We are happy to introduce the 2nd generation Talea™, a high-end tonearm for the demanding audiophile, with unique features and a sound that has been hailed as “a game changer” by some of its new owners.

Coming a year after the introduction of the first version at the 2009 RMAF, the new version includes a few changes that some of our customers have requested, such as an arm rest and a more ergonomic mechanism for VTA adjustments. But beyond these improvements, there are also more profound advances in sound reproduction, the consequence of a thorough re-examination of the materials used in the base as well as in the armwand. We are confident that the new Talea™ pushes even further the limits of what the first model could do!

A mixture of wood and metals

Far from simply being an inert vehicle enabling the transmission of the electrical signal coming from the cartridge, the tonearm is probably the closest component to a musical instrument in the audio reproduction chain: like a violin bow, one of its primary roles, in conjunction with the cartridge, is to communicate the mechanical vibrations from the musical source without damaging them. Each of the tonearm's constituents carries a crucial responsibility in the transmission of these vibrations, so every element, down to the smallest screw plays an essential role in the resulting sound.

This is why considerable amounts of time selecting the variety of materials that make up the Talea™: it is in the combination of carefully selected exotic hard wood and the  different metals used in the assembly that lies one of the secrets of the Talea’s remarkably transparent and dynamic sound. Achieving this delicate balance is a very difficult process, one that involves paying the closest attention to the location and properties of every  element of the assembly, and finally putting together each unit by hand and tuning it individually.
The result is a tonearm that delivers exceptional dynamic range and unmatched tonal realism throughout its bandwidth.

A unique device for azimuth setting

Just like a musical instrument that needs to be perfectly in tune before it is played, a tonearm should have a number of adjustments readily available to maximize its tuning. Beside the finely graduated adjustment capabilities for the Vertical Tracking Angle/Stylus Rake Angle and Vertical Tracking Force, the Talea™ offers a unique mechanism for azimuth setting. Thanks to new, patent-pending technology, the Talea™ is the first tonearm to offer the ability to adjust the azimuth on the fly. Never before has it been possible to fine-adjust this essential parameter while listening to music. Anyone who has spent time getting the most out of a high-end tonearm knows how critical it is to find the proper setting for the azimuth... and also knows how painstakingly complicated it is with most modern tonearms. With the Talea™, all you need to do is turn a small bolt on the side of the azimuth tower; and it can be done while playing a record.