New 12" Tonearm UK Manufacture

[Lee Henley]

I recently spotted this arm at the UK Leamington HiFi show manufactured by a UK company, its a static balance arm and is 12" in length. At the show he was using an SPU supplied by Shuggie. I had a good luck at the arm and it appeared to be well manufactured and is priced very competitively especially as they are all hand made in his workshop.

Im not affiliated with the guy who runs the company but feel that the arm should be brought to the attention of forum members. When I am looking for a new arm myself I will most likely be ordering one of them and I was wondering if any members on here had heard one in their systems?

Here is the link to his web site

https://www.acoustand.co.uk/collections/turntables-and-tonearms/products/acoustand-alt-12-12-tonearm-new-product

https://cdn.supadupa.me/shop/26580/images/3110687/IMG_1319_massive.jpg

https://cdn.supadupa.me/shop/26580/images/3110689/IMG_1320_massive.jpg

Hopefully the guy will be taking some orders as its worth encouraging UK manufacture.

[Ammonite Audio]

Totally agree - this thing reeks of quality and is very well priced. The quality is even more amazing when you know that all the parts are machined by hand, the old-fashioned way, rather than by CNC.

[Bigman80]

This fella makes a stunning SP10 plinth from Delrin and Aluminium. I've been lusting after one for a while.

Good coms from him and he answered questions quickly.

Looks interesting.

[YNWaN]

I’ve chatted to the man who makes this arm. As above, it looks very nicely made and has some interesting design features - it deserves to do well.

At £995.00 (including headshell) it’s very good value!

[Barry]

Considering the arm is hand crafted to a very high standard of fit and finish, the asking price is more than reasonable.

Whilst the bias arrangement is correct (with the side force decreasing as the arm moves towards the centre of the record), the vertical bearings are such that the stylus does not move in a true vertical plane as it rides a record warp. A minor quibble - even SME took decades to sort that one out.

I like the way the overhang is adjusted in the headshell. I assume the headshell fitting is the standard EIA bayonet type.

Good to see a new British arm manufacturer - I wish him all success.

[Ammonite Audio]

I did point out the vertical bearing alignment to Lee at the Woodland Grange Audio Show

[joolz]

Nice looking bit of kit, almost seems a shame that i don't need one....

[Lee Henley]

I did point out the vertical bearing alignment to Lee at the Woodland Grange Audio Show

Yes you did mate, how much of an effect will it have on play back?

[Ammonite Audio]

Yes you did mate, how much of an effect will it have on play back?

In truth, very little indeed in terms of replay quality since there are many and much more significant factors in designing and making a good tonearm, but it's good practice to align bearing and offset angles to eliminate azimuth changes with armtube level.

[Tea24]

Anyone tried the headshell alone on, say, a Jelco tonearm?

[ovlov854]

I too saw this at Leamington and was mightily impressed.
The finish was very good

[Lee Henley]

Anyone tried the headshell alone on, say, a Jelco tonearm?

No not yet but may in the future when I need too. I am tempted to try the magnetic feet, a set of 4 will support 30kg and a set of 3 will do 20kg. The price for these is very tempting at £149 for a set of 4

[Barry]

Yes you did mate, how much of an effect will it have on play back?

Very little as Hugo has said. It will affect the channel balance/crosstalk momentarily as the record warp is ridden. I did calculate the small change in azimuth with arm angle, but have mislaid my notes. But it is only a small effect.

So whilst it is not that important compared to things like arm integrity, minimising bending and torsional flexing modes and making the arm as neutral a cartridge carrier as possible, it doesn't take much to properly align the vertical bearings in an arm design - Garrard did it over fifty years ago.

[Spider]

Did anyone hear it in action?
What did it sound like?
As it’s new anyone buying one is taking a punt.
Is it a gimble or unipuvot type bearing?

[Ammonite Audio]

I heard it via headphones at the Woodland Grange show with one of my Ortofon SPU#1S cartridges fitted, and it did sound very good - a nicely balanced, natural sound character that definitely bodes well for production versions. This arm looks like it might be a uni-pivot but it does have conventional bearings in both axes.