Tri-Planar Mk VII - U2 Classic
The Tri-Planar Mk VII - U2 Classic brings a large-scale, warmly vivid presentation, pairing abundant texture with a remarkably cohesive musical flow. SoundStage Solo found its imaging exceptionally solid and its performers physically convincing, while the damped armwand and avionic gimbal design support poised tracking. It is a distinctive high-end arm for listeners who prize lifelike presence over forensic dissection.
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Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
92/100
Build Quality
91/100
Features Usability
75/100
Value for Money
85/100
Pros
Delivers a large, warm, physically present sound with abundant detail, articulation and texture.
Creates exceptionally stable, strongly outlined images that anchor performers convincingly in space.
Unifies musical performances naturally rather than spotlighting individual details at the expense of flow.
Tracks warped records with impressive composure; the reviewer reported it handled some warps a Graham Phantom could not.
Cons
Its warm, holistic voicing is less overtly analytical than more precision-focused rivals.
The non-removable headshell makes cartridge mounting and rapid cartridge swaps less convenient.
Written setup instructions were considered less communicative than ideal, despite helpful illustrations.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 92/100
The Tri-Planar is described as expansive, physically present and unusually cohesive, prioritising the scale and unity of a performance over analytical spotlighting. It combines high detail and texture with notably stable, solid imaging, while its slight warmth will suit listeners seeking a more corporeal and inviting presentation.
Overall Sound
94/100
SoundStage described the arm as "big," "bloomy" and present, with an engrossing atmosphere that brings performers closer with lifelike physicality. Detail retrieval, articulation and texture were all said to be abundant, but the standout quality was its natural ability to unify an entire musical performance rather than dissect it.
Tracking Performance
88/100
The review credits the tube-within-a-tube armwand and damping treatment with controlling resonance down to 8Hz, supporting stable reproduction. Its unwavering image placement and resolute solidity in space also suggest composed behaviour, although the review does not directly discuss mistracking or performance on difficult groove passages.
FEATURES USABILITY PERFORMANCE 75/100
An azimuth mechanism is part of the design, and the arm is offered with a choice of silver or black finish plus several output arrangements. The available material gives little detail about the range or convenience of setup adjustments, or about cartridge matching across differing compliance types.
Adjustability
72/100
The review refers to an azimuth mechanism and to the arm being mounted and adjusted for listening, confirming some setup provision. It does not explain the precision or ease of azimuth, VTA, tracking-force or anti-skate adjustment.
Cartridge Compatibility
78/100
Its stated 11g effective mass suggests a conventional middle-ground design with potential to suit many cartridges. However, the review does not report cartridge comparisons, compliance limits or particular cartridge partnerships.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
91/100
The arm uses a tube-within-a-tube structure with outer damping material, an arrangement specifically credited with effective resonance control down to 8Hz. The supplied specification identifies an avionic gimbal-bearing design, while the review's comments point to a thoughtfully engineered arm tube rather than merely decorative construction.
Value for Money
85/100
At $7,500, the Tri-Planar competes in a demanding high-end tonearm market. The review gives substantial praise for its musical presence, imaging and detail, but does not directly assess whether those qualities make it especially compelling against similarly priced rivals.
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Specifications
- Type
- Avionic gimbal bearings design
- Effective Length
- 250mm
- Pivot-to-spindle distance
- 233.5mm
- Overhang
- 16.5mm
- Offset angle
- 22°
- Effective mass
- 11g
- Bearing offset angle
- 22°
Manufacturer's Description — Tri-Planar
The unique dual-pivot design of this precision tonearm provides unrivaled tracking, transparency, and resolution.
The arm creates a musical sound stage unmatched by any other. It has been described as powerful and dynamic, solid yet expressive, delicate and tactile. The outstanding quality of this arm, commented on time and again, is that it is invisible, lacking the colorations that plague so many of our competitors.
Features
- 9.8" (250 mm) effective length
- Avionic gimbal bearings design
- Copper internal tonearm wiring
- Adjustable Vertical Tracking Angle (VTA)
- Adjustable Azimuth
- Damped head-shell
- Composite wand with coaxial damping
- Clamping yoke design that firmly couples the arm-tube to the bearing tube
- Silicone-fluid trough with adjustable dip stick
- Hardened and polished needle cones
- Bearings at record height
- Progressive anti-skating design
- Sophisticated system of decoupled counter weights
- Easy 3-screw installation, with no large VTA hole
- Available in black or silver color
Verified Dealers
Online Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Tri-Planar Mk VII - U2 Classic
- A/V Solutions — in-store — Pleasanton, California, United States (website)
- Absolute Hi End — in-store — Ormond, Victoria, Australia (website)
- Audio Element — in-store — Pasadena, California, United States (website)
- Avantgarde — in-store — Kowloon, Hong Kong (website)
- BELHIFI — online and in-store — Meise, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
- Bliss Hifi — in-store — Minnetonka, Minnesota, United States (website)
- Galibier Design — United States (website)
- J&J Audio Solutions — in-store — San Jose, California, United States (website)
- Katli Audio — in-store — Chino Hills, California, United States (website)
- Kyomi Audio — in-store — Addison, Illinois, United States (website)
and 13 more verified dealers
