Clearaudio Unity 10-Inch Tonearm, Black

The Clearaudio Unity is a 10-inch radial tonearm with a magnetically stabilised single-point sapphire bearing and a carbon armtube – this version in black with a factory-fitted RCA connection.

Unipivot arms have always been considered especially free-sounding and especially tricky mechanically. Clearaudio solves the second part with a magnetic field that guides the arm, resting on a sapphire, along its axis. The freedom of movement stays, the wobble disappears. Add to that 254 mm effective length, 16.22 mm overhang and an offset angle of 21.59°.

Why the Unity?

Because it combines two things that normally exclude each other. A classic unipivot reacts to the finest deflections of the stylus, but can only be set up with a steady hand and remains a perpetual balancing act when it comes to azimuth. The magnetic stabilisation removes exactly this weakness from the principle. What's left is an arm that responds to every groove modulation without ever feeling nervous – built from aluminium, stainless steel and a low-resonance carbon tube.

What you hear

A light-footed, fast arm with a large, calm space and precise imaging. Fine dynamics that don't get stuck in the mechanics but come through right down to the last nuance. The character is direct and honest – the carbon tube flatters nothing. With 16 grams of effective mass, the Unity sits in the medium-to-higher range and accordingly pairs well with cartridges of medium to low stylus compliance.

Who is the Unity suited for?

For listeners at the top end of the analogue chain who want a technically advanced, visually understated tonearm – and own a cartridge between 5.0 and 17.0 grams. Plainly put: outside this weight window the Unity is the wrong choice, and no amount of good will changes that. Anyone deliberately after a warm vintage sound should pair it with a gently voiced cartridge, otherwise it turns out very direct. And without 238 mm of mounting distance on the turntable, it simply doesn't fit.

Our verdict

A unipivot arm without the usual side effects – that's rarer than it sounds. Sapphire bearing, magnetic stabilisation, carbon tube and a VTA adjustment that also works during playback add up to a tool for top-class cartridges. Whether your cartridge falls within the 5.0 to 17.0 gram window and your turntable offers 238 mm, we check at HD Zürisee in Wädenswil before you order.

Technical data

• Type: radial tonearm, 10 inch
• Bearing: magnetically stabilised single-point sapphire bearing
• Armtube: carbon
• Material: aluminium (black), stainless steel, carbon armtube
• Effective length: 254 mm
• Overhang: 16.22 mm
• Offset angle: 21.59°
• Effective mass: 16 g
• Mounting distance: 238 mm (tonearm pivot to spindle)
• Overall length: 370 mm
• Adjustable cartridges: 5.0 g – 17.0 g
• Fine adjustment: tracking force, azimuth, VTA continuously variable (also during playback)
• Wiring: Clearaudio Super Sixstream, 1.1 m
• Connection: RCA
• Weight: 790 g (without counterweight)
• Finish: black
• Warranty: 2-year manufacturer's warranty
• Included in delivery: tonearm with counterweight, Super Sixstream signal cable (1.1 m, RCA)

Frequently asked questions

Which cartridges suit the Unity?

Cartridges between 5.0 and 17.0 grams. Very light cartridges under 5 grams and outright heavyweights over 17 grams fall outside the range – in between lies the vast majority of high-quality MC cartridges. With 16 grams of effective mass, the arm pairs especially well with medium-to-hard stylus suspensions. Tell us your cartridge and we'll check the combination.

What does the magnetically stabilised single-point bearing achieve?

It resolves the classic trade-off of the unipivot. The arm rests on a sapphire single-point bearing and remains extremely free-moving as a result, while a magnetic field simultaneously guides it along its axis. That removes the wobbliness from the unipivot principle without curbing the freedom that gives it its sonic character.

Does the Unity fit my turntable?

That depends on the mounting distance of 238 mm between the tonearm pivot and the platter spindle, with 370 mm overall length. As a 10-inch arm it sits between the common 9-inch and 12-inch dimensions, so it doesn't automatically fit every base. Send us your turntable model and we'll clarify this before you order.

How finely can the Unity be adjusted?

You set azimuth and tracking force with the platter stopped; height, or VTA, can be adjusted continuously and even followed up during playback. With a unipivot arm in particular, azimuth audibly matters – we're happy to take care of this basic setup completely for you on request.

Why buy the Unity at HD Zürisee?

Because a unipivot arm of this class rewards precise setup and punishes sloppy mounting mercilessly. Our technician Mauri sets up the Unity for you precisely in Wädenswil; we check the mounting distance in advance and advise you on a matching cartridge. Reach us at +41 44 680 22 00, WhatsApp 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls) or shop@hdzuerisee.ch.

Goes well with

You'll find matching cartridges under Cartridges, more arms under Tonearms. Plus Turntables and the necessary amplification under Phono Preamps.