Tri-Planar Precision Tonearm 

ULTIMATE 12 / 12″ Tonearm

El primer y nuevo diseño de brazo de Tri-Planar en más de 40 años, el brazo Tri-Planar U12 ofrece una mejor resolución, detalle, rango dinámico y proporciona una reducción de error angular del 27% sobre los brazos de 9 “similares (17% sobre 10”). “U12 tiene la misma masa efectiva que las versiones de 9” y 10 “del brazo, por lo que es un reemplazo directo para esos brazos y cápsulas que se usan con ellos.

Características:

• Varilla de fibra de carbono con amortiguación coaxial NUEVO
• 12 “(308.80 mm) de longitud efectiva NUEVO
• Componentes pulidos a mano – redondeados para control de resonancia NUEVO
• Comedero de fluido de silicona más grande NUEVO
• Reposapiés integrado con canal de amortiguación para reducción de resonancia NUEVO
• Cableado de brazo interno de plata pura NUEVO
• Rodamientos de Avionic
• Cabeza de concha amortiguada
• Diseño de yugo de sujeción que acopla firmemente el tubo de brazo al tubo de soporte
• Cojinetes con conos de aguja hechos a mano, endurecidos y pulidos
• Rodamientos a la altura de registro
• Diseño progresivo antideslizante
• Sistema sofisticado de contrapesos desacoplados
• Disponible en negro o plata

Especificaciones

• Tipo: Rodamientos de aviónica cardán
• Longitud efectiva: 308.80 mm
• Distancia pivote-a-husillo: 295.6 mm
• Alero: 13.2 mm
• Ángulo de desplazamiento: 17.6 °
• Masa efectiva: 15g
• ángulo de desplazamiento del rodamiento: 17.6 °

REVIEW

 by Henry Wilkenson

Una primera mirada

Tri-Planar ha estado produciendo algunos de los mejores brazos del mundo en los últimos cincuenta años. El difunto Herb Papier, el fundador de la compañía, introdujo el brazo Wheaton Tri-Planar original en el Consumer Electronics Show 1981, pero hacía unos veinte años que hacía tonearms para familiares y amigos. No es de extrañar cuántos fabricantes de audio de alta gama son músicos, y Herb no fue la excepción, expresó su amor por la música como trompetista, y convirtió sus talentos como relojero de precisión para la fabricación de brazos.

El nombre Tri-Planar se deriva del objetivo de diseño de Papier de abordar los tres planos de geometría-acimut de brazo de tono, ángulo de seguimiento vertical (VTA) y orientación vertical a la altura de registro. El resultado de estos esfuerzos es un brazo de tono que es altamente ajustable, con una capacidad de seguimiento y resolución superiores. En 1989, la empresa fue comprada por Tri Mai, el actual propietario y diseñador. Tri ha continuado la tradición de precisión exquisita y calidad de construcción con el Tri-Planar Ultimate Mk.VII actual. El nuevo brazo Ultimate de 12 pulgadas, o U-12, es el segundo brazo de armadura completamente nuevo lanzado en la larga historia de la compañía.

Las ventajas de un brazo de 12 pulgadas son bien conocidas. El ángulo de desplazamiento es menor que el de un brazo de 9 o 10 pulgadas; lo que resulta en una reducción significativa (27 por ciento) del error de seguimiento. Esto da como resultado una mejor capacidad de seguimiento y una menor distorsión interna del borde. El tubo del brazo del U-12 está hecho de fibra de carbono y equipado con alambre de plata. Todas las partes están redondeadas para un mejor rechazo de ruido. Incluso con su mayor longitud, el U-12 es un brazo de masa media con 13 gramos. Los rodamientos son de características militares, de tipo de cardán fijo, lo que da como resultado una mejor estabilidad del brazo y una imagen superior. El comprador tiene una opción de terminaciones.

Tuve la oportunidad de escuchar el brazo de U-12 recientemente. El brazo se montó en el fantástico giradiscos Redpoint Model MG ($ 39,000) con el cartucho Transfiguration Proteus ($ 6,000). Inmediatamente me sorprendieron las imágenes sólidas del brazo y su amplio escenario de sonido, con imágenes claramente fijadas en el escenario. Un ejemplo fue la excelente reedición de Speakers Corner de Transformador de Lou Reed (Speakers Corner / ALSP 4807). ‘Tome un paseo por el lado salvaje’ es un favorito en particular. No solo eran las imágenes realmente palpables, sino que la solidez tonal y el detalle de textura de las voces era asombroso.

Tri-Planar Precision Tonearm 

ULTIMATE 12 / 12″ Tonearm

Tri-Planar’s first new tonearm design in over 40 years, the Tri-Planar U12 tonearm offers improved resolution, detail, dynamic range and provides a 27% angular error reduction over similar 9″ tonearms (17% over 10″ tonearms).  The 12″ U12 has the same effective mass as the 9″ and 10″ versions of the tonearm, making it a drop-in replacement for those ‘arms and the cartridges used with them. 

Features

• 12″ (308.8mm) effective length
• Carbon fiber composite coaxial damped arm tube
• Gimbal bearing design which enables the bearing to be positioned at record height
• Structural components are hand-polished and rounded to control resonance
• Tonearm rest integrated with damping trough to reduce resonance
• Avionic bearings
• Damped headshell
• Pure silver teflon coated internal tonearm wiring  
• Clamping yoke design that firmly couples the arm tube to the bearing tube yet allowing azimuth adjustment
• Progressive anti-skating design
• Azimuth adjustable
• VTA adjustable
• Sophisticated system of decoupled counter-weights, allowing proper stylus force for any cartridge without altering effective mass
• Available in black or silver

Specifications

• Type: gimbal-bearing tonearm
• Effective length (pivot to stylus distance): 308.8mm 
• Pivot-to-spindle distance: 296.6mm
• Overhang: 13.2mm
• Offset angle: 17.62°
• Effective mass: 13g

CES 2013: Triplanar the Ultimate

I found Tri Mai of Triplanar lounging in the On A Higher Note room at CES, showing off his new Ultimate U12 tonearm. Triplanar has always been known for creating functional works of art, with just about every known variable of performance and configuration available as an adjustment. The new arm, offered at a rather startling $9,800, has a sleek, elegant look. All the bits are finely machined and have a natural, easy and flowing movement. If that’s ringing the “Swiss watch” bell for you, well, you’re not alone. Nice kit, there.

What you get for that is a 12″ carbon fiber wand with coaxial damping and pure silver internal wiring. The new arm nets you a 27%  in “angular error reduction” over a 9″ tonearm (17% over a 10″). Just about everything on the ‘arm has been tweaked and adjusted for lower resonance and better damping.

More specs:

REVIEW

by Henry Wilkenson

A first look

Tri-Planar has been producing some of the world’s finest tonearms for the past fifty years. The late Herb Papier, the founder of the company, introduced the original Wheaton Tri-Planar arm at the 1981 Consumer Electronics Show, but he had been making tonearms for some twenty years for family and friends. It is not surprising how many high-end audio manufacturers are musicians, and Herb was no exception—he expressed his love of music as a trumpet player—and he turned his talents as a precision watchmaker to the manufacturing of tonearms.

The name Tri-Planar is derived from Papier’s design goal of addressing the three planes of tonearm geometry—azimuth, vertical tracking angle (VTA), and vertical bearing at record height. The result of these efforts is a tonearm that is highly adjustable, with superior trackability and resolution. In 1989, the company was purchased by Tri Mai, the current owner and designer. Tri has continued the tradition of exquisite precision and build quality with the current Tri-Planar Ultimate Mk.VII. The new Ultimate 12-inch arm, or U-12, is the second completely new tonearm released in the company’s long history.

The advantages of a 12-inch arm are well known. The offset angle is less than that of a 9- or 10-inch arm; resulting in a significant (27 percent!) reduction of tracking error. This results in better trackability and lower inner grove distortion. The U-12’s arm tube is made of carbon fiber and outfitted with silver wire. All parts are rounded for better noise rejection. Even with its increased length, the U-12 is a medium-mass arm at 13 grams. The bearings are military spec, of a fixed-gimbal type that results in better arm stability and superior imaging. The purchaser has a choice of terminations.

I had an opportunity to hear the U-12 tonearm recently. The arm was mounted on the fantastic Redpoint Model MG turntable ($39,000) with the Transfiguration Proteus cartridge ($6,000). I was immediately struck by the arm’s rock-solid imaging and its wide soundstage, with images clearly fixed within the stage. One example was the excellent Speakers Corner reissue of Lou Reed’s Transformer (Speakers Corner / ALSP 4807). ‘Take A Walk On The Wild Side’ is a particular favorite. Not only were the images truly palpable, but the tonal solidity and textural detail of the vocals was astounding.

Chad Kassem has been producing very high quality reissues for a while now. His 45rpm reissue of Cannonball Adderley’s Something Else (Analogue Productions ABNJ 81595) is among the very best releases on his Analogue Productions / QRP label. Two cuts, ‘Autumn Leaves’ and ‘One For Daddy-O’, demonstrated the superior ability of the U-12 to resolve rhythm and pace. The Redpoint turntable is known for producing rock-solid bass, but the U-12 was able to take its bass performance to another level. Drum and upright bass lines were more clearly delineated, in fact the best that I have heard in this regard.

Analogue Productions’ pressing is Shelby Lynne’s ‘Just A Little Lovin’ (AAPP 041). This recording offers palpable presence like few others. The vocals are close miked, and can harden on some systems during the loud passages. Not here, though—there was a total lack of hardness or edge. The breathy textures were audible, but not overdone.

The Tri-Planar U-12 handled everything thrown at it with no sweat. It will allow you to extract the very best performance that your cartridge and turntable can produce.  The Tri-Planar Ultimate Mk VII is one of the world’s best 10-inch tonearms. As good as it is, the U-12 is better, and deserves to take its place as one of the best tonearms available today. Yes, it is expensive, but its jewel-like precision and build quality more than justify the purchase price. If you are in the market for a tonearm of this quality, and you have a turntable that is capable of utilizing this arm’s extraordinary sonic performance, you owe it to yourself to audition the Tri-Planar U-12.