Brinkmann Audio
Bardo
Introduced 2010$7,990 MSRP
The Bardo is Helmut Brinkmann's entry-level direct-drive turntable, sharing its precision-machined spindle, bearing, and proprietary coil-driven motor design with the German maker's costlier Oasis, La Grange, and Balance models.
MSRP
$7,990
Used market · Good
$6,750
-16% vs MSRP
as of Sep 1, 2026MSRP to used market
From $7,990 at launch to $6,750 today.
Specifications
- Motor
- Brinkmann-designed direct-drive motor shared with the Oasis: eight-pole ring magnet, field coils at 22.5° angles, dual Hall sensors, aluminum subplatter
- Price
- $7,990 base price
- Bearing
- Steel bearing shaft on a Teflon thrust pad within a machined-aluminum carrier, shared design with the Oasis, La Grange, and Balance
- Drive type
- Direct drive
- Recognition
- Full Stereophile review; Tone Publications review calling the Bardo/10.0 combination "a straight out bargain for those wanting a world class, destination" turntable
- Package price
- $13,500–$9,900 range cited across reviews with matched 10.0/9.6 tonearm and cartridge bundles
- Support plinth
- Supplied on a standard US granite slab, 18" W × 1.25" thick × 12" D
- Matching tonearm
- Brinkmann 9.6 tonearm, $3,990
- Matching cartridge
- Brinkmann Pi moving-coil cartridge, $2,700
- Power supply upgrade
- +$1,490 for a heftier outboard motor power supply with a larger transformer
- Glass platter clamp option
- +$1,500 for integral precision-ground crystal-glass platter mat and screw-on record clamp
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