AVID Acutus Reference SP
High-end turntables · 2008–present In production
£13,500 UK RRP
AVID's flagship: a massive sprung sub-chassis, twin-belt drive and dedicated reference power supply.
The full expression of AVID founder Conrad Mas's engineering.
Checked against the manufacturer’s site: 2026-07
Who it suits
Best suited to: an established system where the amp, speakers and room can resolve what this deck retrieves from the groove. Less ideal for: a first turntable — the same budget goes much further spent on mid-range separates first.
Compatibility and setup
- Manual operation: you cue and lift the tonearm by hand at the start and end of each side — there’s no auto-return or auto-lift.
Good to know
- No built-in phono stage — use an amplifier with a phono input or add a separate phono preamplifier.
- Sold without a cartridge fitted — budget for a compatible cartridge and setup before first use.
- Professional setup of tracking force, alignment, azimuth and arm height is worth budgeting for at this level.
Specifications
| Drive | belt drive |
|---|---|
| Speeds | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | manual |
| Cartridge included | sold bare |
| Built-in phono stage | No |
| USB output | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Platter | aluminium, heavy |
| Tonearm | sold bare |
| Dimensions | 460mm (W) x 210mm (H) x 400mm (D) [overall]; 410mm x 360mm (W x D) footprint; PSU: 415mm (W) x 140mm (H) x 350mm (D) |
| Weight | 19 kg |
| Finishes | Black (standard); Chrome and Gold available at a premium |
| Warranty | 2 years standard; extendable to 5 years with product registration |
| Years | 2008–present |
How it sits in the catalogue
Its belt-drive mechanism is the majority choice in the database (130 of 159). On price it sits toward the top of its category — 86% of priced high-end decks cost less.
Live merchant offers
Checking current in-stock offers for AVID Acutus Reference SP…
Retailer searches
2 UK merchants stock AVID — linked directly to the product page where we have one, otherwise to a site search for the deck.
| Merchant | Type | Delivery | Product link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analogue Seduction | hifi independent | Free UK delivery on most items; specialist packing | View at Analogue Seduction ↗ |
| The Audiobarn | hifi independent | UK delivery; demo by appointment | Search at The Audiobarn ↗ |
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