Listening #180: Swissonor TA10 tonearm Contacts

Sidebar: Contacts

Swissonor, Chemin de Roday 52, CH-1256 Troinex, Switzerland. Tel: (41) 22-784-63-69. Web: www.swissonor.ch

US distributor: Fidelis Music Systems, 460 Amherst Street (Route 101A), Nashua, NH 03063. Tel: (603) 880-4434. Fax: (603) 880-4433. Web: www.fidelisav.com

COMMENTS
Ortofan's picture

Is this the first time that a manufacturer has suggested that a particular reviewer "should not write about our stuff"?
Swissonor doesn't sound like an especially customer friendly outfit.
For half the price, one could buy the Ortofon TA-210 tonearm which, when it was reviewed by AD, appeared to be free of the various mechanical anomalies exhibited by either sample of the Swissonor arm:
https://www.stereophile.com/content/listening-118
https://www.ortofon.com/ta-210-p-432
https://www.needledoctor.com/Ortofon-TA-210-Tonearm

Robert Deutsch's picture

A number of years ago, I wrote a tongue-in-cheek piece entitled "How To Write Manufacturers' Comments." https://www.stereophile.com/features/22/. This manufacturer obviously didn't heed my advice.

Bob

BKinTheBK's picture

It's as if he read your article and decided to do the exact opposite of every suggestion.

He also seems to have never bothered to read AD's articles. Art seems to be definitively anti-hi-fi and fervently pro music. No fancy cables, cords, power conditioners & a perspective that suggests a desire for music that "moves him" at the expense of hi-fi perfection.

Dudley basically raved about how great his music sounded while using Urs's tonearm.

Urs, dude, this is for you: "Picking out and refuting minor negative comments in a generally glowing review draws attention to the negative aspects of the review and may snatch defeat from the jaws of victory."

BKinTheBK's picture

to add:

- Never ever EVER claim superiority by saying that your technician plays the harpsichord. Non sequitur say what?

tonykaz's picture

I'm one, I care.

My Company will work closely ( very, if necessary ) with anyone writing about our Products, especially if the person has 70,000 Readers ( possible buyers ).

This Swiss Company only makes a tiny number of things, he can afford to snub a Non-European that can't get the set-up right or is having a difficult time of it. He has a ( responsible ? ) Importer to take care of these matters who might just surmise that our Mr.Dudley lives too far from Civilization to be considered "Worthy" of "Special" hand-holding. Oh-well, ( at $4,000 a pop ) a very Golden opportunity missed.

Come to think of it, why is the manufacturer writing the Comments, why isn't the Importer?

Because:

This Swiss guy might not be up to speed on writing in English annnnnd

He might be the Analytical type, not the Social Sales type.

He may be having a hard time just now, perhaps the whole thing is falling down over his ears, phew.

Still, to me, this Arm Review just doesn't make sense, Vinyl still dead, after all and the gray beards still playing vinyl already own pricy turntables.

Will someone who finds an old Thorens in the Closet spend $4,000 for a new Arm?

Tony in Michigan

ps. I still have a nice Vinyl collection to list on eBay as I merrily sail into the digital depths of the 21st Century, lucky me, I don't have to worry about any of this.

gbougard's picture

If one can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen
Why should Urs Frei pander to the nonsense thrown at his products and his company?
People should learn to de-entitle themselves, listen to those who know and stfu

Anton's picture

Problem: shipping with the counterweight on..

Question: did Art do that?

BKinTheBK's picture

so everyone can see Urs Frei for the ass hat that he is? Art's review was fair and actually quite positive! He loved the music. The tonearm checked all his most important boxes. Art even blamed himself for the plinth size issue.

If a review is mostly positive, yet cites some fairly considered critiques a businessman politely thanks the reviewer for spending his precious time listening and writing an even-handed review and then rebuts any disagreements like an adult. Or ... if you're going to be a dick, at least be humorous. No one likes an unfunny dick. No one buys products from an unfunny dick. How should a buyer expect to be treated if an issue arose and was faced with this "if i made a mistake it must be your fault" style of customer service?

Urs, you silly child. Take your ball and go home. Your colleagues should be ashamed of your letter and a grownup at your company owes Art and the readers of Stereophile an apology.

Anton's picture

At the end of the review.

Yes, it was an asshat response.

BKinTheBK's picture

thanks.

gbougard's picture

Urs Frei is pointing at Art's glaring mistakes and details the consequences of those mistakes
And he is the bad guy???
People think they know better than this guy who has spent a lifetime putting together fabulous sounding stuff?
And ignoramuses should be treated nicely just because they read stereophile???
No wonder Trump got elected!

Anton's picture

Did Art damage or mispackage the arm shipping it to himself?

From the manufacturer’s comments:

“Problem..... Was the tonearm Art reviewed shipped with the counterweight on? We think so. Solution: Leave off the counterweight for shipping, as we do. This is absolutely necessary, not only for Swissonor tonearms but for any design.”

Why would Mr. Angry Manufacturer kick Art’s butt over that? Speaking of ‘ignoramuses.’

Razorball's picture

Mr Frei CAN be somehow radical with his opinions, unfortunate fact I experienced as a good customer.
I for sure think that the last line Mr Frei put in his comment was the one too much and should not have been written, that was done with the force of too much emotion and it it was from my point of view unnecessary. Maybe his own azimuth wasn’t in place??! :-) As I said, I don’t want to defend his last line too much, I personally would have stayed more commercial with it, would it have been my company. I also think of Art Dudley as being the least « hi-fi/high-end » of the reviewers.

rbs12's picture

I will simply offer one other data point that makes me wonder if something wasn't lost in translation here. Last spring, I emailed Urs Frei inquiring about a Swissonor product that has been discontinued for a number of years. I received an immediate response that he would look for one for me. I didn't expect much, given experiences with other dealers/manufacturers. But to my surprise, about six months later, he contacted me, saying he had located one and putting me directly in touch with the owner. I bought it, the build quality is fantastic (easily the equal of my Shindo gear), the sound is wonderful and I am grateful to Mr. Frei for his uncompensated efforts. I would not hesitate to buy another Swissonor product.

Anerol's picture

I am impressed which turns this discussion has taken. Guys, this is our hobby and supposed to bring us joy and happiness. At least I think so. Differing opinions are just that - differing opinions.

I am one of the happy fews, and we will always remain few, that enjoys playing his music with the TA-10 of the current production run. I have had expensive tonearms and less esxpensive tonearms. New ones and vintage models. European built and Japanese built. If there ever will be a production of the s shaped arm wand for my Graham I will probably try it. Anyway, the TA-10 is a wonderful performer. Art and his description of the sound is absolutely in line with my perceptions.

In that sense I am grateful for this wonderful product.

X