J.Sikora Reference

J.Sikora Reference Turntable

The J.Sikora Reference is a no-compromise, four-motor turntable representing the pinnacle of J.Sikora's engineering philosophy. Weighing 108 kg, the Reference employs six different materials, four centrally controlled DC motors, and a dynamically balanced platter to achieve what the company describes as a true reference in both name and performance. Manufactured at the Allmet metal fabrication facility in Lublin, Poland, the Reference draws on Janusz Sikora's decades of metalworking expertise to create one of the most technically sophisticated turntables available.

Position in the J.Sikora Range

The Reference sits at the top of J.Sikora's turntable hierarchy, above the Aspire, Initial, Initial Max, Standard Max, and Standard Max Supreme. While all J.Sikora turntables share core design principles, the Reference takes each element to its logical extreme: four motors instead of two, six materials instead of five, and capacity for up to three tonearms. The Reference has earned Stereophile Class A+ Recommended Component status, placing it among the world's finest turntables.

The Reference serves as the technology source for features that trickle down through the range. The Standard Max Supreme, for example, incorporates the Reference's linear power supply, while all models share the same inverted ceramic bearing design philosophy.

Six-Material Construction

The Reference plinth combines aluminum, brass, bronze, cast iron, and stainless steel in a carefully tuned arrangement. Each material contributes different resonant characteristics, and their combination spreads resonances across a wider frequency range while lowering peaks. The base is machined from PA6 aluminum with a cavity milled on the bottom to house the controller circuits.

The motor housings are machined from single pieces of stainless steel (Inox), chosen because it does not ring like hardened steel. Each housing features a bronze base. Inside, motors are separated from their housings with silicone and fixed using Teflon screws for complete decoupling. The platter base combines a 4 mm stainless steel outer layer with bronze, aluminum, and gray cast iron beneath.

Four-Motor Drive System

Four PAPST DC motors position symmetrically around the platter, providing perfectly balanced drive forces. This arrangement eliminates asymmetrical loading on the bearing and ensures consistent torque delivery from all directions. A single controller manages all four motors, maintaining precise speed regardless of stylus drag or record eccentricity.

The driving wheels are the only components made using CNC machines, machined from aircraft-grade aluminum for precise dimensions. Each motor housing sits on silicone pads that isolate vibrations from the plinth.

Platter System

The 18 kg platter combines Delrin (POM) with a gray cast iron ring at the perimeter for added mass and flywheel effect. The cast iron ring positions 8 cm from the cartridge to ensure it does not affect magnetic operation. A graphite glass mat tops the platter, cut rather than polished to achieve better sonic results. A small aircraft-grade aluminum disc sits in a cutout at the center.

The platter is both dynamically and statically balanced, a feature that distinguishes it from lower models in the range. This balanced construction minimizes bearing wear and ensures smooth, quiet rotation.

Advanced Bearing System

The Reference features an inverted main bearing constructed from materials chosen for extreme durability. The bearing shaft uses very hard steel rated 58 on the Rockwell scale, harder than bronze bearings that can wear over time. A 4 mm zirconium ball sits atop a self-bonded carbide (cemented carbide) thrust point. This combination ensures decades of reliable operation without the servicing that softer bearing materials require.

Record Clamp

The included record clamp represents extensive development, with Janusz Sikora using a whole bucket of bronze prototypes before arriving at the final design. The clamp features a chalice shape with cuts around its perimeter and two rubber o-rings. A nickel-plated brass cylinder sits on top. This construction provides effective record coupling while controlling resonances.

Power Supply

The Reference power supply is a work of art in its own right, housed in a chassis that rivals high-end preamplifiers in build quality. Four regulator stages and nearly 350,000 μF of total filtering capacity ensure stable, clean power delivery to the motors. Two front-panel displays show incoming AC voltage and output DC voltage, allowing owners to monitor power quality.

This same power supply now appears in the Standard Max Supreme, demonstrating its importance to overall performance. The advanced voltage stabilization and extensive filtering contribute to the extremely low noise floor that characterizes the Reference's sound.

Tonearm Accommodation

The Reference accommodates up to three tonearms through its arm tower system. The tonearm base is machined from stainless steel with a bronze lower section. Optional additional arm towers allow mounting of second and third tonearms, enabling comparison between different arm and cartridge combinations or optimization for different musical genres.

J.Sikora recommends Kuzma tonearms, particularly the 4Point series, as ideal partners for the Reference. The company delivered its review unit with a 14-inch Kuzma 4Point, demonstrating the Reference's ability to accommodate longer tonearms.

Critical Reception

High Fidelity magazine praised the Reference for its extremely low noise floor, describing it as the quietest turntable they had tested. The review noted the turntable's large scale, energetic sound with exceptional extension at both frequency extremes. The reviewer highlighted the Reference's sound stability and its ability to uncover the deepest layers of every recording.

The review placed the Reference among elite turntables including the TechDAS Air Force series, noting that at its price point, the Reference offers exceptional value compared to competitors costing several times more.

Setup and Support

The Reference ships with comprehensive documentation and assembly videos. Given its weight and complexity, professional setup is essential. US dealer policy requires professional installation for all J.Sikora turntables, ensuring optimal performance from the start. J.Sikora also offers its own equipment rack designed to support the Reference's substantial weight.

Summary

The J.Sikora Reference represents a no-compromise approach to turntable design. Four motors, six materials, a dynamically balanced platter, and an advanced power supply combine to create an analog source capable of extracting maximum information from the groove. Built with precision at J.Sikora's own metalworking facility in Poland, the Reference offers engineering sophistication and sonic performance that place it among the world's finest turntables. For those seeking the ultimate expression of J.Sikora's design philosophy, the Reference delivers a true reference-level analog experience.