Since company foundation in 1974, Katsuaki Ishiyama-san established and collected designing and development knowhow for various tonearms (And other analog equipment), manufactured by only handmade and assembled process, with his belief the fine tuning is only available by craftsmen’s precise and sensitive hand for variety of analog gears.
Even applying for modern technology of CNC milling machine at their own plant for basic parts production, their expertise are still there to rely on their craftsmen’s process, in particular, during assembling process for many parts to have idealized mechanical surface contact with each other, by hand-tuned and hand-adjusted.
The major key to tonearm quality is the sensitivity and stability in retrieving delicate signals, for which the bearings are the determining factor. The TA-l employs a miniature radial bearing for horizontal movement and a miniature pivot bearing for vertical movement. Very high performance is achieved at a reasonable price.
The body is constructed from a machine-tooled solid aluminum block.
The hand-assembled arm wand satisfies every vital condition necessary for vibration-free and noise-free reproduction..
Reproduced sound is precise and clean, thanks to hand assembly by highly skilled craftsmen.
Comes with detachable headshell, phono cable (RCA output plug, or optionally as XLR), screws, washers, wrench and marking pin.
SME-Sorane Sliding Base
Total Length
Spindle center to arm pivot distance
Stylus to pivot distance
Overhang
Offset Angle
Cartridge weight
Anti-skating Device
Net weight
Total Length
Spindle to pivot distance
Stylus to pivot distance
Overhang
Cartridge weight range
Total weight
Anti-skating
Whole length
pivot to spindle
effective length
overhang
offset angle
linear offset
SA-1.2 SA-1.2B SA-1.2BCS
310mm
223mm
239mm
16mm
22.25°
15-45 grams, including headshell
0-3 grams
750g (with headshell: 767g)
TA-1L
15-24 grams with headshell
610 grams (with headshell attached: 627g)
up to 3 grams
60.325mm
146.05mm
63.531mm
119.375mm
1.4°
0.481%
0.312%
40g
15-29 grams with headshell
580 grams (with headshell attached: 597g)
up to 3 grams
ZA-12 ZA-12B
410mm inner groove
310mm outer groove
322mm inner null point
12mm outer null point
16.5° maximum error
91.453mm maximum distortion
average rms distortion
Max. Cartridge weight
