Clearaudio Profiler 9-inch Tonearm, Black

The Clearaudio Profiler is a gimbal-bearing 9-inch radial tonearm with horizontal sapphire bearing, vertical ball bearing and an aluminium armtube – this version in black.

Its job sounds unspectacular: keep the cartridge steady while the groove does the work beneath it. That's exactly where most arms fail. The Profiler solves it with rigidity, mass and two bearing principles, each placed where it does the most good.

Why the Profiler?

Because sapphire practically never wears out. The arm runs on sapphire bearings horizontally and ball bearings vertically – friction stays minimal, bearing play approaches zero, and that holds true even after years in use. Add to that a rigid aluminium tube that never lets self-resonances build up in the first place, stainless steel where mass helps, and the permanently wired Direct Wire PLUS that runs through to the RCA plug without an extra solder joint. At around 510 g including counterweight, it's among the substantial members of its class. That's by design, not by accident.

What you hear

A punchy, stable presentation with defined bass and clearly layered depth. Large excursions don't unsettle the arm, loud passages stay organised rather than compressing together. The basic character is honest and free of colouration – what's on the record comes out, even if the recording would have preferred to be flattered.

Who is the Profiler for?

For anyone with a high-quality turntable looking for a long-term stable arm: align it properly once, then simply listen to records for years. The adjustment range from 3.5 to 17 g covers almost every good MM and MC cartridge. Straight talk: the Profiler isn't light. A suspended subchassis turntable needs to be able to balance this mass, or fitting it becomes a test of patience. And anyone who deliberately wants a warm, soft-focus sound should choose their cartridge accordingly – the arm itself doesn't apply any make-up.

Our verdict

A grown-up tonearm without show effects: sapphire for durability, aluminium for calm, a continuous signal cable instead of a chain of connectors. If you run an upper-mid-range turntable and aren't looking for an experiment but a reliable foundation, this is the right choice. Whether the Profiler, your turntable and your preferred cartridge go together is something we'll quickly work through with you at HD Zürisee in Wädenswil – it takes less time than unpacking the box.

Technical data

• Type: gimbal-bearing radial tonearm, 9 inch
• Bearings: horizontal sapphire bearing, vertical ball bearing
• Armtube: aluminium, black
• Other materials: aluminium, stainless steel
• Effective length: 239.58 mm
• Mounting distance (pivot to spindle): 222.00 mm
• Overhang: 17.58 mm
• Offset angle: 24.5°
• Overall length: 300.00 mm
• Cartridge weight adjustment range: 3.5–17.0 g
• Signal cable: Clearaudio Direct Wire PLUS, 1.1 m, RCA-terminated
• Weight: approx. 510 g (incl. counterweight)
• Model no.: TA056
• Warranty: 2 years on return of the warranty card within 14 days

Frequently asked questions

Will the Profiler fit my turntable?

Two measurements decide: the 222 mm mounting distance between the arm's pivot point and the spindle, and a matching armboard bore. Many high-quality turntables work with this distance, or can be retrofitted with a Clearaudio base. Send us your turntable's make and model and we'll check that for you in advance.

What does the sapphire bearing achieve?

Very low friction with practically no wear. Sapphire is among the hardest materials there is and handles the horizontal plane in the Profiler, while a ball bearing works vertically. This keeps the bearing play constant for years, as long as the arm doesn't take any hard knocks. There's nothing to re-adjust here.

Which cartridges suit the Profiler?

Cartridges weighing between 3.5 and 17 g can be balanced cleanly, which covers practically every common MM and MC cartridge. Clearaudio doesn't state the arm's effective mass, so we'd rather work out compliance matching together with you than calculate from a figure that isn't published anywhere.

Can the signal cable be swapped?

No. The Direct Wire PLUS is permanently wired and runs 1.1 m through to the RCA plug without an extra solder joint. That avoids transition resistances exactly where the signal is weakest. Anyone wanting to swap cables needs an arm with a socket at the base.

What's the difference between the Profiler and the Tracer?

The armtube and the weight. The Profiler uses aluminium and weighs around 510 g, the Tracer a carbon tube at 363 g. The bearings are built identically on both, sapphire horizontally, ball bearing vertically. Which arm fits is decided by your turntable and the cartridge you're planning to use.

Why buy the Profiler at HD Zürisee?

Because a tonearm only delivers once it's properly aligned. Mauri mounts and sets up the Profiler for you in our Wädenswil workshop, and beforehand we check the combination of turntable, arm and cartridge together. Get in touch at +41 44 680 22 00, WhatsApp 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls) or shop@hdzuerisee.ch.

Goes well with

Find the matching cartridge under cartridges, more arms under tonearms. That pairs with turntables and phono preamps, small parts around the turntable are in turntable accessories.