Clearaudio TT3 Tangential Tonearm + SSW 1.5 m, Black

The Clearaudio TT3 is a passive tangential tonearm whose sled guides the stylus exactly parallel to the groove – here in black, factory-wired with 1.5 m of Sixstream Super Wire (SSW).

What drives the TT3 is nothing but the groove itself. No motor pulls, no air pump blows, no power supply hums in the background. Precisely because of that, neither tracking angle error nor skating forces occur – two compromises pivoted tonearms have always had to live with.

Why the TT3 with 1.5 m Sixstream Super Wire?

Because not every system sits in the same piece of furniture. The 1.5-metre version gives you room when the phono stage sits in the neighbouring shelf, a level lower, or on the other side of the rack – without an adapter, without an extension, without an extra connector transition in the most sensitive signal in your chain. The cable itself is Clearaudio's Sixstream Super Wire, listed in the accessories range as Super Sixstream: symmetrical construction, twisted OFC copper strands, Teflon insulation, very low resistance, factory hard-wired and fitted with MPC RCA connectors. The arm works with dry-running ball bearings in a calibrated, polished glass tube, high-precision carbon armtube and stainless steel headshell; height adjustment (VTA) is built in and fine-tunable during play. As a higher-grade alternative, the same version is available with the silver-conducting Direct Silver Wire (DSW).

What you hear

A soundstage that doesn't narrow, and inner grooves that lose their terror. Because no lateral force pulls on the stylus, you don't have to compensate for anything – and accordingly you hear less unrest. The fundamental tone stays mature, details stand free, and loud passages keep their contour right to the end of the side.

Who is the TT3 suited for?

For vinyl listeners whose phono stage doesn't sit right next to the turntable and who still don't want to compromise on the cable. Plainly put: the longer run is a placement advantage, not a sonic one – if one metre is enough, take one metre. And regardless of length: the TT3 needs a stable, exactly level turntable, otherwise the sled won't move freely. Anyone who'd rather avoid that effort is better served, honestly, with a good pivoted tonearm.

Our verdict

An arm for people who take geometry seriously – and, with 1.5 metres of Sixstream Super Wire, for furniture that doesn't arrange itself around the system either. LowBeats awarded an overall rating of 4.6 out of 5 in its test of 8 June 2025, earning the verdict "outstanding". At HD Zürisee in Wädenswil we'll tell you in advance whether your turntable brings the necessary foundation – and whether you really need the longer cable.

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: 1.5 m
• Connectors: MPC RCA, separate ground cable
• Factory alternatives available: SSW in 1.0 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 (1.5 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

When do I need the 1.5-metre version instead of 1.0 m?

Whenever the turntable and phono stage don't sit right next to each other. Typical setups have the preamp in the neighbouring cabinet, a tall rack, or the turntable on a separate wall shelf. If both sit in the same compartment, the 1.0-metre version is enough and keeps the signal path shorter.

What is SSW, and how does it differ from DSW?

SSW is the Sixstream Super Wire this TT3 is factory-wired with – a symmetrically built OFC copper cable with Teflon insulation that Clearaudio specifies as the partner for the TT arms. DSW stands for Direct Silver Wire with a silver conductor. Both are hard-wired; DSW is the more expensive version.

Do I need to set anti-skating on the TT3?

No. By design, a tangential arm generates no skating force, because the stylus follows the groove in a straight line rather than on an arc. Overhang and offset angle are zero by design, so there's no anti-skating device. What remains to be set are tracking force, azimuth and the arm's height above the record.

Which cartridge suits the TT3?

Anything from 5.5 to 15 grams of own weight can be balanced; the manufacturer recommends from 7 grams. Four pre-fitted counterweights between 2.3 and 8 grams are included. Which MM or MC cartridge suits your turntable and phono stage sonically is something we work out together.

What is this tonearm's effective mass?

Clearaudio doesn't give a figure for this. The value describes the inertial mass of a pivoting armtube and doesn't translate to a linearly guided sled. We therefore match cartridge and arm via stylus compliance, weight and experience – tell us which cartridge you have in mind.

Why buy the TT3 at HD Zürisee?

Because there are worlds between unboxed and properly set up with this arm. We mount the base, adjust tracking force and VTA, match the cartridge, and take care of warranty and service as an authorised Clearaudio dealer. Reach us 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 matching cartridge under Cartridges, turntables under Turntables. The signal chain is completed by Phono Preamps and matching Cables; more arms are listed under Tonearms.