Clearaudio TT5 Tangential Tonearm, Silver

The Clearaudio TT5 is a linear tangential tonearm that guides the stylus purely mechanically and without a motor, parallel to the groove – this version in silver.

Instead of swinging across the record in an arc, the TT5 travels along, dead straight. As a result, the stylus sits at a 90-degree angle in every groove: no tracking angle error, no skating forces. Clearaudio packs its tangential technology into a compact format of around 520 g.

Why the Clearaudio TT5?

The sled glides on dry-running high-precision ball bearings through a polished glass tube and is moved solely by the pull of the stylus – no motor, no pump, no electronics that could add noise. The aluminium clamping ring holds the arm firmly in place. And yes: a tonearm that gets by without power has a certain refreshing quality even in 2026.

What you hear

Clean, geometrically correct tracking right into the last inner groove – exactly where pivoted tonearms lose sonic quality. The sound image stays calm and sorted, voices and acoustic instruments stand stable in the room, even when the recording hits hard.

Who is the Clearaudio TT5 suited for?

For anyone who wants to make the jump to tangential technology without reaching straight for the five-figure statement league. Plainly put: the TT5 lives on an absolutely level setup on a stable surface – after all, it's guided only by the pull of the groove. If the turntable sits even slightly askew, you'll hear it. It's designed for cartridges from 7 g of own weight upward; additional weights are included for lighter ones.

Our verdict

Give the setup the care it needs and you get a neutrality here that otherwise costs dearly – compactly packaged and pleasantly low-maintenance. The TT5 in silver looks especially good against light-coloured turntables. At HD Zürisee in Wädenswil we tell you honestly in advance whether it suits your turntable, rather than simply selling you an arm.

"The Clearaudio TT5 sounds exactly how I'd expect a tangential arm to sound: very tidy and neutral, with clarity, accuracy and a clean line." – FIDELITY, Clearaudio TT5 review, 2017

Technical data

• Design: linear tangential tonearm with purely mechanical, passive drive
• Bearings: dry-running high-precision ball bearings, sled guided in a polished glass tube
• Cartridge: adjustable from 5.5 to 15.0 g; designed for cartridges from 7 g of own weight, lighter ones with additional weight
• Effective mass: not published by Clearaudio
• Mounting: via aluminium clamping ring, tonearm mounting hole on request. Fixed base – the pivoting Swing Base is carried as a separate version
• Signal cable: 1.1 m Clearaudio Super Sixstream, fitted with RCA
• Material / finish: silver aluminium, stainless steel, glass
• Weight: approx. 520 g without aluminium clamping ring; clamping ring approx. 65 g
• Dimensions (W × D × H): approx. 200 × 140 × 140 mm including headshell
• Manufacturer's warranty: 5 years with registration of the warranty card within 14 days
• Included in delivery: pre-assembled tonearm with carbon headshell, aluminium clamping ring, Allen key, additional weights from 2.3 to 8.0 g, Clearaudio mini level gauge, gloves, signal cable

Frequently asked questions

What's the advantage of a tangential tonearm?

The stylus sits at the same angle to the groove throughout playback as it did when the record was cut. That eliminates tracking angle error and skating forces, which cause distortion in pivoted tonearms especially toward the end of the record. The gain is most audible exactly where classic arms struggle hardest: in the inner groove.

Does the Clearaudio TT5 work without power or a pump?

Yes, the TT5 is completely passive. The dry-running ball bearings run so smoothly that the groove's guidance alone moves the sled. That makes it low-maintenance, quiet and insensitive to electrical interference. It needs no air pump like earlier tangential arms did.

Which cartridge suits the TT5?

Clearaudio states an adjustable range of 5.5 to 15.0 grams and designs the arm for cartridges from 7 grams of own weight. Additional weights of 2.3 to 8.0 grams are included for lighter cartridges. We're happy to work out together which cartridge suits your system sonically.

What does the optional Swing Base do?

It mounts additionally onto the tonearm base and lets you swing the arm aside for cueing – more convenient and safer for the stylus. It changes nothing about the sound. We carry this combination as a separate product in black and silver.

Why buy the Clearaudio TT5 at HD Zürisee?

Because the setup of a tangential arm decides the sound. We set up the TT5 for you cleanly in Wädenswil, tell you honestly whether it suits your turntable, and take care of service and warranty afterwards – with our own technician in-house. Message us via WhatsApp: 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls).

Goes well with

You'll find the matching cartridge under Cartridges, the turntable to go with it under Turntables, and the amplification under Phono Preamps. The version with Swing Base and more arms are shown under Tonearms, everything else for the groove is under All Things Vinyl.