Thanks to the supplied gauge for the bore spacing, it turns out to be very easy to place the arm mount on one of the bases of the LaGrange exactly 215 millimeters apart. Adjusting the tracking force only coarsely after the cartridge has been installed and accurately after the final position of the pickup has been found is pure enjoyment for someone who appreciates precise mechanics. Moving the counterweight by screw is performed so smoothly and finely that even changes in the range of one or two hundredths of a gram are possible when using an appropriate gauge. The adjustment of the magnetic anti-skating force is just as pleasing thanks to the supple running mechanics. As already mentioned, the height adjustment of the arm can be conducted without any problems as well. Whereas the adjustment of the overhang is a bit less comfortable without having the aforementioned bridge at hand that indicates the tonearm pivot point. But nevertheless, it was not too long before the pickup I use in my current favorite tonearm/cartridge combination got installed: Instead of remaining resident in the headshell of Einstein's The Tonearm 12", the Transrotor Tamino now left for the headshell of the TRA 9. And before any comparison tests will be carried out, it's supposed to stay there for a while by sending its weak signals through the new inner wiring as well as through the balanced pure silver tonearm cable, which hasn't been burnt-in yet either.

For this purpose I have selected a few older records, but also relatively recent ones that I haven't had the time to listen to, such as Maceo Parker's Roots Revisited The Bremen Concert: Compared to the well-known studio recording, Radio Bremen's recording surprises with a maximum of clarity and subtlest transparency. The dynamics leave nothing to be desired, and the tonal colors tend more towards pastel tones: Everything is very pleasing, especially the grade of resolution and the richness in detail, but I have in mind that the Tamino used to offer stronger timbres and a bit warmer performance. Already the next record, Karl Seglem's equally exciting and calm album Nordic Balm on Ozella Music, reveals that the TRA 9 deprives the Tamino neither from its beautiful colors nor its rich bass foundation. Sigurd Hole's mighty four-string bass sounds warm, rich and complete. The cymbals shine golden, the bass drum unfolds gentle power and Karl Seglem's saxophone exhales inspired melodies smoothly and without harshness. Regarding the sound quality, this record is highly enjoyable as well. The joint force of TRA 9 and Tamino lets the two very differing recordings go and seek their own ways. This isn't really bad for a tonearm whose wiring hasn't even reached 20 hours of burn-in time.