Visually, the model that I had was absolutely stunning. Constructed in some sort of clear Perspex and standing on burnt orange feet, this handsome beast looks amazing, at least to my eyes.

It’s a masterful performance, with an integrated, contiguous sound from
deepest bass to soaring treble. Soundstaging is unforced and natural – neither
painting too broad a picture nor reducing stage width. It’s dynamic too, with
sound rising from a super-quiet noise floor for vinyl. And crucially, even the
surface noise doesn’t intrude; it just ‘floats’ above the music.

When a designer makes his or her mark with something exotic, there’s often a sense of trepidation when it comes to successfully trickling down the technology to the more affordable versions that are likely to be the big sellers.

You could think of the Mystic, at $2699, as somewhat “affordable,” but for me that’s a stretch. Better to say that while it’s not outrageously expensive, it’s still a high-rent MC that outputs a manageable 0.5mV. Its micro-elliptical stylus rides on a tubular cantilever of aluminum, and Vertere recommends a vertical tracking force (VTF) of 2gm.

The MG-1 MkII is just the second step-up in Vertere’s four-strong turntable family, though once arm and cartridge are included it still sits firmly in the high-end sector of the market.