News

Stereophile was saddened to learn of the death of Herb Papier earlier this month. He was 86. A musician—he was an amateur trumpeter—music lover, and inventor, Papier was best known in the audiophile community as the designer and original manufacturer of the Wheaton Tri-Planar tonearm.

During World War II, Papier worked at the Naval Observatory repairing marine chronometers. He perfected fine machinist's skills during this stint and became a watchmaker after the war. He eventually opened a music store in Wheaton, Maryland.

In the late 1970s, after reading an article about modifying Rabco tonearms, he designed his own unipivot model made of balsa wood. With the encouragement of Steve McCormack and the folks at Oracle turntables, he switched the material to aluminum. After much trial and error, he developed the first non-unipivot model of the Wheaton Tri-Planar arm. During the years it was marketed, he constantly updated and improved the tonearm, which is still considered one of the best.

A classic hobbyist businessman, Papier's manufacturing plant was always his basement workshop. The last model he sold was the Model VI Ultimate. Because of his failing health, he eventually sold the company. The Wheaton Tri-Planar tonearm is still being manufactured and sold.

Thanks to Tom Ostrow for the obituary.