Based in Thiene, Italy, Thuono is a design-driven audio brand dedicated to creating high-fidelity turntables that serve the emotional essence of music. At the heart of the brand is Eleonora Bonollo, Co-founder of Thuono, whose personal journey from childhood audiophile influences to precision design practice shapes every element of their work. This feature is part of an in-depth series of articles revealing the work behind the participants of the DEORON ELEVATING OBJECTS exhibition at Milan Design Week 2025.
Eleonora shares the story behind how Thuono began and what makes their design approach distinct: “I grew up surrounded by records and high-fidelity equipment — my father was a passionate audiophile who built a dedicated listening room in our home. His setup was in constant evolution, always chasing the perfect sound. Over time, after trying countless turntables, he decided to build his own, combining what he considered the best elements from each one he had tested. The result was a turntable handcrafted in our garage with simple tools, but to me, it was something extraordinary — both in design and in sound.
When I showed it to Mattia, my close friend and now partner in this project, we were immediately struck by the quality of the listening experience. It felt profound. That became our starting point. While still at university — I was studying art history, and Mattia architecture and playing the saxophone — we began developing a series of three turntables inspired by my father’s prototype. Our shared background gave us a unique approach: blending design sensibility with a deep reverence for music and how it’s meant to be heard. After years of research, prototyping, and refining, we finalized our turntables and launched our brand — not just to make beautiful objects, but to offer a deeper, more intentional way to listen. Our identity is rooted in a commitment to sonic purity and a belief that design should serve the emotional power of music.”
Reflecting on how Thuono’s work has evolved and the collaborations that have shaped their philosophy, Eleonora adds: “Our work has evolved through a constant pursuit of sonic perfection — design for us derives from serving the music in the most truthful and precise way possible. From our early rough prototypes to the refined models we build today, each evolution has been shaped by obsessive attention to detail and deep mechanical refinement. We’ve worked closely with some of the most respected hi-end audiophile brands, which allowed us to learn directly from those who have dedicated their lives to high-quality listening. These collaborations were fundamental in shaping our understanding of sound and in pushing our technical standards further.
That’s why when we design, we use both our eyes and our ears. For us visual design starts from listening culture. We believe in a turntable that can be timeless, reliable, and completely in service of the artist’s original intent. To achieve this, we’ve built strong relationships with precision suppliers in our region, ensuring that every component is made with low mechanical tolerance and high durability. We believe that even the smallest detail can affect the listening experience, and we apply extreme care to every aspect of our work to deliver the clearest, most honest sound possible.
We hope our work is remembered for cultivating a deeper awareness around music — for offering an alternative to passive, fast-paced consumption by creating tools that encourage intentional and meaningful listening. Ultimately, our values are rooted in respect — for the listener, for the artist, and for the physical medium itself.”
As our conversation turned to THUONO’s contribution to the DEORON exhibition, Eleonora shared the story behind the record player they chose to showcase: “For DEORON ELEVATING OBJECTS at Milan Design Week 2025, we presented our entry-level model: the Thuono TH300 turntable. It served as the analogue source in a custom-built sound system created in collaboration with Mateo Garcia (loudspeakers) and Horizon System (turntable support and record holder). The result was a cohesive dialogue between form and function — where the design language of each component complemented the others, and the sound delivered a dynamic, expansive stage with clarity and impact.
The TH300 takes its name from the diameter of its platter — 300mm — distinguishing it from our other models, which feature 350mm and 400mm platters designed for increased rotational torque and enhanced dynamics. The TH300 was designed to offer exceptional performance and precision while making high-end analogue listening more compact compared to other bigger equipment — without compromising the values of precision and sonic integrity that define our brand.”
“Our turntables are built around a set of core principles that we consider essential to achieving an elevated listening experience: the elimination of vibration-induced resonance, and the enhancement of dynamic response — both of which contribute to a deeper, more emotionally engaging sound.
To minimize vibrations, we developed a custom magnetic suspension system that allows the platter to float, isolating it from the base and external surface. This mechanical decoupling dramatically reduces resonance and preserves signal purity. We then physically separated the motor from the main structure, housing it in a solid, high-mass Nero Marquina marble cylinder to ensure complete stability and dampening. The system uses a precision belt-drive mechanism, further minimizing interference and delivering smooth, consistent torque.
Every material in the design was selected for its acoustic and mechanical properties — from the density and mass of the structural components to the vibration behavior of each element. Nothing was chosen for aesthetics alone; every decision serves sound. The result is a turntable that doesn’t just look sculptural, but is engineered to deliver clarity, depth, and musical energy at the highest level.”
Looking ahead, Eleonora spoke passionately about the future direction of Thuono — a path defined not by expansion for its own sake, but by a deeper, more focused commitment to their core values of sonic integrity and thoughtful design: “Product-wise, we are especially excited to continue refining and evolving our turntables, embedding even more of our ideas and values into each design. For us, the turntable is not a nostalgic object — it’s a symbol of intentionality, design, and a more meaningful relationship with music. The physicality of the record, with its material presence and ritual of use, mirrors our own approach: slow, deliberate, and focused on depth over speed. We’re currently in the early stages of exploring ways to expand our product range, always guided by the same commitment to sonic integrity and design precision. What’s next isn’t about branching out for the sake of it, but about going deeper — and we’re genuinely excited for where that will lead. We are also very excited to let people experience our products. We’re happy to continue curating listening sessions and selecting records. The next ones will take place in Paris, Ghent, and Berlin – you can follow our channels to stay updated.”
