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In these times of digital music, vinyl records are having an astonishing comeback with skyrocketing sales. No other medium quite matches the warm sound of a vinyl record. To music lovers, there is no alternative – and when it comes to equipment, only the best is good enough. These were the thoughts of Louis Desjardins, of Montreal, Canada, when he began to develop a completely new record player for his own private use.
Today he is selling his Kronos players worldwide to customers who can afford it. Each unit costs about as much as a family car. However, the critics agree that Kronos is setting a new standard for detail and clarity in the high-end range.
Two counter-rotating disks compensate for any vibration
The secret is in the design: Louis Desjardins arranged two turntables on top of each other and lets them counter-rotate. This compensates for even the slightest vibration and, in conjunction with the 4-point suspension, ensures a very even rotation. Each disk is driven by a maxon motor. The drives are another critical factor. Because of their ironless winding, they do not have a cogging torque. “I knew right from the start that I was going to need a really good DC motor,” says Louis Desjardins. maxon motor did more than provide a suitable drive. To Desjardins, maxon is “a partner that gave me valuable technical advice and put me in touch with the right people to help me with the complex control unit.”
Change to DXC motors came as a revelation
This year, Louis Desjardins was able to bring the Kronos to yet another level, when maxon engineers supplied him with DCX-series micromotors. These motors are renowned for their efficiency, power, and compact dimensions. And what he heard after installation was an improvement in sound. “I didn't expect it, but there was an audible difference from the previous maxon drive. And I'd already been very happy before!” The brushed DCX motor with a diameter of 22 mm runs even smoother and hardly makes a sound. Desjardins is excited: “In a replay system, every detail counts. This is especially true for a player, where even the minutest motion affects the sound.”
The DCX 22L with a 22-millimeter diameter comes with precious metal brushes and the ironless winding that is typical of maxon. As all X-series drives, it is easy to control, energy efficient, and extremely durable.
The two maxon DC drives in the motor module drive the turntables.
With the two DCX motors that drive the turntables, the Kronos player has definitely arrived in the highest segment of the market. “I have the best drives in the market,” says Louis Desjardins. Bill Parish, a US-based Kronos distributor, agrees: “As good as the Kronos Limited Edition is – and I'm going to say that it is the best that is available worldwide – the DCX technology raises this player to yet another level.”
Louis Desjardins is proud to have succeeded turning his project into a business. “My idea worked, and I'm very grateful for that.” However, he isn't planning to rest on his laurels. After all, he is on a quest for the perfect player and wants to improve his product through continuous innovation. Desjardins believes that maxon motor is just the right partner: “Just like me, maxon wants to keep getting better. That's why I can be certain of having the best motors in the future as well.”
