Sorane SA 1.2

The Sorane SA 1.2 arm is designed to deliver exceptional performance, with fast, dynamic response and superb tone. It is packed with exclusive features that make it one of the most powerful arms on the market.

With a relatively high mass and an effective length of 10 inches and a static lowering mechanism positioned well forward of its fulcrum, the Japanese-made SA-1 sounds exceptionally good. High-performance bearings and a 22.25° offset angle provide a lot of comfort in terms of distortion. The key to making the SA-1.2 (silver anodized) and SA-1.2B (black anodized) an extraordinary tone arm is the use of high quality bearings.

The bearings used for the horizontal movement are axial angular contact thrust bearings. These thrust bearings have no play and are held in contact by gravity - in other words, they act like a single pivot but with several contact points. Due to their design and due to their conical shape, they are self-aligning under load (gravity) and have extremely low friction. Under the effect of gravity, the angular contact surface of the upper bearing ring exerts an angular force against the bearing balls in and against a lower ring of the same angle but larger diameter. This angular contact thrust bearing self-aligns when in use, reducing friction, noise and wear compared to more conventional bearing types.

Four separate aluminium structures are precision milled into the rectangular arm and then fixed together to control resonance without the need for energy-storing silicone paste. The SA-1's static damping system features a sliding weight calibrated to 3g, and a removable auxiliary weight that adds an extra 1.5g if needed. There is a stylus force gauge to provide extra downforce by adjusting the position of the counterweight with the rod extension. In perfect contrast to the so-called "classic" tone arms - suffering from poor resonance and bearings - the SA1.2 provides an ideal mass for the must-have and classic cartridges: DENON DL103, Ortofon SPU, and most Moving Coil (MC) cartridges, such as the Hana range for example (the arm will be a perfect companion for the HANA ML and MH, as well as for the Umami RED!)

It also offers exemplary tracking, and its mass is such that it is comparable to a 12" arm (but in a compact 10" length), thus offering all the richness of the longer arms. The SA-1.2 is supplied with a Sorane-specific AccuTrak alignment protractor and a three-part installation template that allows you to precisely locate the tone arm mounting hole before drilling it.
The instructions for use state that the cartridges should be installed in the Sorane pickup with exactly 50 mm of space between the stylus tip and the edge of the mounting clamp.

The Sorane SA 1.2 tone arm is of great interest to all vinyl lovers who attach great importance to tone. The Sorane SA 1.2 is responsive, fast and dynamic, offering superb tone and impeccable timing.

The bass is fast, tight and full-bodied, the midrange smooth and present, the highs clear and detailed - as any good tone arm should be.

Sorane SA1.2 BCS, a real evolution in design

The Sorane SA1.2 is also available in an alternative version called BCS.
An even more Audiophile version than the simple one, it is aimed at vinyl afficionados and picky, demanding users.
On the programme:


- Revised internal cable, and switch from OFC copper to pure silver
- improved signal transmission and better shielding
- Cell holder with pure silver wiring
- Negative or positive counterweight, allowing the centre of gravity of the arm to be moved.

You won't believe what Sorane SA1.2 BCS has invented:

the world's first arm with an extraordinary evolution!

But why is this so important?

This innovation allows the centre of gravity of the tone arm to be shifted, thus providing perfect tracking of the reading groove!

With the positive counterweight, the counterweight axis is placed under the vertical bearing axis, which shifts the centre of gravity under the balance point. This allows the arm to be incredibly stable, ensuring that it always returns perfectly to its point of balance and rest.

The negative counterweight allows the counterweight axis to be placed slightly above the vertical bearing axis, moving the centre of gravity above the balance point. Thanks to this, the arm is able to automatically compensate for surface irregularities of the vinyl records without the need for external devices such as springs or servos.

SA-1.2/SA-1.2 BCS