{"product_id":"reed-muse-3a-friction-drive-turntable","title":"Reed Muse 3A Friction Drive Turntable","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Muse 3A is the middle Reed turntable — and the one that brings a particular Reed idea, friction drive, into reach for the listener who already understands what a great tonearm is worth. It sits between the Muse 1C and the Muse 3C, and shares the architecture, finish, and bearing pedigree of the larger Muse without asking for the larger statement-tier price.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe drive is the conversation. Most fine turntables use a belt: a thin band of compliant material between motor pulley and platter, chosen because the belt swallows the small imperfections of the motor and the small imperfections of the bearing and lets the platter rotate more smoothly than either part on its own. The Muse 3A uses a different approach. A precisely machined roller of a specific diameter — chosen so that its rotational velocity does not arrive at any integer multiple of the platter's — drives the platter directly by friction. Mechanical losses are lower, torque is higher, speed locks more firmly. The signature of belt drive — the small floating ease that comes with it — is exchanged for the signature of a direct mechanical coupling: notes start when they start; the platter cannot be coaxed off pitch by a heavy passage. A 3A owner who prefers belt can convert in minutes; the geometry accepts both, and the rollers swap by hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe motor is a coreless DC unit governed by a quartz-referenced phase-locked-loop. Maximum speed deviation is held to a hundredth of a percent. The plinth is birch plywood — every layer, including the bottom — chosen for its non-resonant character and its ability to take a fine finish. The main bearing is a reverse sliding thrust ball-and-stainless arrangement, with a low-noise lateral sliding bearing constraining the radial movement. The whole structure stands on hidden feet that lift the body slightly off the rack, giving the 3A its calm, almost levitating aesthetic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe arm board accommodates one tonearm in its standard form, or two — center plus off-center — for the owner who plays mono and stereo on separate arms, or who likes a 12-inch arm and a 9-inch arm side by side. Effective tonearm length range is 9.5 to 12 inches, which means the Muse 3A pairs naturally with any of the Reed arms. A second armboard is available as an option for $1,475; contact us to add it to the order.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThree finishes are offered: white, black, and the carnelian red that has become a quiet Reed signature. The control system shows platter speed and a built-in inclinometer for level; the visual language is restrained, the way the rest of the Muse line is restrained.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Muse 3A is built one at a time at the Reed workshop and delivered with a full pre-installation conversation about armboard configuration and tonearm choice. Available at both Alma showrooms by appointment.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Reed","offers":[{"title":"White","offer_id":48892034842843,"sku":null,"price":22975.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black","offer_id":48892034941147,"sku":null,"price":22975.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Carnelian Red","offer_id":48892034973915,"sku":null,"price":22975.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1363\/6553\/files\/3AWhite1.jpg?v=1781924775","url":"https:\/\/almaaudio.com\/products\/reed-muse-3a-friction-drive-turntable","provider":"Alma Music and Audio","version":"1.0","type":"link"}