The horizontal bearing also creates a center of gravity offset from the main pivot, which will improve stability and balance. The Primary Control incorporates a lower horizontal ball bearing into the pivot housing which makes the armwand “lean” continuously onto a right pivot, virtually eliminating side-to-side wobbling. The Graham Phantom and the Durand Talea use magnetic force to stabilize the arm, whereas the Reed 3P adds on additional side bearings to restrict horizontal movements.
Without horizontal stabilization (as in the case of the Moerch UP-4), the armwand wobbles from side to side during play resulting in measurable distortions and increased crosstalk between channels therefore, the newer unipivot designs will have some sort of horizontal stabilization mechanism to remedy the problem.
#SME TONEARM TITANIUM ARM FREE#
But the free multi-directional movement of a unipivot arm is as much a nuisance as it is an advantage. Proponents of unipivot tonearms often argue that these tonearms provide a better top-end extension and a more vibrant presentation. The arm has a bearing cup mounted on the underside of armwand, which sits on a vertical sapphire bearing that points upward, based on the concept of most unipivot tonearms on which the entire armwand is balanced on a single point of contact. It wasn’t until I disassembled the entire bearing housing (a task not recommended by the manufacturer) that I began to understand the working mechanisms of the arm. The entire bearing structure is hidden within a round housing made of Delrin, making the bearing mechanism invisible to the naked eye. The Primary Control employs a unique proprietary two-point pivot, similar to Basis Audio’s Vector arm of the ’90s. The head shell mounting plate and the armwand look remarkably similar, and are both situated to the left of the mounting column. From afar, the arm itself looks almost like a Schröder Reference tonearm with a nicer finish. It looks and feels expensive, reminding me of the now discontinued DaVinci Grandezza. Unlike most tonearms packed in molded Styrofoam boxes, the Primary Control is housed in a wooden box with precut foam inlays. The Primary Control’s exquisite elegance can be felt right away as you unwrap the shipping box. These two arms are the first to land on North American soil. The armwand is made of a titanium tube and a carbon graphite outer layer, separated by carefully inserted damping material to optimize resonant characteristics. A few months later, a second 10.5” model made of carbon graphite and titanium followed. My first review sample took a little over four months to arrive, a 12” model with a Macassar ebony armwand. The options are plentiful: 9”, 10.5” or 12” lengths the metal parts come in matte, shiny, or black and the armwand in carbon graphite or an exotic wood of your choice. The ”bespoke” process begins with a consultation with the designer (or the dealer) about your specific turntable needs, as there really isn’t a standard model of the tonearm. After eight years of research and development, the Primary Control tonearm is born. His fascination with the mechanics of turntable and tonearm design led him to create a tonearm that gives users precise management of every conceivable setup parameter, or, as he calls it, “Primary Control” over adjustability in order to allow a cartridge to retrieve signals accurately. Its owner, Bernd Hemmen, is an electrical engineer whose lifetime passions are music and audio. Primary Control is an Amsterdam-based company that specializes in exquisite custom-made tonearms. In the world of high-end analog audio, if there is such a thing as a “bespoke tonearm,” the Primary Control tonearm from the Netherlands fits this description. It is understood to mean that a suit is custom measured, cut and made by hand to provide a perfect fit where it literally hugs one’s body.
The term “bespoke” originates in Savile Row, a street in Mayfair, Central London, famous for prestigious tailoring for the individual customer. If you are lucky enough to have tried bespoke tailoring in Savile Row, you will know that nothing off the rack really comes close to it.
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