Sony Biotracer tonearm

Biotracer.  The World's Most Advanced Tonearm

 

The tonearm problem - every tonearm functions to hold the cartridge, enabling the cartridge to trance the record groove. While this task is simple to describe, doing the job well is anything but simple. To prevent sonic coloration, the tonearm must be strong, a requirement that suggests heavy-duty construction. Yet some cartridges require low tonearm mass. At some frequencies the tonearm must be inert and immune to vibration - while at others it must move without resistance. And the tonearm must handle the imperfections of real-world records; warp and inaccurate centering.

All of the traditional methods of coping with these problems have dealt in pure mechanics. Sony has now taken a bold step beyond mechanics to find a solution to the troubles that have puzzled designers since the first turntables were presented to the world.

 

The Biotracer solution

Conventional tonearms are passive objects moved only as a result of external force. In contrast, Sony's new Biotracer tonearm is radically different. The Biotracer moves under the constant control of two separate motors that are guided by a "brain" - a sophisticated multi-function micro-computer. As a result the Biotracer tonearm is an active contributor to exquisite performance. In fact, it is the solution to a number of problems that have plagued turntable designers and music lovers.

The Biotracer damps resonance

It is an unfortunate fact that many cartridge/tonearm combinations produce unwanted resonances which distort the music. The Biotracer tonearm damps these unwatnted resonances consistently. Music reproduction is crystal clear and undistorted.

 

The Biotracer accepts the widest variety of cartridges

The problem of resonance limits even the finest conventional tonearms to a relatively small number of compatible cartridges. The Biotracer's ability to damp the unwanted vibrations of tonearm resonance means that you are free to choose from the widest variety of cartridges - moving magnet or moving coil - including the latest high-compliance models.

The Biotracer reduce modulation noise

In conventional tonearms, unwanted stylus motion results in modulation noise - a blurring of proper musical pitches. The Biotracer tonearm dramatically reduces such noise, for clear, crisp sound.

 

The Biotracer provides added precision

As music lovers are awere, the anti-skating and tracking force systems of conventional tonearms cannot be completely accurate. This is because record warps and eccentricities tend to alter the effective forces. You get mistracking and premature record wear. The Biotracer tonearm senses and immediately corrects for such external influences, automatically. You get perfect tracking. As an added benefit, you can even vary the tracking force while the record is playing, for the clearest possible sound.

The Biotracer tonearm does more than incorporate the latest in magnetic, microprocessing and electro-mechanical technology, it ends the long-standing compromises embodied in conventional tonearms, its precise operation, response to command and its extraordinary contribution to musical sound represent a significant advance in the state of the art..

 

Micro Seiki MA-707

Low mass type dynamic balance tonearm.

The MA-707 is a newly developed dynamic balance tonearm featuring superb tracking due to the light stylus force. And the low effective mass perfectly matches the characteristics of high-compliance type cartridges. Another feature is the rigid yet light aluminium alloy used in the pipe part of the arm. The internal lead wires are actually tiny coaxial cables. Hard gold plating of the headshell terminals and plug-in type construction assure perfect conductivity. The unique dynamic balance system has been made practical due to the spring system (patent pending) using a torsion bar. Linearity is outstanding even with extremely light stylus force.

Even with low-compliance type cartridges, the correct balance can be obtained by adding weights to compensate.

A complete solution to the problems of the dynamic balance system.

There are few dynamic balance type tonearms in the market even though this type is said to be ideal. One reason is the precision required for the spring built into the dynamic balance system. The weak points are the difficulty of maintaining spring linearity at light stylus forces and loss of tension with the passage of time. The MA-707 uses a precision spring developed through strict selection of materials and high precision processing. These problems have been completely solved by the use of a torsion bar. Stylus force change is extremely linear from 0,3 to 3,0 grams, by 0,1 gram step. Tracking is extremely sensitive at low stylus forces, with high compliance type cartridges.

A dynamic balance system without inertial moment

The tonearm itself is perfectly balanced and stylus force is applied only through the tension of the spring. Because of this, there is no moment acting upward due to unevenness of the record surface as with the static balance type. In other words, whatever the condition of the record surface, the stylus force is constant. And there is almost no influence from the warp of record and eccentricity the turntable being out of level, etc.

Specifications:

Type:  Dynamic balance

Effective Length:  237 mm (9-3/8")

Overhang:  15 mm (19/32")

Maximum Tracking Error:  less than 1,5°

Usable Cartridge Weight:  4 - 12 g (0,14 - 0, 42 oz)

Range of Tracking Force Adjustment:  0 - 3 g

Tonearm MA-707 with Micro-Seiki DQX-500

Stax UA-7cf

 Models UA-7 Features:

Type: Multi-use integrated arm with replaceable arm tube

Pickup cartridge acceptable: Magnetic or condenser types

Bearing:  Special dual suspension type (Ultra sensitive jewel bearing and stabilizer utilizing outer race of ball bearing)

Balancing:  Static balancing

Headshell;  U-shaped non-resonant structure compatible with all pickup cartridge design

Arm-lifter:  Oil dumped

Output Cable:  Noiseless low capacitance type of 120 cm long

Height adjustment: 45 - 78 mm between player board and cartridge  mounting surface of head shell.

Specifications:

Rotational Friction:  5 mg or less

Tracking Error:  0,10°/cm or less

Stylus Pressure Adjustment:  3 g/l revolution 0,1g step

Bias Compensation:  1 g - 3 g variable

Weight of Pickup Cartridge:  2 g - 16 g

Overhang:  13 mm

Distance Between Bearing and Turntable centers:  227 mm

Effective Length:  240 mm

Overall length:  340 mm

Infinity Black Widow Tone-arm

 The only thing better would be no tone arm at all.

The ideal record-playing system, theoretically, would be simply this;  A cartridge suspended from an infinitely rigid nothing, which would take some of the cartridge's weight off the stylus, leaving the optimum tracking pressure; obviously create and transmit no resonance of its own;  and leave the stylus in proper position against both sides of the record groove, wherever that groove might lead (up and down on a warped disc, back and forth on an imperfectly centered one) without a heavy counterweight to resist first and overcompensate an instant later.other tone arms have achieved proper vertical tracking force - period.

Infinity introduces the closest approach to the entire ideal.

The first tone arm designed by Infinity is an eceptionally rigid leverwhich is extremely low in mass especially toward the stylus end, where the conventional head shell has been eliminated; impeded at the point where the arm's diameter changes, creating a transmission line that effectively breaks up any incipient resonance; and minimal in arm weight and counterbalance weight.

This advanced audio component will improve the operating specifications of any modern cartridge, and reveal inner voicings and an openness you have never heard before in your favorite recordings.

We call this slender wand The Black Widow. And we eagerly invite you to compare it with other tone-arms. The Black Widow will eat them  alive,

 A phonograph record is not a precision instrument. So the Infinity Black Widow has to be.

Records aren't perfectly flat or perfectly centred. But no other manufacturer of tone arms has fully dealt with that fact. So what happens? With an ordinary tone arm, every time a warp in a disc forces the stylus up, the combined mass of arm plus head shell plus correspondingly heavy counterweight creates a distorting press-and-release, press-and-release action of the stylus.

And during every revolution of the disc, with the "center" hole and/or grooves actually off-center, that inertial mass forces the stylus against one side of the groove and then the other.

These forces can cause mistracking and distortion, as well as degrading the crosstalk and spoiling the accuracy of the stereo image.

Moder lightweight high-compliance cartridges could never perform up to their potential and their manufacturers promises until somebody removed the inertial stubborness and excess weight from a tone arm.

Our tone arm won't add tones to those already on your record.

As a turntable rotates, and as the stylus in the cartridge on the tone arm is excited to reproduce an array of frequencies, most tone arms feel an overwhelming urge to add vibration and resonances of their own.  Infinity has at last eliminated that source of distortion.

Where the circumference of our Black Widow Tone-Arm changes, a transmission-line effect is created; that is, resonances are neither passed along nor reflected back to the stylus, but instead are attenuated at the barrier.  Perhaps all tone arms should be designed the way ours is. But only ours is.

Specifications

The Infinity "Black Widow" tone Arm is an ultra-light-weight low-inertia high-tracking jointed-pipe dasmped-knife-edge fulcrum system.

Cartridge Weight:  4 to 8,5 grams

Stylus Force Adjustment:  ±2 gm per revolution of single-weight vernier. (90-degree rotation adds or subtracts1/2 gm of vertical tracking force.

Inside Force Cancellation (Anti-skating):  Fine spring adjustment, calibrated for co-ordination with stylus pressure.

Bearing Sensitivity at Stylus Point:  vertical bearing (knife edge):  0,005 gm.

Lateral bearing (fine miniature bal) bearing 0,01 gm

Sliding Base Adjustment:  ±10 mm (quick slideset and lock type)

Low Capacitance Output Cord:  50 pF per 1,5 m

Effective mass of arm:  3 gm 

Thorens TPO 70

 Thorens TPO Isotrack tone-arm with integrateed Ortofon Concorde cartridge, features:

Ultra-light;

Low mass;

Elegant.

Specifications:

Output Voltage:  3 mV

Frequency Response: 20 - 20,000 Hz (±2 dB)

Channel Separation:  greater than 25 dB

Channel Balance:  2 dB

Tracking Ability:  greater than 70 µm (300 Hz, 12,5 mN, horizontal)

Frequency Intermodulation: less than 1%

Tracking Force Range:  7,5 -12,5 mN (0,75 - 1,25 g)

Recommended Tracking Force:  10 mN 91 g)

Recommended Load:  47 k Ω in parallel to 400 pF

Type of Stylus, Ellipt. Diamond:  18/8 µm

Replacement Stylus:  D 200E

Garrard Zero Tonearm

 The Zero Tracking Error Tonearm

This Garrard invention expanded state-of-the-art.. It eliminates tracking error, one of the major causes of distortion. How tracking error was eliminated in a tonearm is one of the most meaningful chapters in the history of audio engineering. The idea is simple and straightforward. The offset head of a conventional tonearm cannot remain tangent to the record groove at all points on the record, … so why not hinge the head and make its offset angle variable?

 The execution of the idea required the creation of a hinged trapezoid (a kind of double arm). The brilliance of the engineering that went into this complex design is emphasized by the fact that both mass and friction have been kept as low as in the finest conventional arms, while completely eliminating tracking error.  That the project was worth the effort is apparent from the reviews which descended upon Garrard. Typical was the one from the prestigious Hirsch-Houck labs, as described in Julian D. Hirsch's "Product Test Reports" in Popular Electronics.

 ''… tracking error was unmeasurably low (under 0,5 degree) over the entir record surface. The stylus force indications were very accurate, with less than .05 gram error at 1 and 2 gram settings and only 0,1 at 3 grams.  This tes, incidentally, established that the Zero 100SB arm, in spite of its multiple pivots, had negligible friction. As we see it, any cartridge made today can be operated in this arm at the lowest tracking force consistent with the design of the cartridge, without encountering difficulties of excessive arm friction.

The anti-skating calibration was correct for equal playback distortion in both channels (a very unusual occurrence among the many arms we have tested)

 It boasts high performance in its basic characteristics at a price that matches or betters other record players of comparable quality. For example, only a few of the most expensive direct-drive turntables we have tested have shown lower rumble than the Zero 100SB.

… we found the Garrard Zero 100SB to be one of the smoothest, easiest-to-use record players we have seen. All its basic operating controls and their functions be haved exactly as intended, with none of the "bugs" that so often afflict mechanical systems. For example, when the cartridge is installed and the arm balanced accordingto instructions, the unit is actually set up correctly, without additional adjustments with a stylus gauge and tracking error protractor to achieve optimum performance capablity."

Tonearm

Type:  Variable offset (zero tracking)

Balance:  Adjustable counterweight

Pivots:  precision-loaded ball bearings

Stylus Force Adjustment:  Sliding weight

Anti-skating Adjustment:  Magnetic, with spherical/ellipticaal calibration

Cue Control:  Viscous-damped for both lowering and lifting

Linn Ittok LV-II

 The Linn Ittok LV-II arm has been designed to compliment the Linn LP12 turntable. The design philosophies first implimented in the turntable; i.e., providing a means of maintaining a fixed relationship between the cartridge body and the surface of the record, have been extended to the design of the LV-II. Through the use of sensible construction techniques and very precise bearings, the Linn arm provides a very rigid connecting link between the cartridge body and the turntable.

 The Linn Itokk LV-II was designed with several performance features in mind.  First, stability. It is a coherent mechanical system designed to maintain a precise relationship between the cartridge and turntable. This is due in part to a bearing system that minimises intermittent or continuous loss of dynamic accuracy.  Second, simplicity. Dials for both tracking weight and bias force enable easy and highly accurate adjustment, making the Ittok simple to install and convenient to use.

The Ittok is particularly suitable for use with the Linn Asak DC-2100K moving-coil cartridge and enables the full performance potential of this cartridge to be realised.

The Ittok is designed not to degrade with use or require continuous adjustment. In addition it is engineered to cope with the most difficult cartridges now available and to anticipate future cartridge development.

Although designed with the Linn Sondek LP12 turntable in mind, the Ittok is suitable for use with most high quality turntables.  

 Headshell

The headshell is constructed of light weight magnesium alloy. In order to obtain the most rigid connection possible between the headshell and the arm tube, the headshell is permanently fixed to the arm tube. As you can appreciate, any method of attaching the headshell that would still allow it to be rotated would necessitate a weakening of this connection.  We do realize that this doeas limit the amount of "fine tuning" of the vertical tracking angle that you can accomplish; i.e., as you raise or lower the rear of the arm, the headshell, as viewed from the front, will no longer be parallel to the record. It is possible tp make very small changes in VTA and, in most cases, the adjustment range should be satisfactory. The relatively small gains that can be obtained by making larger adjustments to the vertical tracking angle are insignificant when compared to the degradation of the signal that would occur if the tortional rigidity of the arm was compromised. It should also be noted that the optimum VTA varies from record to record, so any VTA setting will have to be , at best , a compromise.

 Arm Tube

The arm tube is constructed of large diameter, thinwall, magnesium tubing. It should be noted that while a small diameter tube is often used to give the appearance of low mass, a large diameter tube with thin walls aill actually require less mass for the same degree of rigidity.

Bearings

The bearings , bearing housings, arm pillar, and all related parts are constructed of high grade stainless steel. Being of identical materials, all have the same coefficient of expansion. Thus, the arm is temperature stable; i.e., changes in room temperature effect all parts equally. The finely adjusted bearings will maintain proper tolerances over a very wide range of operating temperatures.

 Counterweight

The counterweight consists of two pieces, the main weight and a smaller ring that is attached with two hex key set screws. The ring should be used if a heavy cartridge is to be mounted in the arm. Lighter cartridges require only the main part of the weight. The mass of the weight was specifically chosen to allow the counterweight (with ring) to be positioned as close to the pivot point as possible when the arm is fitted with the Linn Asak Moving-Coil Cartridge.

The counterweight is used only to balance the arm, never to apply tracking force. Because of this, the arm is always dynamically balanced and any disturbances that reach the arm will tend to affect both the rear portion of the arm and the front portion of arm equally thus minimizing their effect.

 Tracking Force and Anti-Skate

To prevent disturbing the dynamic balance of the arm, tracking force and anti-skating compensation are applied by springs which are controlled by two calibrated adjustment knobs. Tracking force may be applied over the range 0 to 3 grams.

Height Adjustment

The height locking screw consist of two basic parts. The first is a steel shaft that will, when fully tightened, rigidly lock the arm in place. This rigid connection can be accomplished with only one locking screw because of the unique half moon notch cut out of the arm base. When the locking screw is tightened, you are in effect rigidly attaching the arm pillar to the base at three points, the locking screw, and each end of the notch.

The second part of the height locking screw consists of a spring loaded nylon washer. When the height locking screw is only slightly tightened, the washer aill hold the arm in position while still allowing you to adjust the arm height. This greatly simplifies the height adjustment procedure.

Specifications

Overal Length:  284 mm

Effective Length:  229 mm

Overhang:  18 mm

Tone-arm rear length:  50 mm

Friction:  less than 20 mg.

Effective Mass:  11,5 g

Cartridge Weight Range:

With Main Weight only :  2 - 10 g

With Main Weight plus Sub Weight :  5,5 - 15 g

Stylus Pressure Range:  0 -3 g in 0,1 g steps

ADC LMF's Tonearms

 The ADC LMF  Carbon Fibre Low Mass Tonearms

The LMF-1 has an integrated head for lowest mass.

The LMF-2 has a removable head.

 We chose carbon fibre because of its low mass to high tensile strength ratio. Then we were able to further lower the mass by abandoning the traditional tubular shape and engineering the fully tapered profile. Carbon fibre has yet another asset which anyone with a serious love of quality music reproduction will love. The inherent properties of the material are antiresonant.

The combination of a fine cartridge and the LMF low mass tonearm will not interact with typical building resonant frequencies or with typical record warp frequencies. The LMF tonearms are styled in mat-black to blend into the design of any high quality turntable.

 The cueing is viscous damped in both directions for optimum stylus care. Tracking forces are calibrated in 1/10 th gram increments with a precision click-stop dial. Anti-skate adjustments are infinitely variable to 2 grams.

The LMF tonearms each come with three cylindrical counterweights to enable you to achieve zero balance with minimum effective tonearms mass, regardless of the weight of your favorite cartridge even up to 11 grams. 

 The LMF-2 has a removable head.

This allows the audiophile whose tastes require alternative phono cartridges to make premounted changes in seconds, both permit the use of the highest compliance cartridges with lowest tracking forces.

 The pivot system uses stainless steel instrument bearings, which are hand picked and perfectly matched to both the outer and inner races for virtually frictionless movement without the vulnerability to damage found with typical "knife-edge" bearing sytems.

 Specifications

Tonearm Lenght:  237 mm (9,33") Pivot to stylus Tip

Head Offset Angle:  20 °

Stylus Tip Overhang:  15 mm ( ,590")

Tracking Angle Error:  Zero error at 82 mmR (3,2"R)

Anti-Skate Adjustment:  0 to 2 grams

Height Adjustment Range:  35 mm (1⅜") to 80 mm (3⅛") from base to cartridge mounting surface

Rear Clearance Radius:  76 mm (3")

Tonearm Overall Length:  313 mm (12.33") rear to stylus Tip

Cartridge Weight Range [LMF-1 / LMF-2]:  4 - 11 grams / 3 - 11 grams

Zero Balance Weights [LMF-1 / LMF-2]:  7, 15 and 30 gram / 15, 30 and 45 gram

Stylus Force Range:  Calibrated 0 to 1,5 gram in 0,1 steps

Bearings Type:  Instrument type stainless steel ball bearings factory adjusted for maximum stability and low friction angular contact

Effective Arm Mass[LMF-1 / LMF-2]:  5,5 grams / 8 grams

Arm Wiring:  18 pF per channel

Lead Wires (stereo):  220 pF per channel (normal)

leadWires (CD-4):  100 pF per channel (available accessory)

Resonances

Arm and Head Material:  Non-resonant Carbon Fibre molding

Counterweight Assembly:  Elastometric mounting

Arm-Cartridge Resonance:  Nominal 10 Hz with typical high-compliance cartridges

Tonearm Lifter

Cue Control:  lever Control

Damping:  Viscous oil daamped in both Up and Down directions

Height Adjustment:  Factory adjusted; adjustable if required

ADC ALT-1

 The recent success of ADC's foray into the component tonearm business with the LMF-1 seems to have prompted the release of a less costly version, whereby the tapered carbon-fibre tube of the LMF has been replaced by aluminium and the end product labelled the ALT-1. this detachable headshell arm is also used in a similar form in the 1600 and 1700 turntables. The counterweight assembly is shorter than that on the LMF-1, and is of a rotating scale rether than the more complex calibrated dial type. The arm is supplied with a simplified sliding base compatible with SME fixing centres which made for easy setting up and alignment (the SME type base is an extra with the LMF-1).

 Proving not to be as well adjusted as we would have liked the horizontal bearing was rather slack and showed a moderate if not particularly low friction of 40 mg. However biasing was fine, and downforce calibration very good. The resonance graph revealed an untidy characteristic, although as the modes were well-controlled the result was in fact above average. However, if this is compared with the new graph for the LMF-1, the latter's superior performance in this department is only too apparent, albeit at twice the price. Lead capacitance was 180 pF, which is fairly high and may be worth bearing in mind with some cartridges.

 The value is quite good, and the fact that there are few low mass arms around at this price level works to the ALT-1's advantage, since the more compliant cartridges should work well in this model.

On a good turntable the sound quality produced by this arm was judged as above average, despite some imprecision of stereo imaging.

Specifications

Tonearm length:  237 mm (9,33') Pivot to stylus tip

Cartridge Offset Angle:  24,6°

Stylus Tip overhang:  19 mm (0,760")

Zero Tracking Angle Error:  at 69 mm (1,7") and 129 mm (5,06")

Maximum Tracking Angle Error:  1,25° at 60, 94 and 146 mm (2,38", 3,69" and 5,75")

Cartridge Weight Range:  4 to 11 grams

Stylus Force Range:  Calibrated 0 to 4 in ¼ g steps

Bearings Type:  Stainless steel ball bearings

Effective Arm Mass:  7,0 grams with counterweight (set for ADC XML cartridge)

Anti-Skate Range:  0 to 4 grams

Arm Wiring:  18 pF per channel

Lead Wires (stereo):  220 pF per channel (normal)

Lead Wires (CD-4):  100 pF per channel (available accessory)

Tonearm Lifter

Cue:  lever control

Damping:  Viscous oil damped

Height Adjustment:  Lifter is factory adjusted

Micro Seiki MA-701

 MA-701

Low-Mass Straight Tonearm with Dual Radial Bearings

A special alluminum alloy is used to give the arm its formidable strength and exceptionally low mass. Both qualities are needed to take full advantage of todays, supercompliant cartridges. The straight-line geometry assures the most accurate tracing angles as well as contributing to the arm's low mass. A pair of precision radial bearings give the arm a lateral sensitivity of only 10 milligrams. Even the normally-over-looked signal connectors are of the constant wipe type, insuring contact maintenance at all times.

Headshell

Thanks to the use of carbon fibres, the headshell is as light and rigid as the arm itself. It joins the arm with a semi-integrated plug-in system that utiliizes thick gold-plated wiping-type contacts. Oxygen-free copper leads are used to exclude electromagnetic influences (eddy-current losses) resulting in exceptional transmission characteristics. (Improved S/N ratio).

Skating Force Cancellation

Anti-skating is provided by a precision-calibrted adjustment to exactly match vertical tracking force.

Oil Damped Cueing

Feather-light contact between stylus and record groove is provided by the oil-damped cueing system. It is silent, smooth and, at the end of a record, completely automatic.

Specifications

Type:  Dynamic balanced universal tonearm

Over lenght:  315 mm (12-3/8")

Effective lenght:  237 mm (9-3/8")

Overhang:  15 mm (5/8")

Offset Angle:  21°50'

Tracking Error:  less than 1,5°

Height Range :  43 - 83 mm (1-3/4" - 3-1/4")

Height Fine Adjustment (lever operation):  6 mm (0,23")

Recommended Cartridge Weight:  4 - 12 g (0,14 - 4,2 oz)

Anti-skating Device:  Spring tension type

Establishing of Anti-skating Force:  Relative to stylus pressure

Tonearm Lifter:  Delayed action type

Output Cable:  5 pin connector plug-in low capacity design (55PF/m)

Headshell (H707x):  4g (0,14 oz) made of carbon mixed

Connector: Plug-in type, with hard gold plating

Micro Seiki MA-505 (LS, LX)

Micro Seiki model MA-505 Dynamic Balance Type Tonearm

 Specifications

Type:  Dynamic balanced universal tonearm

Over lenght:  322 mm (12,68")

Effective lenght:  237 mm (9,33")

Overhang:  15 mm (0,59")

Offset Angle:  21°50'

Tracking Error:  less than 1,5°

Height Adjustable Range From motor board surface to pivot center):  42 - 86 mm (1,65" - 3,39")

Height Fine Adjustment (lever operation):  6 mm (0,23")

Recommended Cartridge Weight:  4 - 10 g (0,13 - 0,35 oz)

w/subweight A : 9 -16 g (0,33 - 0,56 oz)

w/subweight B : 16 - 22,5 g (  0,56 - 0,79 oz)

Tracking Force Adjustment:  0 -3 g direct reading

 Micro Seiki model MA-505L/LS.

 is long limited version of MA-505 which was manufactured for pro, and MA-505LS is long version with silver wire. 

Micro Seiki model MA-505LX.

 is special long version of MA-505 which has heavier arm base, inner wire is pure cooper special order to Mogami corp 

Thorens TP-16 Mk II

 Professional TP 16 MkII tone arm

For optimum in tracking ability it is not sufficient that a tonearm has a low bearing friction. It is much more important that it has a low effective mass, because high mass prevents the stylus from following the imperfections (warp or ripple) of the record as it should do.

To overcome high effective mass one can increase the stylus force, but this results in excessive record wear.

Precision bell bearings are used in this professiional arm, mking it insensitive to shock and rough handling , ideally used for broadcasting and discotheques. In addition, the TP 16 MkII is a straight arm and not S-shaped. The necessary offset angle is independent of the arm shape. A special surface treatment of the tone armtube absorbs all undesirable resonances of the tone arm.

It will optimise ideally with almost every cartridge.

Specifications TP 16 MkII tone arm

Effective Length:  232 mm

Effective Mass:  7,5 g

Stylus Overhang:  16,4 mm adjustable

Offset single:  23°

Lateral Tracking Error:  ≤ 0,18°/cm of radius

Skating-compensation:  frictionless magnetic assembly

Tracking Force:  by calibrated spring dial adjustment

Bearing Friction:  ≤ 0,15 mN  (15mp) in both planes

Cartridge Mounting:  Standard ½"

Capacitance of cable:  100 pF

Auto-stop:  Opto-electronic

Thorens TP 21

 THORENS TP 21 Tone arm

For optimum in tracking ability it is not sufficient that a tone arm has a low bearing friction. It is much more important that it has a low effective mass, because high mass prevents the stylus from following the imperfections (warp or ripple) of the record as it should do.

To overcome hgh effective mass one can increase the stylus force, but this results in excessive record wear. 

  

In addition, the TP 21 is a straight arm and not S-shaped. The necessary offset angle is independent of the arm shape. A special surface treatment of the tone arm tube absorbs all undesirable resonances of the tone arm.

It will optimise ideally with almost every cartridge.

Specifications TP 21 tone arm

Effective Length:  232 mm

Effective Mass:  12,5 g

Stylus Overhang:  16,4 mm adjustable

Offset single:  23°

Lateral Tracking Error:  ≤ 0,18°/cm of radius

Skating-compensation:  1 or 2 weights on nylon thread

Tracking Force:  Graduation scale on counterweight

Bearing Friction:  ≤ 0,20 mN  (20mp) in both planes

Cartridge Mounting:  Standard ½"

Capacitance of cable:  150 pF

Thorens TP 28 ES

 TP 28 ES tone arm.

For optimum in tracking abillity, a tone arm must have a low bearing friction, hence the use of pivot bearings on the TP 28 ES. The mass of every tone arm forms a resonent system together with the compliance of the pick-up cartridge. Such tone arm mass must thus be carefully selected in view to keep the resonance frequency of the system within definite limits, i.e. between 7 and 12 Hz as taught by experience.

These limits are respected by the Thorens TP 28 ES tone arm in combination with nearly all available cartridges.

 The TP 28 ES is a straight arm and not S-shaped. The necessary offset angle is independent of the arm shape. A special surface treatment of the tone arm tube absorbs all undesirable resonances of the tone arm.

It will optimise ideally with almost every cartridge.

 Specifications TP 28 ES tone arm

Effective Length:  232 mm

Effective Mass:  12,5 g

Stylus Overhang:  16,4 mm adjustable

Offset single:  23°

Lateral Tracking Error:  ≤ 0,18°/cm of radius

Skating-compensation:  by calibrated spring

Tracking Force:  Graduation scale on counterweight

Bearing Friction:  ≤ 0,25 mN  (25mp) in both planes

Cartridge Mounting:  Standard ½"

Capacitance of cable:  150 pF