinyl lovers.

Pricing for Reed tonearms varies according to the required specification; however, the base retail prices start at £3,098 for the Reed 1H, £3,498 for the 2G and £4,298 for the 3P. The Reed 5A starts at £7,798, and the Reed 5T, £15,500. As for the turntables, the Muse 1C costs £9,998 in belt-driven format or £11,998 for the friction drive model. Meanwhile, the Muse 3C is priced at £19,500.

Visit Reed for more information