Thales
Simplicity II
Introduced 2015$9,200 MSRP
Designed by Swiss engineer Micha Huber, the Thales Simplicity is a pivoted tonearm that uses a patented dual-tube geometry to achieve near-true tangential tracking (claimed tracking error as low as 0.006–0.008°) — an unusual engineering approach from a small Swiss atelier that hand-finishes its micromechanical components near Winterthur (Wittmann Hifi, Stereophile "Analog Corner").
MSRP
$9,200
Used market · Good
$7,000
-24% vs MSRP
as of Sep 1, 2026MSRP to used market
From $9,200 at launch to $7,000 today.
Specifications
- Price
- $9,200 (Stereophile, original Simplicity); €8,750 incl. VAT (Wittmann Hifi, Simplicity II)
- Antiskating
- Opposed magnets in the counterweights, self-adjusting across the record radius
- Bearing type
- Double-gimbaled ("cardanic") bearing on the Stereophile-tested unit; Simplicity II uses a 5-axis bearing with 10 micro ball bearings (TTF bearing technology)
- Tonearm type
- Tangential-tracking pivoted tonearm (two independently pivoting arm tubes)
- Manufacturing
- Individual parts machined in Switzerland; micromechanical assembly finished at the maker's atelier near Winterthur; construction is patented
- Effective mass
- 19 g
- Effective length
- 9 inches
- Arm tube material
- Aluminum (two independently resonance-tuned tubes)
- Maximum tracking error
- Claimed 0.006°–0.008° depending on source
- Cartridge mass compatibility
- 7–23 g via three auxiliary counterweights
Active listings (0)
No active listings for this component right now.
Similar but better
Matched by the Audiophilia engine on character, specs and market position.
Peers
