A record player that stands upright, hangs on a wall, or lies flat, all while using light to read vinyl grooves—Miniot’s Wheel 3 feels like it rolled in from a Wes Anderson film. Handmade by a small Dutch family business, the Wheel 3 combines a beautiful design with clever technology that makes you rethink what a record player can do.
Miniot, based in Schagen, Netherlands, created waves in 2017 when it launched a Kickstarter campaign for its first product, the Wheel, a vertical turntable with a tonearm hidden beneath the platter. That first model had flaws—production delays and a steep learning curve—but it created the groundwork for something extraordinary. The Wheel 2 ironed out many of the issues, and got praise for its looks and sound. Now, the Wheel 3 is the culmination of years of refinement, with a polished aluminum design and an optical stylus system.
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Unlike traditional turntables that use magnets and coils to translate stylus vibrations into audio, the Wheel 3 uses light. A diamond stylus tracks the vinyl grooves, but instead of magnetic pickups, a tiny plate attached to the stylus collects light from an optical sensor. As the stylus moves, the plate shifts, generating a shadow that is detected by the sensor. These tiny changes become electrical signals, fed into a custom built preamp for what Miniot claims is exceptional clarity. This optical approach can detect stylus movements down to 0 Hz, and capture low frequencies that magnetic systems struggle to match. The lighter stylus also follows high frequency grooves more accurately, for a cleaner and more detailed sound.
The Wheel 3 is powered by a custom axial flux direct-drive motor, a big upgrade from the belt-drive systems Miniot initially used. This motor was developed in-house over months of engineering and uses 24 neodymium magnets and 5 optical sensors to keep the speed precise. The system monitors every rotation, and corrects for warped or off-center records to ensure pitch perfect playback from the first note. This level of control is rare, especially in a turntable this small, and keeps the optical stylus free from interference from magnetic fields.
The tonearm is new for the Wheel 3 and moves vertically along a track in the aluminum rim, hidden under the record. This linear tracking design keeps the arm in perfect alignment with the groove, reducing distortion compared to traditional pivoting arms. Whether it stands on its anodized aluminum base, lies flat on a table or hangs on a wall with one screw, the tonearm and optical system adjusts itself. You can even turn it upside down and it will keep playing. It’s a versatile fit for any space.
The front is milled from a thick aluminum billet and polished to a mirror finish that reflects the spinning records. The back is made from a solid composite material, with a special edition having a wooden back for a warmer look. A dimmable display and touch slider sit at the top to adjust volume or skip tracks with a tap or swipe. Power is via USB-C and audio outputs via stereo mini-jack – although some audiophiles might wince at the lack of RCA outputs, it simplifies setup for most people. Every unit is hand built in Europe with locally sourced materials, as per Miniot’s philosophy.
At $3,350 (€2,900) the Wheel 3 is very much a high end product. It’s not for tinkerers who love to swap cartridges or fine tune their setup – this is a closed system with no user replaceable parts beyond the diamond stylus.
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