Raven LS
The Raven LS model is a 2020 development that pursued two goals: The high-end turntable should accommodate up to four tonearms while simultaneously fitting on a standard-sized hi-fi rack.
We implemented several clever solutions to fulfill these requirements. To allow the model to be smaller than the Raven AC2 or even the Raven Black Night, the complex motor control system is housed inside the solid plinth, milled from a single piece of aluminum. A modified Pabst motor is also located here, very close to the platter. The unit is operated via spring-loaded metal knobs on the front panel.
The platter rests on the tried-and-tested bearing design also used in the larger models: A 16 mm diameter stainless steel pin with a stainless steel ball pressed into its top sits securely in a stainless steel ring on the plinth, which is anchored with six screws. However, the owner only sees this construction when changing the bearing oil every few years, because the platter appears to rotate without any air gap inside the plinth.
With its 28-kilogram aluminum plinth, the Raven LS has a solid foundation. It rests on four stainless steel feet that are finely height-adjustable. The platter, with its sandwich construction, is similar to the Raven AC2. It consists of a solid copper top and a base made of a special version of POM plastic with high internal damping. At its center, a phosphor bronze bearing bushing with a hard plastic bearing surface is centered on rubber rings. This design has proven itself over decades and is considered virtually indestructible. The platter weighs 12 kilograms.
For the straightforward installation of new tonearms, the Raven LS features the innovative solution first developed for the Raven GT2. The tonearm base has various mounting holes designed for ten common tonearm geometries, allowing for precise adjustments in seconds. Other lengths can also be accommodated by rotating the tonearm base. Users who decide to replace their tonearm can simply swap out the aluminum insert of the tonearm base without needing a new base. The Raven LS also offers space for four tonearm bases, so owners are not limited to a single tonearm-cartridge combination.
But that's not all. The Raven LS wouldn't be a "new" Raven if we hadn't taken things a step further. Based on our experience with the larger turntable models, we've come up with two additional upgrades for the motor and platter. A model like the Raven Black Night benefits enormously from the 3-motor drive, where a microcontroller provides the DC motors with a precise clock speed. However, this solution, if implemented correctly, requires a lot of space. The Raven LS utilizes the solid plinth and allows for the attachment of an additional motor module with two motors at the rear. By means of a longer belt that is wrapped around the three-motor assembly, the Raven LS's permanently installed motor reverses its direction of rotation. The external motor unit, like the base, is milled from a solid block of aluminum. Only an Allen key is required for the upgrade, and installation takes just a few minutes. The effect is clearly audible, even if practically immeasurable.
Upgrading to the "large" platter, which can be retrofitted, offers a clear sonic improvement. This platter is similar in design to the flagship Raven Black Night model, weighs a modest 23 kilograms, and features a solid copper plate several centimeters thick. Ordering this upgrade at the same time as the turntable can save you a little money.
Technical Specifications:
- Width of base: 460 mm
- Depth of base without auxiliary motor: 410 mm
- Depth of base with auxiliary motor: 495 mm (Note: the auxiliary motor is suspended and does not require downward support)
- Height from bottom of base to top of platter: 175 mm (Note: height will be correspondingly higher with tonearm installed)
Reviews
With the new LS, TW Acustic has scored a resounding success. Combined with high-quality tonearms and cartridges, this superbly crafted mass-loaded turntable impresses with its exceptional finesse in all areas and a pronounced musicality within a high-end aura.
- Matthias Böde, STEREO, Ausgabe 11/2020
Eventually, you'll want those two additional motors, I promise. Even though the Raven LS is already an incredibly stable and expansive-sounding platform for tonearms and cartridges of every shape and color "on its own." Turntable design at its limit!
- Holger Barske, LP, Ausgabe 5/2020
There's really nothing I musically miss with this turntable. Of course, the Raven "Black Night" is the even better turntable, but it's not just my editor-in-chief (owner of a "Black Night"!) who says: "If you don't hear the players side-by-side, you won't miss a thing. The musicality of TW Acoustic players is always outstanding, even with the smaller models!" I generally like to disagree, but in this case, I simply can't. I find it hard to believe that any significant improvements over the Raven LS are still possible.
- Andreas Wenderoth, image hifi, Ausgabe 2/2021
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Music should touch you – with depth, dynamism, and soul. Our turntables, tonearms, and phono preamplifiers are designed to reproduce this emotion authentically. Every detail, every component is crafted with passion and precision to transform sound back into music – authentic, vibrant, and pure.
