All
Thales
Website:https://www.thales.swiss/
Thales is the Swiss analogue brand of HiFiction AG, a Turbenthal company founded in 2008 by mechanical engineer Micha Huber. It is known first for tonearms built on a patented geometry that keeps the cartridge tangential to the groove while the arm still swings on a pivot, and it has grown from that single idea into a full analogue range covering tonearms, turntables, cartridges, a phono stage and cables.
Range & what it's known for
The tonearm line has three models, the Statement at the top, the Simplicity and the Easy. All are based on the circle theorem of the Greek mathematician Thales, which Huber used to make the offset angle change continuously during play so that the cartridge stays perpendicular to the record radius across the whole side. The idea was protected by Swiss patent CH 694567, announced in May 2004. Turntables are offered as the Reference, Elegance and Silencer, cartridges as the Xquisite and Voro, and the electronics side consists of the Magnifier phono preamplifier and a cable range. Finishes favour a restrained look that reflects the watchmaking background of the designer.
Who owns it and where it's made
HiFiction AG is a private company run by Micha Huber as CEO. Before starting it he spent five years in Swiss watchmaking while also studying and teaching music, and he trained as a mechanical engineer. Design and assembly take place in Turbenthal in the canton of Zurich, in a former spinning mill dating from 1833, and the parts are machined in Switzerland by local suppliers.
The lineup in this catalog
The catalog covers tonearms and turntables, none below about USD 8,000 and the dearest above USD 30,000.
Who it's for
Thales is for a record player owner who wants the low tracking error of a tangential arm while keeping the simple handling of a pivoted design. The Easy and Simplicity are the entry point for adding a Thales arm to an existing deck, while the Statement, the in-house turntables and the Xquisite cartridges let a buyer assemble a complete front end from one Swiss workshop.
Range & what it's known for
The tonearm line has three models, the Statement at the top, the Simplicity and the Easy. All are based on the circle theorem of the Greek mathematician Thales, which Huber used to make the offset angle change continuously during play so that the cartridge stays perpendicular to the record radius across the whole side. The idea was protected by Swiss patent CH 694567, announced in May 2004. Turntables are offered as the Reference, Elegance and Silencer, cartridges as the Xquisite and Voro, and the electronics side consists of the Magnifier phono preamplifier and a cable range. Finishes favour a restrained look that reflects the watchmaking background of the designer.
Who owns it and where it's made
HiFiction AG is a private company run by Micha Huber as CEO. Before starting it he spent five years in Swiss watchmaking while also studying and teaching music, and he trained as a mechanical engineer. Design and assembly take place in Turbenthal in the canton of Zurich, in a former spinning mill dating from 1833, and the parts are machined in Switzerland by local suppliers.
The lineup in this catalog
The catalog covers tonearms and turntables, none below about USD 8,000 and the dearest above USD 30,000.
Who it's for
Thales is for a record player owner who wants the low tracking error of a tangential arm while keeping the simple handling of a pivoted design. The Easy and Simplicity are the entry point for adding a Thales arm to an existing deck, while the Statement, the in-house turntables and the Xquisite cartridges let a buyer assemble a complete front end from one Swiss workshop.
