Thales Thales Simplicity II
The Thales Simplicity II brings near-tangential tracking to a beautifully engineered pivoted arm, delivering exceptionally clean inner-groove playback, stable imaging and an even, controlled tonal balance. Richard Mak found it especially persuasive on demanding crescendos and vocals, where its poise, separation and freedom from distortion let difficult records stay vivid and composed.
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Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
92/100
Build Quality
89/100
Features Usability
80/100
Value for Money
85/100
Pros
Exceptional inner-groove tracking, maintaining clean, distortion-free playback through demanding crescendos and difficult vocal passages.
Composed, balanced tonality with stable imaging, strong instrument separation and useful control over harsh recordings.
Swiss-style high-precision construction and an unusually straightforward mounting process with a dedicated acrylic guide.
Cons
Azimuth adjustment is fiddly, and changing VTA requires azimuth realignment.
Its fixed, non-adjustable anti-skate may not suit every cartridge; channel THD imbalance was observed with some models.
Performance is cartridge-dependent; the reviewer found it less lively and extended than some rivals, and a poor tonal match with the Kondo IO-M.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 92/100
The Simplicity II combines an even, composed tonal balance with exceptionally clean behavior on difficult inner-groove material. Its presentation favors stability and control over overt excitement, and careful cartridge matching is important to realizing its best balance.
Overall Sound
89/100
Richard Mak describes a conservative but composed sound, with balanced tonality, stable imaging and no exaggeration at the frequency extremes. It is said to be less lively and extended than the 12-inch Schröder Reference Ebony and Graham Phantom II Supreme B52, but its control can reduce harshness without sacrificing too much dynamic contrast.
Tracking Performance
96/100
The arm handled demanding inner-groove passages, including three bass crescendos on Delibes' Sylvia, without audible distortion. It also produced almost no right-channel distortion on a difficult vocal track where the reviewer heard problems with other 9-inch arms, delivering stable images, strong separation and a distortion-free voice.
FEATURES USABILITY PERFORMANCE 80/100
Mounting is unusually straightforward and the arm provides meaningful cartridge-balancing and alignment facilities, but some adjustments demand patience. Azimuth setup is particularly fiddly, and VTA changes require subsequent azimuth correction.
Adjustability
78/100
VTA adjustment is described as fairly easy, while the eccentric counterweight can be rotated to help equalize tracking force across the record surface. Azimuth adjustment uses tiny screws and requires care to restore the arm's geometry; changing VTA also alters azimuth, and the fixed anti-skate setting cannot be tailored to individual cartridges.
Cartridge Compatibility
82/100
Three supplied counterweights offer substantial scope for matching cartridges, including the specified 7–23g cartridge range. However, the reviewer took time to find the right counterweight combination, and results varied materially: the Kondo IO-M was a poor tonal partner while the Clearaudio Titanium V2 was close to ideal.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
89/100
The review calls the Simplicity II a modern work of art combining Swiss elegance with high-precision machining. Its dual-armwand pivoted-tangential mechanism, dedicated mounting guide and supplied setup tools suggest a carefully engineered package, though the review offers little long-term durability commentary.
Value for Money
85/100
At the stated $7,500–$12,400 price range, this is a premium tonearm, but the reviewer came away satisfied with its pivoted-tangential execution and notes that it costs roughly half as much as Thales's Statement model. The review does not compare it directly with competing tonearms at similar prices, so its value against market peers remains largely unaddressed.
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Specifications
- Effective mass
- 18g
- Cartridge weight
- 7…23g
- Mounting distance
- 230mm
- Offset angle
- variable
- Max. tracking error
- 0,006°
- VTA adjustment
- Thread
- Azimuth adjustment
- Thread, spring loaded
- Coating
- Chrome, anodized
- Signal output (standard)
- 5-Pin DIN outlet
- Signal output (option)
- Direct wiring
Manufacturer's Description — Thales
Reference-Tonearm
The Thales Simplicity II sets the benchmark for what is possible in tonearm-design today. The tracking geometry is based on a unique tetragon solution that reduces the tracking-error to 0,006°. Our new TTF-bearing-technology makes sure the performance achieves a level never reached before, as the micro-ball-bearings are arranged in a tension-free setup. The intrinsic frequencies of the two tonearm tubes are carefully tuned to improve on the damping properties of any single arm tube design.
The Thales Simplicity II comes with a special tool to make sure the installation is as precise as the manufacturing. The headshell can be removed very easily for exact alignment of the cartridge. Three different counterweights, each with a different mass are supplied to enable a wide range of cartridges to be used (7 to 23 grams).
The tonearm is available in bronze, grey or black anodized finish and is featured with Thales’s own internal wiring. This wiring is very flexible and made of purest copper. Options for the outlet are either an integrated 5-pin-DIN-connector or direct wiring to the amplifier.
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Thales Thales Simplicity II
- A 10 Audio Room 4 Music — in-store — Amsterdam Nieuw-West, Noord-Holland, Netherlands (website)
- A/V Solutions — in-store — Pleasanton, California, United States (website)
- Alma Music & Audio — online and in-store — San Diego, California, United States (website)
- Alta Fedelta — online and in-store — Lombardia, Italy (website)
- Analogue Seduction — online and in-store — Whittlesey, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Atelier 13 Audio — in-store — Forest Hills, Tennessee, United States (website)
- Audio Absolute — in-store — Tambon Bang Khun Kong, Chang Wat Nonthaburi, Thailand (website)
- Audio Art — in-store — London, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Audio Exotics — in-store — New Territories, Hong Kong (website)
- Audio Salon — in-store — Boca Raton, Florida, United States (website)
and 18 more verified dealers