Transrotor in-akustik is now a single, unbroken signal path. The two German manufacturers have announced a new partnership: the Transrotor TRA 9 tonearm will from now on be wired directly with in-akustik’s AIR technology, uniting Transrotor’s mechanical precision with in-akustik’s expertise in electrical signal transmission for vinyl playback.
Transrotor in-akustik: An Uninterrupted Signal Path
At the heart of the Transrotor in-akustik collaboration is the TRA 9 tonearm, wired directly with the in-akustik Reference AIR Pure Silver cable. Rather than terminating at an external socket, the AIR wiring is integrated directly into the tonearm and runs all the way through to the external connectors, giving an unbroken signal path with no additional plug connection inside the arm itself. in-akustik’s AIR technology relies on an air dielectric and a precisely defined, consistent conductor geometry to keep capacitance low, a particularly critical factor for phono signals given their low signal strength. The design uses ultra-pure solid silver conductors with shielding that extends all the way to the solder joints. “The cartridge generates an extremely small and delicate signal. For us, it was essential not to treat the wiring as an afterthought, but as an integral part of the entire tonearm concept,” says Dirk Räke, Managing Director of Transrotor, who approached his own listening test with deliberate skepticism before finding the result convincing: “There was a clear, audible difference.”
Handcrafted Assembly at in-akustik
Wiring a tonearm with AIR technology is no ordinary cable assembly. The fine conductors have to be routed through the tonearm and then threaded by hand into the special AIR structure, a step no machine can take over. Because the process demands a high level of experience and craftsmanship, Transrotor tonearms are sent directly to in-akustik for assembly, where they are fitted with the AIR wiring on site. “We recognized in Transrotor a partner who thinks exactly the way we do. You look at every single detail and ask yourself where there’s still room to improve,” says Dieter Amann, Managing Partner of in-akustik. Existing Transrotor tonearms can also be retrofitted with the in-akustik AIR technology, not only new orders.
Pricing and Availability
The Transrotor TRA 9 tonearm is priced from €5,900. The in-akustik AIR Pure Silver wiring adds a surcharge of €4,000, whether ordered on a new tonearm or fitted as a retrofit to an existing TRA 9 at the same price. Assembly takes place exclusively at in-akustik’s facility in Ballrechten-Dottingen. Further information on the Transrotor in-akustik partnership is available through both manufacturers. Interested dealers and press can contact either company directly for demonstration units, ahead of the wired TRA 9’s wider retail rollout across Transrotor’s international dealer network.
Key Specifications
- Materials: aluminum alloy, stainless steel, brass, ceramic, magnetic material, engineering plastics, silver, anodized aluminum, chrome, gold, ruthenium
- Tonearm tube: dual tube from two different aluminum alloys, telescoped together for a rigid, resonance-free construction
- Counterweights: aluminum alloy with interchangeable brass weights matched to cartridge weight
- Height adjustment: two screw-in adjusters raise the tonearm in parallel
- Anti-skating: magnetically adjustable via fine-pitch thread, center setting 1.8 ponds
- Effective tonearm length: 232.8 mm (9″) or 308.2 mm (12″)
- Effective mass: 18 grams (medium-mass)
- TRA 9 tonearm price: from €5,900; in-akustik AIR Pure Silver wiring surcharge: €4,000
For more on high-end turntable craftsmanship, see our coverage of the Brinkmann Balance 33rd Anniversary. Further information on the Transrotor in-akustik partnership is available at in-akustik.com/transrotor.
