Waiting For Ideas, a Paris, France-based creative studio, introduced the PP-1 turntable, a beautifully crafted system carved out of aluminum. This design combines excellent sound quality with a visually stunning monolithic structure.
“In a world where music has become an endless stream, where tracks flow seamlessly without pause, PP-1 redefines the listening experience,” stated Waiting For Ideas. “Balancing radical design with intuitive simplicity, it brings the physical gesture back to the core of our connection with music, allowing us to rediscover the raw emotion it conveys and to place the act of listening back at the center of the experience.”
Founded in 2021 by Jean-Baptiste Anotin, Waiting for Ideas focuses on developing visually striking and thought-provoking pieces that blend artistry with practical design. The company has worked with aluminum several times before, including designs such as the Godspeed rocking chair, the Slurp aluminum chairs, and the Hitting the Ball art installation, among others.
“We focus on creating inspiring and innovative furnitures, objects, installations, and retail-space projects that push the boundaries,” noted the studio. “We intend to blur borders between the world of art and design by collaborating closely with artists like Guillaume Grando, painter Iris Marchand, photographer Mathilde Hiley and set designer Pierre Vaillant.”
The PP-1 was created to be a monolith, with a sense of “formal reduction and functional purity, offering a sensory and contemplative experience.” Aluminum provides an excellent base material in this regard, providing a beautiful aesthetic, while also providing a solid weight to the turntable, so it doesn’t move.
Each PP-1 turntable is produced from a solid block of aluminum, which is CNC machined to obtain the specific features. In addition, certain parts of the aluminum block are sand blasted, brushed, and polished before finally being anodized.
Underneath the smooth, clean surface of the aluminum turntable lies advanced technology. Since the PP1 has no tonearm, the user does not need to adjust setting to play a record. All they have to do is place the record upside down on the turntable and press play. The device automatically detects the record’s speed (33/45 RPM), ensuring smooth navigation between tracks. According the designer, it “merges the intuitiveness of digital with the tangibility of vinyl.”
To compliment the PP1, a custom-made pair of speakers have also been designed. The speakers, which can be used in tower configuration (with the turntable on top) or positioned side-by-side, are encased in fabric to better focus the sound.
“The PP-1 turntable is a complete reinterpretation of the listening ritual,” stated Waiting for Ideas. “Every record becomes an experience, every sound regains its weight, its silence. PP-1 is an object for those who don’t just want to listen — but to feel the music.”
