Acoustic Signature Maximus Neo vs AVID Acutus Reference SP
Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: Acoustic Signature Maximus Neo · AVID Acutus Reference SP.
| Specification | Acoustic Signature Maximus Neo |
AVID Acutus Reference SP |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Highlighted difference. $4,995 | $20,000 |
| Category | High-end | High-end |
| Status | current | current |
| Years | 2020–present | 2008–present |
| Drive | belt drive | belt drive |
| Speeds | 33/45 rpm | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | manual | manual |
| Cartridge supplied | sold bare | sold bare |
| Phono stage | No | No |
| USB output | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Platter | aluminium with silencer inserts | aluminium, heavy |
| Tonearm | sold bare (TA-500 option) | sold bare |
| Wow & flutter | — | — |
Practical differences
Highlighted cells show a lower reference price, support for more listed speeds, or the presence of a convenience feature. They are not an overall score.
On price alone the Acoustic Signature Maximus Neo costs less, coming in $15,005 (about 300%) below the AVID Acutus Reference SP.
Both are belt-drive, so that part of the experience should feel similar on either deck: a motor that's mechanically isolated from the platter by an elastic belt, which is the usual route to a quieter noise floor — the default choice across most of hi-fi.
Bottom line: $15,005 separates these reference prices. That difference is factual; this specification comparison does not assign an overall winner.
Live retailer offers
Checking current in-stock offers for Acoustic Signature Maximus Neo…
Live retailer offers
Checking current in-stock offers for AVID Acutus Reference SP…