EAT Prelude
Hi-fi turntables · 2019–present In production
£999 UK RRP
European Audio Team's entry point: a carbon-armed, TPE-damped deck with the glamour styling the Czech brand is known for.
Checked against the manufacturer’s site: 2026-07
Who it suits
Best suited to: a first serious turntable for an existing or planned amp-and-speakers setup. Less ideal for: plugging straight into passive speakers with no amp — check the built-in phono stage row above, and note most hi-fi decks still need external amplification.
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.
Specifications
| Drive | belt drive |
|---|---|
| Speeds | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | manual |
| Cartridge included | Ortofon 2M Red |
| Built-in phono stage | No |
| USB output | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Platter | aluminium with TPE damping |
| Tonearm | 9" carbon-fibre |
| Dimensions | 415 x 130 x 335 mm (W x H x D) |
| Weight | 5.5 kg |
| Finishes | Piano lacquer black (standard); optional EAT-green motor/belt cosmetic variant |
| Warranty | 2 years (EAT standard across the range) |
| Years | 2019–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 mid-pack of its category — 72% of priced hi-fi decks cost less.
Live merchant offers
Checking current in-stock offers for EAT Prelude…
Retailer searches
6 UK merchants stock EAT — each outbound link searches the deck on that merchant’s site.
| Merchant | Type | Delivery | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analogue Seduction | hifi independent | Free UK delivery on most items; specialist packing | Search at Analogue Seduction ↗ |
| Audio Affair | hifi independent | Free UK delivery over £50 | Search at Audio Affair ↗ |
| Audio T | hifi chain | Free UK delivery on most items; in-store demos | Search at Audio T ↗ |
| Criterion Audio | hifi independent | UK delivery; Cambridge demo rooms | Search at Criterion Audio ↗ |
| Fanthorpes HiFi | hifi independent | Free UK delivery on most hi-fi | Search at Fanthorpes HiFi ↗ |
| The Audiobarn | hifi independent | UK delivery; demo by appointment | Search at The Audiobarn ↗ |
Compare it
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