Clearaudio Tracer

The Tracer is Clearaudio’s mid-tier pivoted tonearm — the step up from the Satisfy family and the direct match for the Performance DC, Performance DC Wood, Ovation, and Innovation series turntables. It is the arm most listeners upgrading from a factory-supplied Verify or Satisfy Black end up choosing, and it is also the arm Clearaudio itself uses on many of its own turntable-plus-arm packages.

The Tracer’s defining engineering decision is its bearing. Rather than the magnetic bearing that sits on the Verify tonearm below (which is a different Clearaudio patent), the Tracer uses a high-precision, low-friction jewelled bearing crafted from tungsten and sapphire — the same materials watchmakers use for the lowest-friction jewel movements. Clearaudio orients the precision bearing at 90° to the cartridge offset angle, which improves both tracking accuracy and stereo separation. The carbon-fibre tonearm tube is extremely rigid and very lightweight; the aluminium headshell provides a large mounting surface for vibrational integrity and allows azimuth to be fine-tuned for best channel separation.

Usability decisions match the engineering discipline. The magnetic anti-skating force is mechanically decoupled and adjustable via a simple dial within perfect reach — no thumb-screw hunting during a session. The underslung counterweight sits at an optimal centre of gravity and makes tracking-force adjustment straightforward. The result is an arm that reads visually minimalistic but reveals a wealth of thoughtful detail once you set one up.

Tracer is the right tonearm for a Performance DC, Performance DC Wood, Ovation, or Innovation turntable where the listener has stepped past the entry-tier Satisfy Black or Verify but is not yet ready for the Universal reference or Unity flagship above. Available on order at LMC Scottsdale — walk in during business hours or book ahead if the audition needs a Tracer-vs-Universal comparison with your specific turntable.