Zavfino Copperhead-X Review

The 28 circular copper bolts fixed into the aluminum frame towards the base of the tonearm seem noble and give the Copperhead-X from Canadian analog expert Zavfino an extravagant appearance.

In preventing resonances, the maker thinks that these will complement the 15-millimeter-thick light metal chassis nicely.

Because the short cylinders are permanently linked to the very big frame, which permits another tonearm to be added on the left side, it is impossible to assess how it would sound without them.

You won't find a more musical, gritty-contoured, spacious, quiet, even downright tranquil sounding turntable in this price range – which is elevated but not extravagant.

The Copperhead-X has an instinct for the right mood, and tranquil styles complement its austere and sovereign personality perfectly.

Our reference turntable, for example, could not have expressed the grief in the wonderful jazz ballad "Les adieux" by the Sebastian Sternal Trio more intimately. All of this is despite the fact that the Canadian record player does not need to accentuate the lower registers in order to produce music with passion and harmony.

The synchronous motor, which is designed to be low-torque and hence conveys little interference to the heavy platter, is housed in its own chassis, which is recessed to the left of the base plate.

It is powered and operated by the external control unit, which we are familiar with from the ZV8-X. This produces an accurate, quartz-based sine wave and enables exact speed adjustments through recessed mini-switches.

It can, but does not have to, be put out of the way. Simply slide it underneath the turntable to save space while still looking fantastic. There were no interferences in the pickup, especially since the power supply was outsourced.

The inverse bearing allows silent suspension of the aluminum-alloy platter, which is softly kept in motion by a silicone belt and is distinguished by good material utilization and complexity.

Three sturdy feet, adjustable in height via copper spikes, allow for simple turntable leveling. It is critical to constantly leave a gap between the extremely silent motor block and the turntable chassis so that the parts do not come into contact with each other, which could result in unwanted vibration transmission.

The height-adjustable 9.5-inch tonearm "Aeshna" from Zavfino is likewise an old friend, this time with a very robust carbon rod. Its cryogenically treated knife-edge bearings are magnetically damped, preventing any vibration or resonance.

Zavfino's "The Spirit" phono cable, fitted with silver-plated pure copper strands and costing $180 on its own, is included in delivery to ensure that its performance and that of the pickup are properly preserved.

Post by - Bryan C.