Clearaudio TT3 Tangential Tonearm + SSW 1.0 m, Black

The Clearaudio TT3 is a purely mechanical tangential tonearm that guides the stylus exactly parallel to the groove without a motor and without an air pump – here in black, factory-wired with 1.0 m of Sixstream Super Wire (SSW).

Every record is cut tangentially. The TT3 plays it back along exactly the path the cutting stylus took at the pressing plant: no tracking angle error, no skating forces, no creeping distortion toward the record's centre. The sled is moved solely by the pull of the groove – this arm needs no power at all.

Why the TT3 with Sixstream Super Wire?

Because it saves you the search for the right tonearm cable. The Sixstream Super Wire – Clearaudio lists it in its accessories range as Super Sixstream – is symmetrically built, uses twisted OFC copper strands with Teflon insulation, and is explicitly named by the manufacturer as the partner for the TT arms. Here it comes in 1.0 metre, factory hard-wired and fitted with MPC RCA connectors: mount it, plug it in, drop the needle. The arm runs on dry-running ball bearings inside a calibrated, polished glass tube, the armtube is made of high-precision carbon, the headshell of stainless steel. Height adjustment (VTA) is built in and fine-tunable during play. Anyone who prefers the silver conductor will find the same construction with Direct Silver Wire (DSW) – also hard-wired, just one price bracket up.

What you hear

Above all, calm – and a soundstage that doesn't collapse toward the end of the side. Voices stand cleanly separated side by side, both coarse and fine dynamics come through unchecked, and the last inner groove sounds just as tidy as the first. Exactly where pivoted tonearms show their quiet harshness, the TT3 stays composed.

Who is the TT3 suited for?

For vinyl listeners with a stable turntable who want geometrically correct tracking across the entire side – and who'd rather start fully wired than first go hunting for a tonearm cable. Plainly put: the arm is moved exclusively by the pull of the groove and therefore needs an exactly level, low-vibration placement. On a wobbly shelf it plays below its potential. And anyone who likes to swap cartridges monthly should know: mounting it in the tangential sled takes a steady hand – more a job for your dealer than an after-work project.

Our verdict

A piece of fine mechanical engineering that gets by without a single electron and still delivers one of the cleanest tracking geometries around. The SSW version takes the cable question off your hands without skimping on the connection. The trade press sees it similarly: "Sonically, this fine mechanical masterpiece is still absolutely top-notch even after years." – LowBeats, 8 June 2025 (overall rating 4.6 out of 5, "outstanding"). Whether the TT3 fits your turntable is something we'll clarify over a short conversation at HD Zürisee in Wädenswil.

Technical data

• Type: tangential tonearm with patented two-point tangential guidance
• Drive: purely mechanical and passive – tracking driven solely by the stylus, no motor, no air pump, no power
• Bearings: dry-running ball bearings in a calibrated, polished glass tube
• Armtube / headshell: high-precision carbon armtube / stainless steel
• Wiring: factory hard-wired with Sixstream Super Wire (SSW) – symmetrical construction, twisted OFC copper strands, Teflon insulation
• Cable length: 1.0 m
• Connectors: MPC RCA, separate ground cable
• Factory alternatives available: SSW in 1.5 m, Direct Silver Wire (DSW) in 1.0 or 1.5 m, or base version with RCA sockets
• Height adjustment (VTA): built in, fine-tunable during play; 10 mm height adapter pre-fitted, 14.5 mm included
• Overhang / offset angle: 0 mm / 0° – by design, without anti-skating
• Cartridge weight: balance range 5.5–15 g; Clearaudio recommends from 7 g net weight, below that with an additional headshell plate
• Counterweights: four, pre-fitted (2.3 g, 2.6 g, 4.3 g, 8 g)
• Effective mass: not stated by Clearaudio
• Material and finish: black aluminium, stainless steel, glass
• Dimensions (W × D × H): approx. 275 × 95 × 45 mm (without folding base, without height adjustment screw)
• Weight: approx. 690 g (without tonearm base); tonearm base approx. 245 g
• Setup reference: optimal distance from stylus to centre of headshell sled 62 mm
• Mounting: direct fit on Clearaudio Performance DC, Ovation and Innovation series; other turntables via the drilling template in the manual (3.3 mm drill bit, M4 thread)
• Special feature: foldable base for free access to the platter
• Warranty: 5-year manufacturer's warranty with registration within 14 days
• Included in delivery: TT3 with pre-fitted sled and factory-wired SSW cable (1.0 m, MPC RCA), carbon armtube and stainless steel headshell with four pre-fitted counterweights (2.3 / 2.6 / 4.3 / 8 g), folding aluminium base with pre-fitted 10 mm height adapter and M4 × 40 screws, additional 14.5 mm height adapter, three M4 × 30 mounting screws, four Allen keys (1.5 / 2 / 2.5 / 3 mm), Clearaudio linear gauge, ground cable, Clearaudio mini spirit level, one pair of white gloves

Frequently asked questions

What does SSW mean – and what's the difference to DSW?

SSW stands for Sixstream Super Wire, the cable used in this version: Clearaudio's symmetrically built OFC copper cable with Teflon insulation, listed in the accessories range as Super Sixstream. DSW stands for Direct Silver Wire, with a silver conductor. Both are factory hard-wired; DSW is the higher-grade and more expensive variant.

Is a 1.0 m tonearm cable enough?

For most setups, yes. One metre is enough when the phono stage sits right next to or under the turntable – the usual case in a rack. If your phono preamp sits further away or in a neighbouring cabinet, go for the 1.5-metre version instead. The cable cannot be extended afterwards.

Which cartridge suits the TT3?

Cartridges from 5.5 to 15 grams of own weight can be balanced on the TT3; Clearaudio recommends from 7 grams. Four counterweights from 2.3 to 8 grams come pre-fitted, so lighter cartridges can also be adjusted using the headshell plate. Good MM and MC cartridges pair beautifully with it – we're happy to discuss which one suits your system.

Which turntables fit the TT3?

Ready-prepared are the Clearaudio turntables Performance DC, Ovation and the Innovation series. For turntables from other manufacturers, a drilling template is included in the manual; drilling is done at 3.3 millimetres, then threaded to M4. Whether your turntable brings enough space and stability is something we check with you beforehand.

What is the effective mass of the TT3?

Clearaudio does not specify an effective mass. That figure describes a pivoted tonearm swinging on an arc and doesn't apply to the TT3's linearly guided sled. We therefore match it to your cartridge's stylus compliance through experience and practice, not a figure that doesn't exist.

Why buy the TT3 at HD Zürisee?

Because a tangential arm without millimetre-precise levelling gives away potential. We set up the TT3 for you, check how it interacts with your turntable and cartridge, and remain available afterwards too as an authorised Clearaudio dealer, warranty handling included. Get in touch at +41 44 680 22 00, via WhatsApp 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls) or shop@hdzuerisee.ch.

Goes well with

You'll find the right cartridge under Cartridges, plus Turntables and Phono Preamps. More arms are listed under Tonearms, small turntable accessories under Turntable Accessories.