The Korf tonearms are a clean sheet rethink of what a tonearm should be. We focused on our audio priorities: quality of motion, rigidity, low energy storage, signal integrity, stability and longevity.
Korf tonearms use aerospace-grade, zero stiction flexure bearings. Korf Audio is the world's only maker of fully ceramic headshells. Stainless steel arm tube is 3x stronger than aluminium, 2x stronger than titanium. You will immediately hear the sonic benefit: Korf tonearms offer unmatched clarity, holographic imaging, real life dynamics, true tonality, sparkling highs and a really deep bass.
Strength. Low resonances. Quality of Motion
High rigidity is the single best prediction of great audio performance in tonearms and headshells. Low resonances but no elastic damping: Tonearm's resonances can reach up to 0.5G! They are clearly audible. Removing resonances removes distortion, coloration, ringing and sibilance. The bearings ring. The bearings chatter. The bearings stick and then slap. This is heard as grain, and impairs the tracking performance.
Measurements
Here's a comparison of Korf TA-SF9R with the "standard" removeable headshell tonearm, the Jelco SA-750D/Jelco HS-25 combination.
The accelerometer is attached to the top front of the headshell, and the vertically modulated 0 to 20 kHz sweep recording is played. The output from the accelerometer is conditioned, amplified and converted to g. We're keeping our tradition of using the Audio Technica AT7V cartridge for the vibration measurements.
What Makes Korf Audio's Tonearms Better?
- RADICALLY DIFFERENT DESIGN -
Flexure Pivot Horizontal Bearing
Monolithic flexure pivots are almost a hundred times more expensive than the usual rolling bearings. For that, you get amazing advantages:
- Zero starting torque/no stiction
- No bearing chatter
- Great tracking of warps
- Less inner groove distortion
- Lasts forever — no servicing, no lubrication
- Not influenced by temperature/humidity/dust/age
- Easy to replace if broken
What does a flexure bearing sound like? Smooth! Once you experience a tonearm that is free of bearing chatter, you will recognize the chatter's sonic signature in other designs.
Widely Spaced Vertical Hybrid Ceramic Bearings
We did a study of vertical bearings's influence on sound, and chose hybrid ceramic rolling bearings for the task:
- Better strength and precision
- Less chatter compared to closely spaced bearings
- Low starting torque/stiction
- Better resolution
- Sharper dynamics
- Better sibilance control
- Less inner groove distortion
- Need no servicing or lubrication
Magnetic Antiskating
Magnetic antiskating has zero stiction.
It would be a real shame to spend so much effort (and money) on our beautiful bearings, and then ruin their performance with a weight on a pulley. Or with a sliding lever.
Our magnetic antiskating is calibrated and uniform—the biasing force remains the same from the outer to the inner grooves.
...and much more. Click here to learn more details.
Korf Audio's Offer
TA-AF9 and TA-AF10 Reference Tonearms
We took everything that makes our tonearms great, and maxed it out! Korf flagship tonearm boasts a unique ceramic armtube and a fully ceramic headshell. Upgraded brass parts. Lightning fast dynamics, deep yet taut bass, unbeatable resolution and tonality. The sound very few other tonearms can match - at any price! 10" version fits most transcription-type turntables.
Our best sounding tonearm. 9" and 10" versions available. Full ceramic headshell and armtube. Advanced ceramic vertical bearings.
Every TA-AF tonearm is built to order. If you're interested in making a purchase, please contact us to learn more details.
There's a beautifully photographed and written review of TA-AF9 in the German LP: Magazin, done by Holger Barske himself (PDF - click). LP even translated it into English for the international audience. The conclusion?
"Alexey Korf's new tonearm is a firework of good ideas and a sonic masterpiece: the cartridges used have hardly ever sounded so direct, transparent and intense."
More about the reference tonearm on the manufacturer's website: click here
More products from Korf Audio
Tonearms:
- TA-SF11R Transcription Tonearm
- TA-SF9R Tonearm
- TA-SF9 Tonearm
Ceramic Headshell:
- HS-A02 Ceramic Headshell
Ceramic Spacers:
- CB-A01 Ceramic Spacer
Tonearm Cables:
- TC-125 Tonearm Cable
