1400

About the 1400

The Basis Audio 1400 is a belt‑drive turntable sold as an integrated analog playback system that combines the 1400 turntable with a Rega tonearm (commonly RB300 or RB250, Basis‑branded with VTA adjustment) and a Benz Glider moving‑coil cartridge, plus a matching Phonomena phono stage in the original reviewed package. It is aimed at listeners who want high‑quality vinyl playback without moving into Basis's higher‑end suspended and vacuum models, providing much of the company's engineering approach at a more accessible price. The 1400 uses a clear acrylic sub‑chassis and acrylic platter on aluminum support legs, with an outboard AC synchronous motor connected only by the belt and sitting on its own feet to minimize motor‑borne vibration transfer to the bearing, platter, and tonearm. The platter is a relatively thick, medium‑mass acrylic design and is intended to be used with a reflex record clamp for optimal LP contact and sound quality, rather than relying on sheer platter mass. The turntable itself is unsuspended and compact, with a footprint suitable for typical equipment racks, and uses rubber/sorbothane‑type feet in pods for basic leveling and some isolation instead of a full spring suspension. Basis provides a set‑screw VTA adjustment in the plinth to make Rega arm height adjustable, addressing a traditional limitation of standard Rega arms. The 1400 system is sold as a largely fixed configuration with the arm and cartridge chosen to match the table and phono stage; it is not intended as a fully modular platform like Basis's 2000/2500/2800 or Debut models, though some user‑level changes are possible. In use, the 1400 is regarded by reviewers as an elegant, precise, and musically engaging entry‑to‑mid‑level Basis turntable that can deliver performance close to the 2000 while remaining relatively easy to set up for vinyl newcomers or returnees. The motor and bearing are precision‑engineered components shared with more expensive Basis designs, reflecting the unit's speed stability, low noise, and long‑term reliability.