Bergmann Audio Thor Tonearm

Design

The carbon fibre armtube is traditional for Bergmann tonearms - well considered construction in few parts, made as a double tube construction with damping in between the tubes to avoid any coloration in the signal path generated by the stylus tip and the record groove. Even the most powerful musical passages in the music will be reproduced with musical ease and very low distortion.

The tonearm wire is- as usual in Bergmann tonearms- in one piece from cartridge clips to the DIN connector. The DIN connector ensure user flexibility for connection of the preferred interconnect phono cable.

Counterweight is decoupled from the arm- again to avoid any resonances.

Strength In The Linear Tracking Air-bearing Tonearm

The Linear tracking tonearm tracks the record as it is pressed = no tracking error.

The benefit is a distortion free and relaxed reproduction, even at complex passages.

One more important advantage of the air-bearing is the tonearm’s immunity to acoustic feedback, as the floating part (armtube and head shell) has no mechanical contact to the fixed part of the tonearm and the turntable. The only contact is through the stylus tip and the tonearm wire.

Timbre details and nuances is a natural part of the transparent and vivid acoustic image.

The 3D spaciousness layering between instruments and zero tracking error is something traditional tonearm finds hard to achieve.

Floating Part – perhaps the most important part, of an air-bearing tonearm!

The first part of the tonearm to handle modulations from the record groove and cartridge is the floating part of the tonearm (armtube and head shell). The head shell, armtube, floating pipe and counterweight have to be well considered and well assembled to avoid any resonances to disturb the delicate signal.

The head shell is machined of one solid piece of aluminium, glued by 2-component epoxy onto the seamless carbon fiber armtube which is a double carbon fiber tube construction with damping in between to avoid coloration to the sound. The sliding pipe, made of two pieces of solid aluminium that are machined and joined together with two components of epoxy, has a groove on top where the armtube is fixed.

At Bergmann Audio, they don’t believe in a twistable head shell in the armtube, as this solution never will be as strong and stiff as the construction they have made on the Thor tonearm. Azimuth is adjusted by adding a spacer between the bottom of the head shell and cartridge body. By tightening and un-tightening the 2 screws holding the cartridge, the cartridge can be twisted to achieve a perfect azimuth.

The tonearm wire is made in one piece from the cartridge clips to the DIN connector to secure as pure signal transmission as possible.

• Headshell machined in solid aluminium. The design ensure optimal stiffness.
• Armtube is a double carbon fibre construction with internal damping.
• Floating part floats completely frictionless on the air-pipe.
• Tonearm wire in one piece from cartridge clips to the DIN connector.
• Counter weight decoupled from the armtube by 3 rubber strings.

Air Supply

The air supply has been the object of Bergmann Audio's greatest attention. The goal is to design a silent air supply which could be placed in the listening room and deliver an even, clean and dry air flow.

The pump is an oil free, long life unit, which do not require much maintenance.

The impulses from the pump are absorbed in an encapsulated reservoir. This results in an even airflow to the air bearing. The air supply is mounted with a dust filter which prevents dust particles in entering the system. The dust filter is replaceable when necessary.

Thor

Thor was the most popular of all Gods. Thor was worshiped by most – he was the God of people. He made lightning and thunder as he drove over the clouds in his chariot drawn by goats swinging with his hammer, Mjølner. Thor stood for physical strength.

One of Thor's responsibilities was to uphold law and order.