Foto © Paul Stolper Gallery | Brian Eno Turntable II

Brian Eno Turntable II – design object for 20.000 pounds

Back in 2021, the artist Brian Eno surprised everyone by designing a very special record player, the Brian Eno Turntable, which was created in collaboration with the Paul Stolper Gallery. Now comes a new work of art, the Brian Eno Turntable II.

Michael Holzinger 12 February 2024Last Updated: 12 February 2024

0 3 minutes read

Once again, visual artist Brian Eno has put a record player in the limelight in the form of the new Brian Eno Turntable II.

t is not intended to be a simple record player, but rather the artistic interpretation of a record player, at least that is how Brian Eno, who sees himself first and foremost as a visual artist, describes his Brian Eno Turntable, which was first presented in 2021 with the Paul Stolper Gallery and has now been presented in the form of the Brian Eno Turntable II, now in its second generation.

As with the first model, the main focus here is on light, Brian Eno once again uses acrylic as a material and sees this product as a work of art that can perform music on the one hand and function as a sculpture when it is not.

Brian Eno, the universal artist

Most people will probably know Brian Eno as a musician and producer, as the artist, who was born in 1948, has worked on very different projects over the decades. He is regarded as a co-founder of the band Roxy Music, pursued various solo projects in the 1970s in particular and worked with David Bowie and the Talking Heads, meaning that he played a key role in many a legendary album and ultimately contributed to the music history of the 20th century.

Apart from his musical activities, Brian Eno now sees himself first and foremost as a visual artist, and his record players should also be seen in this context.

A turntable made from acrylic

The design of Brian Eno’s first turntable, the Brian Eno Turntable, already focussed on light, so acrylic was used as a semi-transparent material. Interestingly, the Brian Eno Turntable had a very solid rectangular body, whereas the new Brian Eno Turntable II now uses a round chassis that only extends slightly beyond the turntable, but is still quite solid and therefore has a corresponding height.

The new Brian Eno Turntable II measures 45 cm in diameter and 15 cm in height, and sits on feet measuring 1.8 cm in height.

Now shines in two different colours

A special feature of the new Brian Eno Turntable II is that it now has a platter and a chassis, each of which is equipped with a separate RGB controller and LEDs and can therefore shine in different colours independently of each other. The company is convinced that this will result in very special Generative Colourscapes.

“In music, I use the same kind of generative processes as in painting, which are based on overlapping, unsynchronised cycles. Several overlapping light cycles create different colour balances and mixtures – and different shadow formations that develop slowly and never repeat exactly. The process is simple. The results are complex.”
Brian Eno

The tonearm is an 8.6-inch aluminium tonearm from Pro-Ject Audio Systems, painted completely in white. The cartridge system is also in white, and is an Ortofon A/S system from the Ortofon 2M Series.

The platter is driven by a belt and a 15 V DC synchronous motor, whereby an electronic speed control is used to switch between 33 and 45 revolutions per minute at the touch of a button.

Prices and availability

The Brian Eno Turntable II will not be available in more than 150 units worldwide, according to the Paul Stolper Gallery, which is responsible for the distribution of the turntable. This turntable will cost a hefty GBP 20.000,-, with taxes and transport costs to be added.

Getting to the point

In all honesty, it has to be said that the new Brian Eno Turntable II is first and foremost a collector’s item for those who want to spend far too much on a record player, or simply see it as an investment in the form of a work of art. Even if it is a thoroughly impressive turntable, at least when it comes to its appearance, the turntable derives its value solely from the fact that the name Brian Eno is behind it, that has to be stated quite soberly. Viewed purely as a record player, the Paul Stolper Gallery’s GBP 20.000,- turntable is more in the € 200,- class.