Tomahawk

About the Tomahawk

The Trans-Fi Tomahawk tonearm is a linear-tracking air-bearing tonearm developed in the UK, based on concepts by Poul Ladegaard and refined over approximately 10 years. It uses an air-bearing slider for horizontal movement and twin unipivot bearings for vertical movement, providing very low friction and high stability. The air-bearing design employs two alloy L-angle sections separated by a thin air film, requiring very low air pressure (less than 2 psi) to levitate the slider, which reduces noise and vibration. The arm wand is lightweight with a low vertical effective mass (~5g), enhancing tracking accuracy and reducing strain on cartridge cantilevers. The Tomahawk features adjustable azimuth via twin point pivots, a counterweight system for precise vertical tracking force adjustment, and a manually adjustable arm length to maintain perfect tangential tracking. The tonearm weighs approximately 800g and is noted for its short wand length, which improves sonic clarity and reduces resonance. It requires an external air pump for the air bearing, which can produce some noise and may need to be housed separately. The design emphasizes ease of setup and repeatability of adjustments, making it suitable for experienced audiophiles seeking high fidelity playback.