point The Definite Unipivot Tonearm
The genuin point tonearm transports the fragile signal of the cartridge with maximum precision and absolute neutrality. point “disappears” as a sound-influencing element in the playback chain. It is solely a neutral agent between the cartridge and the phono amplifier. This 10-inch tonearm developed exclusively for genuin audio is based on a reinterpretation of the proven principle of the unipivot-bearing. However, the point comes without the known disadvantages of this principle like uncontrolled vertical tilting. That’s over. This makes the genuin audio point the perfect unipivot tonearm.
Unipivot Bearing logically thought out
In the genuin audio point, the unipivot bearing in the upper part of the arm is composed of different ball bearing elements. The geometry is adapted to precise guidance in the horizontal plane and to exactly one fixed pivot point.
The bearing tip consists of an adjusting screw with a welded hardened bearing ball. The centre of this sphere is the centre of rotation of the tonearm, which remains invariable in every position of the entire tonearm.
The bearing is absolutely play-free and yet extremely damped. The feared ‘unipivot tilting’ is thus avoided. Instead, the tonearm displays a high degree of mobility, flexibility and non-inertia in the rotary movement. The excellent horizontal guidance results in an extremely clear spatial presentation of the vinyl reproduction.
Cut through the Bearing Centre
The bearing point is shown, consisting of an adjusting screw with a welded bearing ball. Below that is the bearing assembly in the base top. This is rotatable for the VTA setting and complete with 3 O-rings. The tight fitting of the O-rings ensures the rigid connection to the lower part and thus to the subchassis.
The horizontal azimuth setting as well as the anti-skating ring and the stylus from the cartridge are located on the 0-plane of the bearing.
Substantive Base
One of the core beliefs of genuin audio is the need to avoid any form of sound-coloring external influences. Therefore, the joint of the tonearm to the drive is extremely stable and low-resonance. The height-adjustable upper part of the arm is guided and effectively damped via a particularly massive M8 thread and three O-rings. The tonearm top has two extremely low-lying counterweights. These are mounted for adjustment to different kind of cartridges. These weights carry out the basic adjustment of the tonearm. The exact adjustment of the tracking force is effected via the central weight.
“The point is the uncompromising development of a tonearm I designed in 1978. All the experiences of the years and several hundred development projects since have been incorporated into the work and make the point what it is today.”
Anti-skating on Bearing Level
A transversely arranged, adjustable weight is arranged for adjusting the azimuth. The anti-skating force is handled via a weight on a string exactly in the plane of the single-point bearing. This plane is at the same time also the plane of the tracking diamond stylus. Therefore, any forces during the tracking of the record have no moment for the rotation of the entire tonearm and thus for the change of the tracking geometries.
Carbon and Aluminium
The tonearm is made of carbon, since this material combines lightness and stability in an ideal manner. The headshell of the tonearm genuin audio point, which is bonded to the thin-walled tonearm tube, is made of aluminium. The relatively high weight of the headshell contributes to the stiffness and ensures maximum mass inertia in the area of the cartridge. Again, it is also necessary here to avoid unwanted signal influences, because of resonance as an example. This approach continues in the inside of the tonearm.
“…a tonearm that provides best tracking with a variety of cartridges…”
Eliminating External Vibrations
The carbon tube is bonded over a large area both to the support of the counterweights and to the support of the unipivot bearing tip. The vibrations induced in a typical tonearm tube are effectively damped by a combination of several elements installed in the carbon tube. This applies to low-frequency as well as to high-frequency vibrations.
Multiple Damping Elements
The largest resonance vibration of the carbon tube is to be found approximately in the middle of the length of the tube. At precisely this point, a damping element made of Visco foam was inserted, which is connected to a concentric inner tube, also made of carbon.
This second tube is at the front connected relatively firmly with the headshell over an O-ring and glued to a weight at the other end, right by the pivot. By means of this arrangement, the low-frequency vibration energy is transmitted from the outer tube via the Visco foam and the inner tube to the free-swinging inner weight and is largely absorbed. Higher-frequency vibrations with a small amplitude are soaked up by the large-area Visco foam.
This arrangement ensures that all elements for damping contribute only insignificantly to the moving mass of the tonearm. The only heavy weight is so close to the center of gravity that its influence is very small. These complex attenuations of different intensities at precisely determined positions ensure that no interfering resonances add color to the transmission.
Continuous Cabling
To minimize the number of interfering solder points and signal interrupts, the tonearm cable is wired through. It leads directly from the four sockets on the pickup connector to the connector for the drive. This is a high quality plug from LEMO. The genuin audio drive also has the LEMO connector.
Quick Exchange
The design of the point allows the use of several different tonearm tops on one tonearm base. This is ideal for comparing cartridges or using a special mono-pick-up for a mono record. After a one-time adjustment, the tonearm upper parts can be pre-set. They are then exchanged with minimal effort. Only the anti-skating string needs to be hung. Done.
Technical Specifications
| Principle | Unipivot tonearm |
|---|---|
| Geometry | 10″ Baerwald Löfgren |
| Effective Length | 254mm (10″) |
| Overhang | 16.2 mm |
| Offset Angle | 21.6° |
| Special Features | • special unipivot bearing construction with bearing bush and bearing point • Bearing bushing made of ball bearing elements, geometry matched to precise guidance in the horizontal plane to exactly one fixed pivot point • Bearing point consisting of adjusting screw and welded bearing ball • Bearing absolutely play-free and yet extremely damped, no unipivot tilting • Tone base adjustable for VTA • Tonearm azimuth adjustable by means of adjustable balancing weight • Basic adjustment by means of adjustable weight cylinders • Extremely low-lying counterweights for stable position • Tracking force adjustment by damped rotatable weight • Solid aluminium headshell for optimum stiffness • Tonearm tube made of carbon fibre • Tonearm tube dampened by inner second carbon tube and tuned resonance weight • Anti-skating with adjustable weight and micro-string on the level of the unipivot bearing without influence on VTA • Connection with high quality LEMO plugs and sockets • Tonearm top detachable and replaceable against pre-set additional tonearm tops with alternative cartridges |
Press comments on the genuin point
“A perfect single-point tonearm that purposely eliminates the pitfalls of this principle. … For a uni-pivot tonearm, the imaging precision and the clear focus of the point are probably unique. … Regardless of the price tag, the thoughtfully designed and easy-to-use tonearm presents itself on a par with some of the finest exponents of its kind.”
Helmut Hack in Fidelity Magazine, Ausgabe 01/2018
Download Review