Clearaudio TT3 User manual

User manual
Bedienungsanleitung
© clearaudio
electronic GmbH, 2017/11 Made in Germany
TT3

User manual .............................................. 2 - 13
Bedienungsanleitung ................................ 14 - 25
Dear audio enthusiast,
Congratulations! You have purchased one of the best Tangential tonearm available in the World of
High-Fi.
Your Clearaudio TT3 tonearm has the capability to extract unprecedented performance from abso-
lutely ANY phono cartridge!
To achieve the full performance and to avoid any damages of this tonearm, please take the time to
get familiar with your Clearaudio tonearm.
You’re Clearaudio TT3 tonearm will give you many years of musical enjoyment and pleasure.
Clearaudio electronic GmbH
Warning
Do not expose the equipment to rain or moisture.
Do not remove the cover from the equipment.
Do not insert anything into the equipment through the ventilation holes.
Do not handle the mains lead with wet hands.
No naked ame sources, such as lighted candles, should be placed on the equipment.
Only for use on turntables.
CE-MARKIERUNG
Copyright
Recording and playback of any material may require consent. For further information refer to the
following:
- Copyright Act 1956
- Dramatic and Musical Performers Act 1958
- Performers Protection Acts 1963 and 1972
- Any subsequent statutory enactments and orders
User manual / Bedienungsanleitung
2 © clearaudio electronic GmbH, 2017/11

Contents
1. List of components ..................................................... 4
2. Mounting the tonearmbase ........................................ 5
3. TT3 set up .................................................................. 6 - 8
4. TT3 adjustment ......................................................... 8 - 11
5. Special instructions ................................................... 12
6. Technical data ............................................................ 13
Warranty information ......................................................... 26 - 27
User manual / Bedienungsanleitung
Made in Germany 3

1. List of components
The Clearaudio TT3 tonearm is delivered in a special packing to ensure its safe transport.
Please check the contents as shown in the picture below.
Important note:
Please take special care of the tonearm cable while unpacking your Clearaudio TT3 tonearm!
Note: all threads are metrical!
1. Tonearm TT3 complete assembled 6. 4 pcs. Counterweights:
2.3 g; 2.6 g; 8.0 g
2.
2. a Precision Dural Aluminum tonearm base Height adaptor 7. Alignment gauge to adjust tangential tracking
3. 1x Hex wrench (# 1.5)
1x Hex wrench (# 2)
1x Hex wrench (# 2.5)
1x Hex wrench (# 3)
8. Not shown:
1 pair of white gloves
4. High-precision silver carbon bre headshell
pipe and stainless steel headshell
(without cartridge)
9. Not shown:
Warranty card; user manual; Clearaudio
Quality Certicate (CQC) and return delivery
note
5. Screws for bases:
3x screws M4 x 35 (tonearm base)
3x screws M4 x 40 (height adaptor)
Screws for cartridges (no pic.):
2x M2.5 x 12
2x M2.5 x 14
Pic. 1: List of components
User manual / Bedienungsanleitung
4 © clearaudio electronic GmbH, 2017/11
12 3 4
2 a
5
6
7
7

2. Mounting the tonearm base
Mounting the tonearm base on a Clearaudio turntable:
Mount the tonearm base (see picture 2) with the three screws and the hex key wrench (#3) onto
the tonearm mounting platform.
Please tighten all three screws as shown in the picture below.
Pic. 2: Mounting the tonearm base
Pic. 3: Tightening the screws
User manual / Bedienungsanleitung
Made in Germany 5
Tonearmbase
Height adapter

Pic. 4: Drilling template
User manual / Bedienungsanleitung
6 © clearaudio electronic GmbH, 2017/11
Mounting the tonearm base on a turntable of other manufacturers:
In order to mount the tonearm base on the turntable chassis please rst drill three holes into the
turntable chassis. To nd out the right position of these drills please take the measurements out of
the drawing template (see picture below). For this step use a 3.3 mm drill. After you have drilled the
three holes, cut the windings with a proper screw-tap. If the material of the turntable chassis is not
suitable to be tted with windings please use a 4.5 mm drill for the holes. In this case you will need
some longer screws with nuts to x the tonearm base.
Now you can mount the tonearm base on the clean and dry surface of the turntable chassis.
3.
TT3 set up
For the next steps please remove the foam, that is used for transportation safety of the tonearm
carriage.
To place the tonearm it is required that the two rods of the
tonearm base are in vertical position. To achieve this,
please pull out the small pivot on the side of the tonearm
base and pull the two rods in the vertical position. Now
you can slide the tonearm with its two precise drills onto
the two rods of the base. Do this until the threaded bolt
in the middle between the two drills of the tonearm fully
rests in the drilling of the tonearm base.
Pic. 5: Placing the tonearm on the tonearm base

Pic. 6: Tighten the screw of the VTA-
assembly
Pic. 10: Correct position of the headshell
User manual / Bedienungsanleitung
Made in Germany 7
Tighten the screw of the tonearm base as shown in picture 6.
For the next step please remove rst all counterweights
from the headshell.
Slide the headshell through the proper drilling in the carriage
of the tonearm. When sliding the headshell, turn the headshell
(as shown in pic. 8) so that the positioning shaft of the
headshell can pass the main rod of the tonearm.
After passing the rst main rod, turn the headshell back
(as shown in pic. 9).
Pic. 7: Setting up the headshell
Pic. 8: Turrning the headshell Pic. 9: Turning the headshell back
Positioning shaft

To tighten the headshell, please move the carriage to the right side of the tonearm.
Lock the headshell in the carriage from above through the small hole in the top of the cover plate
by using the hex key wrench (#1.5) (Pic. 11).
User manual / Bedienungsanleitung
8 © clearaudio electronic GmbH, 2017/11
Pic. 11: Locking the headshell
4. TT3 adjustment
4.1 Adjustment of the cartridge
The now following adjustment requires an already mounted cartridge on the headshell. Therefore
please follow the instructions in the users’ manual of the cartridge manufacture.
Please do not remove the needle protection of the cartridge!
Attention:
This tonearm is suitable for cartridges from 7 g net weight!
If your cartridge is easier, please use an additional weight (headshell plate).
Connect the pins of the tonearm cable with the corresponding pins of the cartridge.
Please take care of the colour codes.
Red: right channel / R+
Green:right channel / R-
White: left channel / L+
Blue: left channel / L-
Adjust little stylus pressure. The exact stylus pressure will be adjusted later.

User manual / Bedienungsanleitung
Made in Germany 9
Therefore take one or more counterweight(s) (depending on the weight of your cartridge) and
slide them onto the headshell as shown in picture 12. Adjust little stylus pressure, while sliding the
counterweight(s) in the direction of the cartridge.
Pic. 12: Set up of counterweight(s)
Now lock the counterweight(s) by using the hex key wrench # 1.5.
It is easier, if the tonearm is in vertical position (as shown in picture 13).
Pic. 13: Locking the counterweight(s)
4.2 VTA - adjustment
The following adjustment can be done with
an old and used record. This LP should be at.
Instead of a record you can also use the
delivered linear tracking gauge.
To achieve the right height of the cartridge
you can move the tonearm by turning the
VTA screw on the top of the tonearm
(shown in picture 14).
Pic. 14: Height adjustment

The carbon headshell tube should be parallel to the
surface of the record (without needle protection
and cartridge lifted down record!).
To ensure a stable function mode of the tonearm,
please tighten the screws on the side of the tone-
arm (allen wrench wrench # 2; see pic. 15).
Please unlock the screws to change the height of
the tonearm.
The tonearm angle can be adjusted with the screw in the tonearm base (see pic. 16 b). The tonearm
angle is correct adjusted, if the bubble level is centered.
User manual / Bedienungsanleitung
10 © clearaudio electronic GmbH, 2017/11
Pic. 15: Adjustment of the tonearm
Pic. 16 a: Bubble level
Adjust the correct stylus pressure as instructed in the cartridge´s user manual.
To achieve the exact stylus pressure we recommend the use of the clearaudio digital stylus pressure
gauge “Weight Watcher” (Art.-#: AC 094; also available at www.analogshop.de).
4.3 Adjustment of the azimuth (vertical needle-position in the groove)
Please be very careful by the following steps:
Lift your cartridge up (!)
Take a straight bar or rod (e.g. hex key wrench) which can
be placed on the top of the cartridge.
Place this piece on top of the headshell as shown in the
picture 17 and secure it with a piece of adhesive tape.
a b
a = b
Pic. 17: Adjustment of the azimuth
Pic. 16 a: Adjustment of the tonearm`s tilt angle