Reed 3P, among other features, like fine VTA adjustment on-the-fly, also has a unique possibility of adjusting azimuth while playing a record. An exciting thing about the azimuth adjuster is that during the adjustment process the cartridge “swings” around the needle tip, hence keeping all other tonearm parameters intact (you can see how it works by watching a short video bellow).
Magnetic antiskating and some other features, used in Reed 3P, were developed in our Reed Mag prototype model*, which made its first appearance in Analog Forum 2011 Krefeld, Germany.
Another 3Ps innovation is its bearing system. Although tonearm bearing system can be considered as gimbal, it acts like unipivot one. However, major difference from unipivot system is that instead of a single pivot three pivots and both vertical and horizontal axis’ magnetic stabilizers are used. Such bearing system is as rigid as gimbal, but its friction coefficient is as low as in unipivot.
Again, if you are bored with this technical talk, it is enough to know that in Reed 3P you can setup most of the tonearm’s parameters (VTA, azimuth, antiskating) on the fly, and due to the very sensitive bearing system you will not miss the slightest music tones.
Reed 3P is acknowledged not only by its high quality sound, but also for it’s distinctive design. It convinced the international 30-member expert jury of the “red dot award: product design 2012” international design contest and received one of the coveted awards – red dot – in the “Entertainment technology and cameras” category. The red dot design award, held by Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen (Germany) and with origins reaching back to the 1950s, has established itself internationally as one of the most appreciated quality seals for outstanding designs.
Also in July 2013 the German Design Council committees have nominated Reed 3P tonearm for the German Design Award 2014, Lifestyle category.
The German Design Award is an international premium prize, which successfully enhances the standing of both designers and companies. Its organizer, the German Design Council, has been representing and supporting the German design industry with its expertise in all questions relating to design for 60 years now. A nomination for the German Design Award on the occasion of the anniversary of the German Design Council is especially significant – it stands for 60 years of design culture.
SPECIFICATIONS
| Effective length | 9.5″ | 10.5″ | 12″ |
| Mounting distance, mm | 205.5 | 236.1 | 283.8 |
| Pivot to spindle distance, mm | 223 | 251.6 | 295.6 |
| Overhang, mm | 17 | 15.4 | 13.4 |
| Offset angle, deg | 22.9 | 20.7 | 17.6 |
| Effective mass | See details of each armwand material | ||
SAMPLES OF FINISH
Pictures below are for illustration of finishing only; tonearm model may be different from described above.
Gold matte Gold glossy
Black Seashell white
Palladium
ARMWAND WOOD SAMPLES
Wenge Macassar Ebony
Cocobolo Teak light
Teak dark
Approximate effective mass of Reed tonearm in grams
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REVIEWS
Reed 3P tonearm was positively reviewed by Mr. Holger Barske, editor of LP magazine. Read here in German...
Reed 3P tonearm was reviewed on Denmarks biggest HiFi portal HIFI4ALL.DK and was recognized as an Editors Choice. Read here in Danish...
Reed 3P tonearm (12″ Pernambuco armwand, used on Dr. Feickert’s Firebird turntable) was reviewed in Positive Feedback online magazine. Read here in English...
Reed Muse 3C turntable and Reed 3P tonearm review in hi-fi+ magazine (United Kingdom). Read here in English...
6 Reviews Hide Reviews Show Reviews
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Highly recommended
If the deck is great, then the tonearm is excellent. It’s lively, entertaining, and ever so slightly warm and rich sounding; an almost perfect counterpart to the turntable in fact. OK, so if you are looking for the ultimate in analytical neutrality, keep looking, but as a beguiling performer that draws out the passion and fire in a recording, the 3P comes highly recommended.
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Recommended
It was a perplexing state of affairs. Going into this review, I thought I had the Dr. Feickert Firebird turntable's sound nailed, having lived with it for the last two years (and prior to that the Blackbird model). I must confess: I was never 100% taken with the Firebird / DFA arm package. It did everything at the highest level except that it felt overdamped, a little suppressed. It did not allow music to lift off. Now along comes the Reed 3P tonearm as a replacement for the DFA and I don't recognize the sound of this front-end anymore. This arm brought a characteristic sound that is extrovertedly analogue. It is not neutral, as the term is commonly used today to mean uninflected and colorless. The Reed is colorful in the best sense of the word, just as live music is. And it does the audiophile dog and pony show as well as the best of them. The Firebird was transformed. The Reed 3P tonearm mated with the Dr. Feickert table is a gem. I enjoyed this front-end immensely. The only question I'm left pondering as I finish this review is: How would the Reed fare when mounted on other tables?
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Reed 3P er ”Editors Choice”!
Men Reed 3P er stadig et hit, trods prisen. For ét er, at den får pickup’erne til at lyde bedre. Noget andet er, at den er et fremragende stykke værktøj, når der skal testes analog lyd fremover. Det har i sig selv stor værdi, og er værd at sætte pris på!
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Recommended!
Gute Ideen, exzellent umgesetzt : Der Reed 3p klingt fantastisch plastisch und breitbandig, ausserdem ist die Azimutverstellung eine beispiellose Wohltat bei der Justage des Tonabnehmers.
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German Design Award 2014
Lifestyle category
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Product design 2012
Entertainment technology and cameras - category
