Turntables, Arms & Cartridges

Those of a certain age will remember Audio-Technica’s AT6006 Safety Raiser, which was popular in the seventies. It was an excellent way of automatically lifting your tonearm at the end of a record to save unnecessary wear on the stylus. With vinyl back in the mainstream, the desire for automated tonearm lifts show signs of becoming popular again, and Little Fwend is one of the latest models available.

A beautifully made precision, damped lifter, it is triggered when the arm touches a delicate spring/antenna at the end of a record. It is available in two sizes to suit a wide range of turntables and has been designed to accommodate tonearm heights from between 32-49mm and 49-82mm and takes up very little space when placed on the turntable chassis.

It comes with very clear instructions on how to remove the device from the transport frame and installation is surprisingly easy following the step-by-step guide. Both magnetic and adhesive fixings are included – a 0.3mm steel disc with adhesive backing is supplied for use with a non-magnetic turntable plinth as well as a sticky, non-glue, clear plastic disc. The axially magnetised N52-magnet in the base is strong enough to keep the device in place, but weak enough not to affect the cartridge or the deck.  

The gentle high-carbon steel Roslau piano wire spring trigger works a treat and requires only a very low lateral force to release the mechanism. The damped lifting mechanism is super smooth and results in a gentle rise that is free of bouncing or jerking as the arm rises. This is a superb device that’s beautifully crafted and will make an elegant and useful addition for many turntable users. NR

DETAILS
Product: Little Fwend
Price: £180
Type: Automatic tonearm lifter
Read the full review in March issue 447