At High End Munich 2025, audiophiles and vinyl enthusiasts will witness a groundbreaking unveiling from New Zealand-based Design Build Listen: the Wand Dark-Light Tonearm. This innovative tonearm, named for its ability to draw music from the silence of darkness, promises to set a new standard in analog audio with its ultra-low noise floor and unparalleled detail retrieval. Showcased in Halle 2 H-01 alongside Matter Loudspeakers and at IBEX’s stand in Atrium A4.2 E222, the Dark-Light is poised to captivate the high-end audio community.
A Leap Forward in Tonearm Design
The Wand Dark-Light Tonearm is the culmination of a decade of refinement by Design Build Listen, building on the success of the acclaimed Wand Plus and Master models. At its core is the proprietary Musical Taper® carbon-fibre tube, a tapered structure designed to disperse unwanted vibrations, ensuring that the stylus’s energy translates into pure musicality.
After a decade of refining our acclaimed Wand Plus and Master models, it’s clear that nearly all the energy produced at the stylus becomes mechanical vibration — we think less than 1% is converted into electrical signal, says founder Simon Brown. The Dark-Light is the culmination of our belief that controlling this energy is key to unlocking vinyl’s full emotional and sonic potential.
This vibration control is further enhanced by channeling energy into the tonearm’s internal brass structure, which acts as a virtual earth, and a rigid ball-cup bearing system. The gravity-loaded bearing ensures constant loading with no microscopic slop, delivering enhanced bass and intricate detail that audiophiles crave.
Engineered for Precision and Versatility
The Dark-Light Tonearm is as versatile as it is innovative, offering comprehensive adjustability to suit a wide range of turntables and cartridges. Key adjustments include:
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Vertical Tracking Angle (VTA)
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Vertical Tracking Force (VTF)
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Overhang
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Azimuth
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Anti-skate
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Zenith angle
Two cartridge mounting plates are included to accommodate cartridges with either upward or downward-facing 2.5mm screws, making setup seamless. With a nominal effective length of 10.3 inches (262mm) and an effective mass of 15g, the tonearm supports adjustable mounting for pivot-to-spindle distances of 210mm, 222mm, and 246mm. Its plug-in tonearm cable connection at the base, with custom options available, ensures compatibility with various systems.
Technical Specifications
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Material: Tapered carbon-fibre tube with Musical Taper® for optimal resonance control
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Effective Length: 10.3″ (262mm)
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Effective Mass: 15g
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Mounting: Adjustable for 210mm, 222mm, and 246mm pivot-to-spindle distances (18-48mm mounting hole diameter)
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Cable Connection: Plug-in at the base, with custom options available
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Price: €7550
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Availability: Shipping now
The Wand Dark-Light Tonearm and Musical Taper are registered trademarks, and the tonearm is a Registered Design (#432079).
Experience the Dark-Light at High End Munich 2025
Visitors to High End Munich 2025 can experience the Wand Dark-Light Tonearm firsthand at two locations: Halle 2 H-01with Matter Loudspeakers and Atrium A4.2 E222 with German distributor IBEX. These demonstrations will showcase the tonearm’s ability to reveal layers of detail previously veiled, offering a listening experience that Brown describes as “primal musicality emerging from silence.”
Why the Dark-Light Matters
For vinyl enthusiasts, the Wand Dark-Light Tonearm represents a bold step forward in analog playback. Its innovative design tackles the challenge of mechanical vibration head-on, delivering a noise floor so low that every nuance of the recording shines through. Priced at €7.550 and available for immediate shipping, this tonearm is a statement piece for serious audiophiles seeking to elevate their systems.
