"The best tonearm I've heard to date ....brilliantly detailed yet utterly musical, this arm is set to join the ranks of the all time greats. Wholeheartedly recommended..." read more

-David Price- HiFi World

"...and the winner is... the Origin Live Illustrious, a pick up arm that is quite simply breathtaking." read more

- Albert Lee - Hi-Fi World (Group comparison test of 7 tonearms)

Ground-breaking design is behind the astonishing performance of the Illustrious arm. This award winning arm has been highly acclaimed as a true performance leader.

£1805

12" Version £2216

Features & Specification

Arm Tube
High ridgidity accounts for tight, powerful and completely natural bass.
Dual Pivot Bearing Dual pivot explained
Yoke Design: Optimum Inertia Values
The yoke offers high inertia in the horizontal plane for cartridge stability but minimizes inertia in the vertical plane to enable excellent tracking.
Highly Specified Bearings
Enable superb tracking and rock solid imaging.
Headshell
Holographic images of headshells taken during record playing reveal that most headshells flex and twist significantly. To prevent this microscopic twisting the Illustrious headshell is machined from high strength alloy.

Options

VTA Adjusters

All MK3 arms from Encounter upwards have integral VTA adjustment and do not require VTA adjusters. more info

	UK Retail	Export Retail
Universal threaded VTA Adjuster more info	25.50	21.25
Sliding VTA Adjuster* more info	49	40.83
Rega VTA Adjuster more info	12.25	10.21

*Rega threaded bases included on all MK1 & MK2 arms from Silver upwards.

Stylus Force Gauges more info

All prices quoted in GBP	UK Retail	Export Retail
Ortofon Stylus Force Gauge (included on all arms from Encounter upward)	8.17	6.81
Digital Stylus Force Gauge	58.21	48.51
Cartridge Man Digital Force Gauge	203.23	169.36

Cartridge Man Isolator (for tonearm / cartridge interface) more info

	UK Retail	Export Retail
Cartridge man isolator for moving magnet cartridges	86.81	72.34
Cartridge man isolator for moving coil cartridges	86.81	72.34

Armboard & Adaptors

	UK Retail	Export Retail
Technics Armboard more info	46	38.33

SME Adaptor more info	49	39.20
LP12 Armboard more info	27.50	22.92

Connectors

	UK Retail	Export Retail
Cardas 5 din pin Male Arm external connector in base of arm	25.50	21.25
Cardas 5 din pin Female Connector on external cable for base of arm	46	38.33
XLR Termination High Grade Balanced XLR plugs & Cable for OL & Rega arms	25.50	21.25
BNC plugs on external cable For Naim amps	25.50	21.25

Upgrade Cables

	UK Retail	Export Retail
Burn in Cable for arms	15.30	12.75
Linear flow 2 external cable (included as standard on Conqueror & Enterprise.)	388	323.33

Counterweights

	UK Retail	Export Retail
Optional Counterweights (Not compatible with Enterprise)
Light counterweight 11mm thick	46	38.33
Medium counterweight 13mm thick	46	38.33
Medium counterweight 16mm thick	46	38.33
Heavy counterweight 20mm thick	46	38.33
Counterweights with fine adjusters (Not compatible with Enterprise)
Medium Counterweight 13mm thick with Fine adjuster weight	66.50	55.42
Medium Counterweight 16mm thick with Fine adjuster weight	66.50	55.42
Heavy Counterweight 20mm thick with Fine adjuster weight	66.50	55.42
Enterprise Only Counterweights
Medium Counterweight 16mm	56	46.67
Medium Counterweight 16mm thick with Fine adjuster weight	76.50	63.75
Heavy Counterweight 20mm	56	46.67
Heavy Counterweight 20mm thick with Fine adjuster weight	76.50	63.75

Tonearm Spares

	UK Retail	Export Retail
Arm clip	26.00	21.45
Large base nut	12.00	9.90
Cork washer	5.00	4.13
Side bias rod	3.00	2.48
Side bias loop	9.00	7.43
Side bias weight and thread	35.75	29.50
Lift lower device	47.00	38.78

Reviews

Best of 2005 Award - Hi Fi World
"The best tonearm I've heard to date ....brilliantly detailed yet utterly musical, this arm is set to join the ranks of the all time greats. Wholeheartedly recommended..." read more
-David Price- HiFi World
"The apparent width of the perceived image was enormous, as the image was so large that my living room walls seemed to melt away. This was complemented with a precision of spatial characteristics that made listening to the Illustrious an absolute pleasure... moreover the extra dynamic range over all the other arms here was simply stunning....Along with firecracker dynamics, something SME users will know, it possessed a seamless rhythmic ease and flow which SME V users will not! This is a beautifully fluid listen, yet gives nothing away in terms of grip and focus...bringing almost all the fluidity of the best unipivot with vastly improved grip and incision - the best of both worlds, if you like.
And the winner is... the Origin Live Illustrious, a pick up arm that is quite simply breathtaking. Its ability to display a three dimensional stereo image is above critisism, as is its transparency and lack of artifice. It also has amazing tonal accuracy, which lets the "flavour" of each instrument or voice flood out of the speakers. This is the respect in which it is most obviously superior to the SME.... on any deck ... this is surely the best. " read more
- Albert Lee - Hi-Fi World (Group comparison test of 7 tonearms)
Won Stereo Times "Most Wanted Component of the Year Award 2004" in combination with the Resolution Turntable
"The absence of misbehavior that makes you forget about hi-fi and just engage the music. And then the side ends, and you realize you are in a state of exhilaration. That is analog (ue)! ...... Combining the sonic virtues of both unipivot and gimbaled bearings in a fuss-free package, it should work exceedingly well with a wide variety of cartridges and turntables. It is certainly the best all-around tonearm I've ever had in my own system. Highly recommended!..." read more
-Bruce Kinch- Positive Feedback Magazine
Owner Comments