SORANE (Abis) Tonearms TA-1

Sorane tonearms are crafted in Japan using the old ways – carefully hand built and meticulously tuned one at a time for optimal performance.

Katsuaki Ishiyama

Katsuaki Ishiyama first began designing tonearms in 1974.  Through the ensuing years he has earned to reputation as one of the best at his craft anywhere in the world.  His company began building today’s Sorane tonearms in 2013.

Mr. Ishiyama and the employees at his company, IT Industry, carefully crafts the parts for the Sorane tonearms by hand.  Even the basic parts that are CNC milled are carefully filed, ground, honed, and fitted by hand after the CNC milling operation.  Every part has to fit exactly and every tonearm has to be carefully hand adjusted and tuned by Japanese craftsmen with many years of experience before that are judged good enough to reach the hands of customers.

This manufacturing process differs from that of nearly every other tonearm available today.  While some are built by hand, few are rigorously hand fitted, adjusted, and tuned.  Perhaps this is why Sorane was chosen as the brand name.  In Japanese, Sorane means ‘space sound’.  Owners of Sorane tonearms have been known to describe the sound as heavenly.

The result of all of this effort is clean and precise sound at a reasonable price.

Sorane tonearms work well with a wide range of phono cartridges, but work best with those with a compliance of 20 µm/mN or less.  They are particularly well suited for use with SPU pickup heads and with phono cartridges with compliances of 10 to 16 µm/mN.  And they are a great complement to the GEM Dandy turntables.

Please note that with SPU pickup heads and some phono cartridges that a headshell other than the one supplied with the tonearm and perhaps a different counterweight other that the standard supplied one may be necessary. 

We offer the Sorane tonearms as an option on the excellent GEM Dandy turntables that we sell.  Both the TA-1 and TA-1L are excellent choices depending upon the phono cartridge that you intend to use.  Please call or email us to discuss your particular situation. 

Sorane tonearms can also be mounted to most existing turntables.

Osage Audio Products is pleased to offer Sorane tonearms. They offer excellent performance and reliability at a reasonable price.  If you have questions about Sorane tonearms, please call us at 573-696-3551 or email us at your convenience.  We are open late and weekends.

Sorane tonearms are available for purchase by telephone, by email, or in our showrooms. They are not available for purchase in our Online Store.

Sorane TA-1

            Specifications

            Total Length:  288mm
            Spindle to Pivot Distance:  216mm
            Effective Length:  232mm (9.134 inches)
            Overhang:  16mm
            Offset Angle:  22 degrees
            Supplied Headshell Weight:  17 grams
            Phono Cartridge Weight Range:  6 to 32 grams (may require alternate headshell)