aluminum PP-1 turntable by waiting for ideas plays vinyl records without tonearm or settings

aluminum PP-1 turntable for vinyl records without tonearm

Studio Waiting for Ideas creates the aluminum PP-1 turntable that plays vinyl records without any tonearm or settings. The design team forges it from a solid block of aluminum, resulting in a turntable that resembles a monolith sculpture. There’s no tonearm to manipulate, no settings to adjust. Users just plug the device, place the vinyl records upside down, and press the play button on the side to start using it. While the aluminum PP-1 turntable for vinyl records looks raw and minimal, it possesses advanced technology because it detects the record’s speed (33/45 RPM) and transitions between tracks on its own. In this case, the device is a mix of the traditional and digital vinyl player. 

In an email with designboom, Jean-Baptiste Anotin, the founder and creative director of Waiting for Ideas, says that there are two buttons on the aluminum PP-1 turntable for vinyl records. The small one on the left is for the speed. Turning it towards left is for 33 RPM, then to the right for 45 RPM. If positioned in the middle, it means the player automatically detects the record’s speed. Then, the second button on the right is multipurpose. It is the knob for play, pause, next, previous, and volume. The design team also adds a separate, custom-made pair of speakers. They fully wrap these box-shaped devices in black fabric that connects to the player for sound production.

all images courtesy of Waiting for Ideas | all photos by Mathilde Hiley

Monolithic sculpture by waiting for ideas

Because it is a monolith sculpture, users can prop up the aluminum PP-1 turntable as it plays vinyl records. The disc stays in its position, rotating without falling from the device. The player can stand on its own too since its aluminum body is chunky enough to hold its weight and find its footing. Minimal and raw design is what the Waiting for Ideas team opts for their device. With this in mind, they remove any buttons or graphics on the side of the device.

It exudes a clean look throughout because of this. On the surface of the player, the aluminum PP-1 turntable for vinyl records has two knobs. The left one for the speed and the auto-detection feature, while the right one for the play, pause, next, previous, and volume. Given that it can detect the record’s speed on its own, the device entails having a sensor that allows it to monitor the RPM of the discs as they play. The aluminum PP-1 turntable for vinyl records launches on February 27th, 2025, and the design team says it is made to order.

studio Waiting for Ideas creates the aluminum PP-1 turntable that plays vinyl records without a tonearm

detailed view of the player

the design team forges from a solid block of aluminum

users just plug the device, place the vinyl records upside down, and press the play button

there’s no tonearm to manipulate, no settings to adjust

detailed view of the player’s surface

volume and power buttons

USB and speaker ports

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project info:

name: PP-1 turntable

studio: Waiting for Ideas | @waiting.for.ideas

photography: Mathilde Hiley | @mathildehiley