This aluminium vinyl deck has a hidden secret that'll stun you

You know what to expect from the best turntables. They'll have a platter. They'll have a speed control, or a belt to adjust. And they will absolutely, definitely, certainly have a tonearm.

This deck doesn't.

This is the Aluminium PP-1 Turntable, created by design studio Waiting For Ideas (via DesignBoom). And the lack of tonearm isn't the only thing that's unique – it also works very differently from a typical turntable. It looks very different too.

A turntable without a tonearm

This is no ordinary turntable. It's hewn from a solid block of aluminium and lacks all the usual hardware you'd expect to see on a premium record player. Simply place your record upside-down, press play and the PP-1 takes care of the rest.

There are just two buttons – one for speed control (although it can auto-detect the appropriate speed if you want it to), and the other for play, pause, previous, next, and volume.

The PP-1 can sit horizontally or vertically, and the studio has also designed 80W companion speakers to go with it. The turntable is powered via USB-C, has a 3.5mm mini-jack output, and includes an elliptical diamond stylus.

This sort of design innovation come cheap, of course. It'll set you back €5,800 (about £4,790 / $6,030 / AU$9,700) for the PP-1, or €9,000 (about £7,430 / $9,360 / AU$15,000) if you want it in a bundle with its companion speakers. You'll need to provide your own amplifier as the speakers are passive.

It's fair to say that the Aluminium PP-1 Turntable isn't aimed at the average vinyl fan – it's as much an art piece as it is a record deck. But, if you like its striking looks and unusual approach, it is available to order now, and Waiting For Ideas says that each one will be made to order. You can find out more at Waiting For Ideas.