CES 2015

Vana Ltd. Now Distributes E.A.T. Line of Turntables and Electronics

Michael Fremer  |  Jan 11, 2015

Vana Ltd. now distributes the E.A.T. (European Audio Team) turntables and electronics. The company was founded more than ten years ago by Jozefina Krahulcova (now Lichtenegger) to produce and distribute vacuum tubes. The tubes, partially manufactured at the Tesla factory in the Czech Republic (as seen in a recently posted video on this website) are now distributed worldwide.

While Jozefina later married to Pro-Ject founder Heinz Lichtenegger, and the E.A.T. turntables are built at the Pro-Ject factory, rest assured that the designs are Jozefina's and if you think otherwise you've not met Jozefina! Her designs are technically competent, making use of some parts common to Pro-Ject designs, but much is unique in these 'tables as the E-Flat's flat arm makes obvious. But Jozefina also pays attention to style, producing turntables that are as attractive as they are high performance.

Here's a video hosted by Vana Ltd.'s Kevin Wolff that runs you through the E.A.T. product line. Please excuse the mediocre sound: the video was recorded before I realized I'd placed the wrong back on the GoPro case.

COMMENTS
Paul Boudreau's picture
Submitted by Paul Boudreau on Wed, 2015-01-14 07:01

A little mayo and we're good to go. Gorgeous 'table.

David_Cormier's picture
Submitted by David_Cormier on Wed, 2015-01-14 13:08

While you're busy covering turntables and cartridges that cost in the 4 and 5 digits, Music Matters is announcing a whole lot of new Blue Note 33 1/3 reissues in its web site ;)

http://www.musicmattersjazz.com/category_s/92.htm

According to Discogs (http://www.discogs.com/label/788719-Blue-Note-The-Definitive-Vinyl-Reiss...), Maiden Voyage and Out To Lunch! were already released on January 9.

Seeing the list of new Music Matters reissues coming in 2015, it is going to be difficult to hold my new year resolution : buy less records this year!

akovo's picture
Submitted by akovo on Wed, 2015-01-14 14:39

I picked up a few from the first batch they did, "Midnight Blue" and "Blue Train." Holy hell they sound good. Definitely picking up a few more this year. I have a good number of them already on the blue label with a black or white B on it from 70s that sound pretty good to me. Might have to double up on a few select titles for a little comparison.

Michael Fremer's picture
Submitted by Michael Fremer on Thu, 2015-01-15 16:38
They are outstanding, cut from original tapes and mastered by Kevin Gray in his newly upgrading mastering suite. We did review "Midnight Blue" here: http://www.analogplanet.com/content/kenny-burrells-classic-midnight-blue%C2%A0%C2%A0-33-13-music-matters
labjr's picture
Submitted by labjr on Thu, 2015-01-15 06:40

Looks rather Denon-ish. Late 70's. Odd looking flat tone-arm though.

Michael Fremer's picture
Submitted by Michael Fremer on Thu, 2015-01-15 16:38
NAD had one in the 1980s. Flexible too!
Ortofan's picture
Submitted by Ortofan on Sat, 2015-01-17 01:45

...this iteration of a flat tonearm has better acceptance in the marketplace than did the NAD. It doesn't appear that the EAT design incorporates a variable fluid damping system as did the NAD.

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