(Review) Rekkord F100P, Affordable German Engineering

rekkord f100p

Rekkord is a German turntable company that makes a few different full auto and manual turntables. The F100p is Rekkord’s entry table of their auto lineup, it comes in at a price of $399.00 U.S, and the P stands for Phono. They also offer this model without a built-in phono amp for $369.00 known as the F100. It comes equipped with an AT3600L already installed and adjusted. Each table that Rekkord sells is built by hand and mostly ready to play out of the box. Vana has started to import these tables to the U.S. market and we were excited to check one out. Let’s hop in and see how it performs

rekkord f100p

F100P Unboxing and Setup

Unboxing the F100P is pretty straightforward, it came well-packed and secure. Once you have the table and its parts out of the box you will want to check the manual for setup instructions. There are 2 red “L” shaped pieces of plastic under the platter that need to be removed before play. These are in place to keep everything in place during shipping. After removing those, you can replace the platter and mat and start listening. There is also a Dust cover that you can put on if you like or leave off depending on your preference. The Cartridge is already set correctly from the factory, though you may want to check to be sure it didn’t get misaligned in shipping somehow. Ours was good to go out of the box. If you have the F100P, you can plug the RCAs into any of your line-in inputs, if you have the F100 you will need to the RCAs into a MM Phono Input. Once everything is plugged in you can put your first record or should I say Rekkord on and select the appropriate speed, unlock the tonearm and move the switch to start. The table will automatically lift, cue, and drop the tone arm then reverse the process when the record ends. If you need to stop a record in the middle of playback you can flip the switch to stop and the table will return the tone arm to the rest and stop the platter.

The construction of the F100p is based on a pressed wood plinth. Rekkord says a large portion of this is recycled wood. There are many different types of pressed woods such as MDF which is commonly used in audio equipment. Pressed woods tend to have good dampening as well as being perfectly flat making them easy to work with. It also unlike solid woods will not bow over time due to drying out after being milled. The plater is stamped aluminum which is an economical choice, it is sturdy and will hold up over time. Though aluminum is susceptible to resonances. The switches for the speed, queuing, and start and stop are made from plastic, and feel a little soft, but they work well and are easy to manipulate. The Tonearm is lightweight aluminum, riding on steel bearings. The actual playing assembly does ride on dampers separate from the plinth. Overall the materials used are reasonable for the price point. The finished appearance is nice and clean, with sharp edges.

rekkord f100p

Sound Quality

The F100P sounds good, I didn’t have many expectations good or bad for this table to keep an open mind about a new to me brand and type of table. My only experience with an automatic table was helping my Granpa set up his Audio-Technica LP-60, and I assumed the Rekkord would be better than that but probably not quite up to my Audio-Technica LP-7. The F100P is somewhere in the middle and appropriately so. That said if you are okay with manual operation you can get a little more for your money as there are fewer components in a manual table. At first, I thought the price might be a bit high for what you are getting, but after looking into more full auto tables it is close to others with similar features. The ability for the table to start, queue, lift and stop all on its own means more parts, engineering, and subsequently cost. Something else to keep in mind though is there are very limited adjustments you can make. The inability to adjust the table is neither a positive nor a negative thing in my mind as not everyone wants to fiddle with settings. Some users want to turn it on listen and not worry about a half dozen or more adjustable parts being just right. If you are like me and the type to tinker with everything you own this may be a downside, but if you want something that just works and is maintenance free this is a great option.

rekkord f100p

After letting the table run in for a bit with various records I sat down to do some serious listening. I put on Incubus’ Morning View, and something I noticed with this record is that the autocue started slightly into the first song on each side. I didn’t notice this on any of the other records I played so is likely something you will experience very rarely. That said listening was very pleasing. The record sounded as it should with good coverage of frequencies. The equipped cartridge has good detail and tracks nicely. Instruments were presented nicely throughout the record, having good separation and staging.

My next record was Daft Punk’s Discovery, this is one of my all-time favorites and is frequently used in my analog reviews. It is a great album that can really flex a good system. It is a very complex and fast playing, with a wide frequency range that really pushes the limits of analog’s dynamic capabilities. I did notice that overall it seemed a bit muted compared to playing on my LP-7 with a Quintet Blue cart. It was a little less forward and exciting than I am used to now. That said I wouldn’t say it sounds bad at all, just missing a little of the sparkle you can get out of better gear. The midrange comes through very well, but some of the top end and bottom end are a little subdued or held back.

I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to play German band Kraftwerk on this German table. I put on their album Autobahn, and if you have never listened, I urge you to check them out. They are probably best described as an experimental electric alt-rock group and helped actually usher in the electronic music age. If you like synths and goofy lyrics you’ll probably like Kraftwerk. They sounded great and their heavy use of panning to create dimension was picked up well. The synths zooming across the front stage is excellent and bring some life to the recording. There is good detail and space, letting the layers breathe. You get a sense of the depth of the music.

Something I noticed while playing records is that the isolation is not the best on this table, if you move around the room the vibrations are picked up. Big enough vibrations caused skips, such as me getting up to pick another record to put on next. This is something that can be taken care of through an isolation plinth or different feet, though it will be an added cost. That said the F110 which is the next level up does have a happened and isolated platter and motor section which likely helps. It should be noted that heavy plinths that help isolate vibrations tend to be expensive and not something you will see on entry-level tables from any manufacturer. My LP-7 which weighs almost double also costs around double and it s a fully manual table.

rekkord f100p

Manufacturer Specs

Dimensions & Weight

Wide x Height x Depth:430 x 130 x 365 mm
Weight:5,4 kg

Drive & Speed

Speed:33 & 45 RPM
Drive system:Belt drive
Wow & Flutter:0,06%

Cartridge

Type:Moving Magnet (MM)
Model:Audio Technica AT-3600L
Stylus:Bonded Conical
Frequency response:20-20000 Hz
SNR:65 dB
Channel Separation:18dB at 1kHz
Load Impedance/Capacitance:47 kOhms / 100 pF
Weight:5g
Recommended Tracking Force:2g
rekkord f100p

Output

F100:Phono RCA + Ground Cable
F100P:Line RCA

Power

External Power Supply

Voltage:12V DC
Current:150mA

Accessories

Cable, Dust Cover, Singles Adapter

Associated Equipment

  • Marantz SR7009 Pre Amp
  • Mcintosh MC250 Power Amp
  • SVS SB1000 Pro
  • Nakamichi PA-5 Stasis Power Amp
  • Sonus Faber Sonetto V Speakers
  • Audioquest Power and Interconnects
  • Prosper Cables Custom Speaker Cables
  • Audio-Technica LP-7
  • Ortofon Quintet Blue
rekkord f100p

Conclusion

The Rekkord F100p is a good table with a lot of competition, It is hard for me to outright recommend it as there are so many options for you to choose from at this price point. Where I think it is a good fit is for someone who wants to be able to play records and not mess with a ton of setup. It is a simple table that does all the work for you and doesn’t require a Phono input. It could be a great addition to a pair of active speakers if you want to add vinyl as a playback option. I think if you are serious about your analog listing that this table may come across as a little too beginner for you, and perhaps one of Rekkord’s higher-level tables or something else together may be a better option. I think the table is priced fairly for the quality you get, though I would like to see an adjustable counterweight at this price as users are likely going to want to upgrade or change their cartridge as time passes. You can get this feature with the F300, so if an upgrade path is something you look for that may be a better bet. That said if you stick to similarly weighted cartridges with a similar enough tracking force you can get around the preset counterweight. If you are looking for an all-in-one full auto package turntable I think the Rekkord F100p should be on your list to checkout. They are still new in the states, being distributed by VANA so check them out to find out where you can buy your own, the link will be below.

For more info on Rekkord click below

https://www.rekkord-audio.com/en/home/

For more info on where to buy in the U.S. click below

https://vanaltd.com/apps/locate-a-store

Disclaimer:

VANA supplied Hifi Chicken with an F100p for review, Rekkord nor Vana nor any affiliate paid in full or part in exchange for a review

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