Miniot, a small family-run technology business based in the Netherlands, has launched the Wheel 3, the third generation of its peculiar upright turntable. The Wheel 3 pushes the concept of the upright record player invented by the family in 2017 to its limit.

Instead of using traditional magnetic pickup technology, the Wheel 3 employs a revolutionary optical analog system that measures stylus position directly using light. The optical system works by shining light onto a small plate on the stylus and measuring the shadow it casts as the needle tracks through the groove. This approach creates a much lighter pickup assembly since it eliminates heavy magnets and coils, allowing the stylus to track high-frequency details more accurately while capturing the full frequency spectrum down to 0 Hz.

By continuously monitoring stylus position in real-time, the player's control system can make instant adjustments to maintain perfect tracking force and groove contact. The five optical sensors work with predictive algorithms to compensate for warped or off-center records before they affect playback, delivering what Miniot promises is "pitch perfect" analog performance. 

The Wheel 3 design is minimalist and elegant, and uses just two components: a machined composite back and a unibody aluminum front with circular polishing that makes translucent records glow. The symmetrical design features a silent linear tonearm and works at any angle—upright, flat, or wall-mounted.