Тонармы — Clearaudio UNIFY 14"

The UNIFY 14 is the longest arm in Clearaudio's UNIFY unipivot radial range, which the German manufacturer produces in 9, 10, 12 and 14 inch lengths. Every UNIFY rides on a single sapphire bearing and pairs a carbon fibre tube with an aluminium bell, all standing on a stainless steel pillar, so this model keeps the construction of the shorter arms while stretching the geometry to the greatest radius in the family.

Key specs that matter

The 14 inch arm offers an effective length of 338.63 mm and measures 420 mm from end to end. It is mounted with its pivot 327 mm from the spindle and works with an overhang of 11.63 mm and an offset angle of 16.70 degrees, the lowest overhang and offset values in the UNIFY series. Cartridge weights from 2.5 g to 17 g can be balanced. With its counterweight the arm weighs close to 770 g. The tube is supplied in black or silver, the attached signal lead is 1.1 m of Super Sixstream wire ending in RCA plugs, and registered owners get three years of guarantee.

Engineering and use context

Clearaudio describes the bearing as a one-point sapphire unit, in which a sapphire rests on a hardened steel tip given a precision polish. Vertical and horizontal tracking angles each have their own adjustment. The arm height, which sets VTA, is released by two lock screws on the side of the base at approximately the 10 and 2 o'clock positions. Azimuth is changed by loosening a small Allen screw below the tube where the headshell meets the carbon fibre and turning the headshell slightly. The Clearaudio Turbo Weight locks onto the rear shaft with a screw, and its distance from the pivot sets tracking force, while a supplementary weight is included for low mass pickups. For anti-skating, a weight hangs from a line passing through a support wand to a threaded shaft at the top of the bell, delivering about 0.5 g in the position nearest the pivot and another 0.5 g for every eighth of an inch outward, up to 3.0 g. Clearaudio also supplies a cueing lift, a cartridge alignment gauge, hex keys in 2.5 mm and 3 mm and socket head cap screws with washers.

Pairing

With a 327 mm mounting distance the UNIFY 14 suits only turntables with an armboard long enough and drilled for a 14 inch arm. On decks from other brands, fixing is done with an aluminium clamping ring, which needs M4 threaded holes in the board.

Alternatives

The Clearaudio UNIFY 12 is the next shorter unipivot arm in the series, with a 316.50 mm effective length and a 304 mm mounting distance.