The Direct-Drive Flagship
The bearing is Japanese, everything else is not.
A coreless brushless DC motor and digital speed regulation hold the GSH-801 Edmund to under 0.08% wow & flutter, while a Unitra R10 tonearm on Japanese NSK pivot bearings carries a factory-fitted Ortofon 2M Black cartridge.
Unitra GSH-801 Edmund Turntable
Popular upgrades
Pairs well with
European engineering heritage since 1961 — designed and built to be heard, not simulated.
Unitra GSH-801 Edmund Turntable
The drive
2.3 kilos of aluminium. The power supply lives outside the plinth.
- Motor NB1 coreless brushless DC direct drive, digitally regulated
- Power External linear supply, kept out of the plinth
- Platter 2.3 kg anodised aluminium, machined
- Tonearm R10, 6082 aluminium alloy, Japanese NSK pivot bearings on both axes
- Cartridge Ortofon 2M Black, moving magnet, nude Shibata stylus, factory-fitted and aligned
The combine, 1961-1989
- Tonsil
- loudspeaker boxes
- Fonica
- turntables, stereo amplifiers
- Diora
- hi-fi sets
- ZRK
- cassette decks, stereo receivers
- CEMI
- semiconductor devices
More than sixty enterprises carried the Unitra name until 1989. These five are the works whose specialities the record actually states.
Mass, Motor, Bearing
Where the weight goes
Wow & flutter, held by digital speed regulation on the NB1 direct-drive motor.
Anodized aluminum platter mass, machined to damp resonance at the record surface.
Total weight of the milled plinth and chassis, built for mechanical stillness on the rack.
Technical specifications
| Drive system | Unitra NB1 direct drive, coreless brushless DC motor, digital speed regulation |
| Speeds | 33⅓ / 45 RPM |
| Wow & flutter | < 0.08% |
| Tonearm | Unitra R10, J-shaped, 6082 aluminum alloy, Japanese NSK pivot bearings, effective mass 18.5–22g |
| Cartridge | Ortofon 2M Black MM (nude Shibata stylus), factory-fitted and aligned |
| Platter | Anodized aluminum, 2.3 kg |
| Plinth | Milled MDF, wood veneer (American walnut, black ash, or light ash) with brushed aluminum top panel |
| Outputs / power | Gold-plated RCA + DIN cartridge connector; external linear PSU, 230V/50Hz, 4W (0.42W standby) |
| Dimensions / weight | 429 x 178.3 x 373 mm; 14.1 kg |
What cartridge comes fitted on the GSH-801 Edmund?
Does the Edmund have a built-in phono preamp?
What is the wow and flutter figure, and why does it matter?
Can I upgrade the cartridge later?
What finishes is the GSH-801 Edmund available in?
How is the turntable powered?
About the Unitra GSH-801 Edmund Turntable
The Art of Turntable-Making, Taken Higher
The Unitra GSH-801 Edmund Turntable takes everything that makes the Fryderyk special and elevates it. It keeps the acclaimed Unitra NB1 direct-drive system and R10 tonearm, then steps up to a machined aluminium platter, an external power supply for lower noise, and the flagship Ortofon 2M Black cartridge. The result is a European-made deck that reveals more of every groove — quieter, more refined and more resolving.
A Quieter, More Refined Foundation
Where the Edmund pulls ahead is in its noise floor. The power supply moves outside the plinth to keep electrical hash away from the delicate cartridge signal, and a DIN output cable ensures a clean, noise-free path to your phono stage. Combined with an aluminium platter for greater mass and stability, wow and flutter drops to just 0.08%.
The Ortofon 2M Black — The Detail Retriever
The Edmund arrives with Ortofon's 2M Black, the top of the 2M line, whose nude Shibata stylus digs deep into the groove for exceptional detail, air and dynamic contrast. Riding on the aluminium Unitra R10 tonearm — here refined with a two-plane bearing system inspired by the legendary Unitra Adam tonearm — it's a genuinely high-end analogue front end ready to play from the moment you unbox it.
Why You'll Love the GSH-801 Edmund
- Unitra NB1 air-core brushless direct-drive with digital speed control
- Machined aluminium platter and external power supply for a lower noise floor
- Wow & flutter of just 0.08%
- Flagship Ortofon 2M Black cartridge included
- DIN output cable for noise-free signal transmission
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Edmund differ from the Fryderyk?
The Edmund upgrades to an aluminium platter, an external (rather than internal) power supply, a DIN output for lower noise, a refined two-plane tonearm bearing, and the flagship Ortofon 2M Black cartridge — for a quieter, more resolving presentation.
Which cartridge is included?
The Ortofon 2M Black, the top model in Ortofon's 2M series, featuring a nude Shibata stylus for outstanding detail and dynamics.
Is the power supply internal or external?
External and included. Keeping the supply outside the plinth reduces electrical noise reaching the cartridge, lowering the noise floor.
GSH-801 Edmund Technical Specifications
| Drive system | Unitra NB1 direct drive, air-core brushless DC motor |
| Speed control | Digital controller |
| Speeds | 33⅓ RPM, 45 RPM |
| Wow & flutter | 0.08% |
| Tonearm | Unitra R10, aluminium, two-plane bearing system |
| Cartridge | Ortofon 2M Black (included) |
| Outputs | DIN cable for noise-free transmission |
| Power supply | 120V AC, 60 Hz, 4 W (external, included) |
| Standby consumption | 0.42 W |
| Finishes | Milled veneered MDF, brushed aluminium panel, aluminium platter |
| Dimensions | 429 × 373 × 178.3 mm (16.9 × 14.7 × 7 in) |
| Weight | 14.1 kg (31.1 lbs) |
