Acoustical Systems Aquilar Tonearm and package deals for our customers to purchase

Acoustical Systems Aquilar Tonearm and package deals for our customers to purchase

Reflections on Tonearm Design & Why the Acoustical Systems AQUILAR Stands Apart

A Deep Dive into One of the World’s Most Thoughtfully Engineered Tonearms

Sunny Components Inc., Covina, California

Turntable systems live at the intersection of art and engineering. In the pursuit of high-end analog playback, few components shape the musical experience more profoundly than the tonearm. Today, we explore the challenges of tonearm design and how the Acoustical Systems AQUILAR—handcrafted in Southern Bavaria—addresses these challenges with exceptional ingenuity, elegance, and musical honesty.

Understanding the Challenge of Tonearm Design

A great tonearm must accomplish two extremely difficult tasks:

  1. Hold the stylus in the groove with total stability and perfect alignment, from the outer edge to the inner grooves.

  2. Transmit the cartridge’s signal with as little noise, distortion, and mechanical interference as possible.

Simple in theory—fiendishly complex in practice.

The stylus traces microscopic modulations. Even the smallest adjustment in SRA, azimuth, overhang, offset angle, or anti-skating can produce major sonic differences. Pivoted arms introduce additional geometric challenges, as there are only two ideal points of alignment across the record surface.

Add the mechanical noise inherent in vinyl playback—bearing noise, motor noise, record surface noise—and analog design becomes a delicate balancing act. The art lies in suppressing noise, elevating signal, and ensuring the tonearm itself disappears as a neutral mechanical interface.

Material choice is equally critical. Every material carries its own resonant signature. The ideal tonearm uses materials whose resonances are minimal, benign, and musically unobtrusive.

This is where the AQUILAR begins to distinguish itself.

The Aquilar Anniversary Tonearm – A Thoughtful Evolution

The Aquilar Anniversary is a refined advancement of Acoustical Systems’ celebrated AQUILAR, incorporating design elements from their flagship AXIOM tonearm while adding its own innovations.

Precision Mechanical Architecture

  • 10" effective length (approx. 248 mm) balancing geometry and tracking accuracy

  • Titanium and carbon-fiber hybrid arm wand offering unmatched stiffness and resonance control

  • Nano-gimbal bearing system with four precision bearings in three sizes, selected for ultra-low friction

  • Handcrafted entirely in Southern Bavaria from locally sourced materials

Counterweight and Mass Control, Redefined

The AQUILAR uses a unique three-piece counterweight system:

  • Main tungsten weight, shaped under extreme temperature and pressure

  • Secondary threaded weight, enabling fine adjustment of tracking force

  • Lateral weight, correcting static torque and reducing required anti-skate

This system allows the tonearm to mate with a wide range of cartridge compliances while maintaining neutral, stable tracking.

Geometry and Precision Adjustability

AQUILAR provides an extensive range of user-friendly adjustments:

  • UNI-DIN geometry (exclusive to Acoustical Systems)

  • Independent bearing-plane leveling

  • SRA, VTA, offset angle, azimuth, and overhang adjustments

  • Headshell-based SRA control inherited from the firm’s Arché headshell

  • Calibrated micrometers for VTA and anti-skate

These features ensure precise repeatability and maintain cartridge generator alignment relative to the arm’s bearing plane.

Wiring & Termination

  • Soft-aged pure silver Litz internal wiring

  • RCA or balanced XLR direct-to-phono leads, or a 5-pin DIN connector

Listening Impressions – The Aquilar in Real Systems

In extended listening sessions—paired with Acoustical Systems’ Palladian cartridge—reviewers consistently describe the AQUILAR as profoundly musical, cohesive, and emotionally engaging.

A Few Notable Traits:

• Harmonic Density & Natural Tone
Music carries weight, warmth, and a fullness that feels authentic and deeply human.

• Exceptional Coherence
Whether it’s Mingus, Coltrane, Joni Mitchell, or modern electronica, the AQUILAR presents complex passages with ease and organization.

• Immersive Soundstage
Deep layering, natural width, and stable imaging bring performers vividly into the listening space.

• Dynamic Finesse & Micro-Detail
Acoustic guitar, cymbal brushwork, bass articulation—everything is rendered with clarity, without spotlighting or exaggeration.

• Musical Honesty
The tonearm disappears. What remains is the performance itself.

Listeners consistently report the same phenomenon: with AQUILAR in the system, listening becomes effortless, inviting, and addictive.

Specifications – Aquilar Anniversary Tonearm

  • Effective length: Approx. 248 mm (10")

  • Geometry: UNI-DIN

  • Cartridge mass range: 5.2 to 30 g

  • Internal wiring: Pure silver Litz

  • Overhang adjustment: Up to 11 mm

  • Azimuth: ± 6°

  • Offset angle: ± 4°

  • Pivot plane: ± 6° horizontal

  • SRA range: 84° – 97°

  • VTA range: 14° – 28°

  • Price: $22,995 (tonearm only, configurations vary)

Available Now at Sunny Components – Covina, CA

At Sunny Components Inc., we proudly demonstrate the Acoustical Systems AQUILAR on our reference turntable systems. We offer:

  • Professional mounting and alignment

  • System matching with Palladian and Lyra cartridges

  • CH Precision P10 / P1 phono stage pairing

  • Custom HRS VXR, SXR, and EXR analog stands

  • Private listening appointments in our Covina showroom



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