Art Dudley Listening

Manufacturers' Comment

Editor: There are several problems with Art Dudley's review of the TA10.

First Problem: Mounting on a Thorens TD 124 turntable. The original plinth was designed for 8" tonearms, later for 9" tonearms. Solution: There's no problem with Swissonor's #29.0 plinth, which is designed for tonearms up to 10" or longer than 11".

Second Problem: Bearing function. As with every item, this TA10 was tested on a TD 124, and several parameters, such as bearing preload, were fine-adjusted by ear, using an Ortofon SPU Classic cartridge. The complete job, from A to Z, is done by our technician, who has studied under others and plays the harpsichord (he has one at home). He has much younger/finer ears than mine. He listens on a high-grade system he has owned for many years, so he can hear absolutely any smallest deviation from the ideal.

How is it possible that the bearings of the first sample we sent were not working? I had that issue once with the first-series TA10, after transporting a turntable in my car between two dealers without removing the counterweight. The bearing had moved off-center. I repaired that in five (hot) minutes. Was the tonearm Art reviewed shipped with the counterweight on? We think so. Solution: Leave off the counterweight for shipping, as we do. This is absolutely necessary, not only for Swissonor tonearms but for any design.

Third Problem: Azimuth. As I explained to Art, the azimuth of the supplied headshell, which seems not to suit Art's ideas even if it's the best one we've found worldwide (Japan-made, cast magnesium, double locker pins), can be adjusted through a full 360°. The double locker then makes securing that adjusted position very precise. Any azimuth is possible with the supplied headshell. Our technician checks azimuth with the supplied headshell type, an Ortofon Quintet cartridge, and a mirror.

With the single locker of the SPUs (and most headshells in the market), you can move the cartridge clockwise and counterclockwise easily, through more than ±1°. Therefore, you will change azimuth with each change of cartridge. Our customers often change cartridges from mono to stereo and back.

In every case, the TA10's azimuth adjustment is much more precise than that. Generally, as I explain in the user guide, when you screw down the mounting plate on the TD 124, you have to adjust parallelism or you will get the wrong azimuth, due to uneven compression of the grommets. Solution: Until now, using the above methods, all dealers/customers have gotten perfect azimuth without trouble.

Final Problem: Philosophy. When I think about our customers, they have one thing in common: They all spend time (and money) on collecting and listening to discs. At the beginning, they spend a little time on adjusting their gear, too. But their hobby is music, and hi-fi is only the way, but not the aim. When our dealers repair, refurbish, upgrade, and/or deliver a TD 124, it will sound so good that no one will think about how to make it even better, because they will simply feel no need for it. A well-known German magazine specializing in analog hi-fi tested the smallest Swissonor system and summed it up: If you're tired of running all your life after the "maybe even better" and look for peace of mind now, you may find what you need for the rest of your life.

I hope that each TA10 will find a lifetime place in the home of a music lover. (This should not be difficult, with the TA10's series 2 limited to only 50 units.) If Art is not at ease with this, better he should not write about our stuff.&3151;Urs Frei, Swissonor