Bergmann Audio of Denmark launches the Magne Tonearm

Bergmann Audio of Denmark launches the Magne Tonearm, a linear-tracking airbearing tonearm whose moving part floats on a thin cushion of air and is led only by the stylus tip and the record groove.

The company claims a “thoroughly considered simply construction, made with few parts in solid materials to avoid unintended resonances and to secure optimum stability.” In addition, “[the Magne tonearm] is designed and assembled as one, non-adjustable unit, which consists of an aluminum sliding pipe, carbon armtube (double tube with damping) and the head shell.”

The headshell is fixed completely parallel to the sliding pipe for a perfect azimuth. The counter weight is decoupled from the armtube. The lack of adjustable and vibrating parts means no mechanical contact between the moving part and the fixed part of the tonearm.

Easy to set up, the linear tracking airbearing tonearm tracks the record as it is pressed, thus producing no tracking error theoretically and a distortion free, relaxed reproduction even at complex passages. Airbearing also allows the tonearm to be immune to acoustic feedback. The air supply for the tonearm consists of an oil free pump that requires no maintenance, and the impulses are absorbed in an encapsulated reservoir, which ensures an even airflow to the air bearing. The air supply is mounted with a replaceable filter that prevents dust particles from entering the system. Finally, the air supply operates quietly and can be placed in the listening room. MSRP: $7,600.