The GrooveMaster III Maximum Use of High Quality Engineering...

The genesis of the GrooveMaster II/III lies in the 1950’s. In those days, high quality playback equipment was needed for mastering engineers, recording studios, music executives, broadcast networks, and wealthy connoisseurs. Previous equipment could not play back microgroove records without introducing massive noise and damaging the vinyl. The "transcription record player", as we think of it, came into existence.

These "transcription record players" allowed for high fidelity playback of microgroove vinyl. This equipment was meant to last a lifetime, and and was built with little regard for expense. The GrooveMaster II/III is developed according to the same standards as these classics.

The GrooveMaster II/III is a heavyweight, with an effective mass of approximately 22 grams. It can hold low to medium compliance cartridges up to 20 µm/mN. It is a natural partner for low compliance cartridges, like the DL103 and Ortofon SPU.

In our research to develop the GrooveMaster II/III tonearm, we kept a few things in mind: How were classic tonearms designed? How did they determine what improvements were needed? Were those improvements successful? What measurements did the engineers make? Did they limit themselves due to materials? Did they limit themselves based on manufacturing technologies available in the '50s? All analog equipment is built on the backs of giants. Most lessons have already been learned by the great engineers of the past, though many of those lessons are forgotten with time and "new technology". In the 21st century, some things can be done faster, much more accurately, using better machine tools, on higher grade materials. With this in mind, and many hours of building, tweaking, listening, redesign, and more listening, the Audio Creative GrooveMaster II was born.

Groovemaster III - An Eye to Detail and - High Precision

The Audio Creative GrooveMaster III 12" transcription tonearm is manufactured with utmost precision, using the best components available. The vertical bearing housing is cut from billet stainless steel. The vertical bearing is a high precision, hybrid ceramic, roller bearing, conforming to ABEC-7 specifications. The tolerance of ABEC-7 bearings is 0.0025 mm.

Precision Ceramic Bearing to ABEC-7 specs

The horizontal bearing is positioned in the GrooveMaster II/III top housing, where hybrid ceramic bearings are also used. The horizontal bearing is angled to 17,11 degrees, which matches the offset angle of the tonearm curve. Many older arms did not have matching offset angles at the bearing, which caused constantly changing azimuth. When cartridges only had spherical tips, and played only mono records, this wasn't a big problem. However, any type of elliptical, or more advanced stylus, playing a stereo record, must have stable azimuth. With matching offset angle at the bearing, the azimuth angle is stable.

All parts are CNC machined with utmost precision, using high grade aluminium and stainless steel.

All materials used in the GrooveMaster II/III are the highest grade. The bearing housing, as well as counterweights, are made of stainless steel. The counterweights are sanded, then passivated, to insure a long lasting, beautiful finish.

The GrooveMaster II is hand built and tested, with utmost attention to detail, by Audio Creative in the Netherlands. It takes over 2 days to build and test one GrooveMaster II before it leaves our shop. Parts are produced locally, by master machinists, on CNC equipment, using modern tooling, in a climate controlled shop, and the machinists are well paid for their efforts. They care about quality!

Now for something truly rare. We have developed a Titanium GrooveMaster II tonearm tube. It is heavier than aluminium tube, and is specially designed for low compliance cartridges up to 20 µm/mN. The GrooveMaster II Ti will give you more space, detail and control over your music. Titanium has many benefits. It is more resistant to damage, is 60% denser than aluminium, but more than twice as strong as aluminum, with greater rigidity. The Titanium arm wand comes standard with the GrooveMaster.

The Connections

Tonearm Wire

 We offer pure silver tonearm cable for the GrooveMaster III. This tone arm wire contains 4 twisted solid core 99.99% silver wire insulated with Nylon/PU. It is custom made for Audio Creative. The Silver wire is flexible, thin and very light. Soundwise we think it is the best tonearm wire for the GrooveMaster II

A High Grade Headshell Collet for a Special Tonearm

The headshell connector/collet is a completely new design developed by Audio Creative. Instead of the commonly used generic headshell collet used by most tonearm manufacturers, the GrooveMaster II headshell connector is sturdier, with a more solid grip to mount heavier cartridges such as the Ortofon SPU series. Contacts are silver/gold plated for reliable, low resistance, low-noise connections to the cartridge.

A High Grade Tonearm Cable Connector

The Audio Creative GrooveMaster II/III 12″ transcription tonearm comes with a Cardas 5-pin Phono connector. However, if you want to make a connection directly on the RCA connectors on your record player we can provide the GrooveMaster without 5 pin connector, and supply a longer tonearm wire. In that way you can solder the tonearm wire directly to the RCA connectors.

Mounting Distance P2S: 304,75mm or 290,0 mm.

Offset Angle: 17,11 degr.

Overhang: 12,82 mm

Effective Length: 317,57 mm

Effective Mass Titanium Tonearm: 29 g.

Advisable Cartridge Compliance < 20 µm/mN

Internal Wiring: Silver

Latest GrooveMaster III upgrades:

The upgrade includes a new developed adjustable counterweight which is threaded and will set VTF very easy and precise. The new counterweight replaces the old counterweight with all the extensions. Also the new counterweight is de-coupled from the tonearm for less resonance and therefore will improve sound.  The counterweight is made of stainless steel and a brass nickel plated insert. It comes with two or three end knobs (depending on the tonearm length) which can be replaced without removing the counterweight. With changing the end-knob you will have a range from 15 gram up to 38 grams of cartridge weight (headshell included).

The tonearm rest is an improvement of the old armrest. With this new arm-rest the tonearm will secure the tonearm to slide of the arm lift.

Note: The armrest upgrade does not work with GrooveMaster tonearms which have the Jelco lift.