Norman Audio

Little Fwend Low Model

Little Fwend low model is an automatic end-of-the-record tonearm lifter. It is a precision engineered accessory for manual turntables that will prolong the life of your stylus and takes about 10 minutes to install. Little Fwend will work for all tonearms with gimbal, unipivot, dual-pivot and string suspension bearing (incl. Well Tempered Labs), but not linear tracking tonearms.

L  = LOW: 32-49mm height range. (Little Fwend Low Model)

H = HIGH: 48-81mm height range. (Little Fwend High Model)

XH = XHIGH:  77-137mm height range. (Little Fwend Xtra-High Model)

Little Fwend has provided turntable-owners with peace of mind since 2015. Some use rare or expensive cartridges they want to keep from unnecessary wear, others just think the sound of the run-out groove is annoying. Last year we received a lot of enquiries from customers asking for a model with a small enough footprint to fit their Technics SL-1210/1200. We decided to engineer a model that is very intuitive and easy to mount as well as feeling like a natural companion to the turntable. Most of these legendary machines are at home playing entire album sides – rather than single tracks at the disco. The shape is designed to be positioned by visually aligning the mounting base to the geometry of the armboard area. When mounted in the magic spot, the only set-up that needs to be done by you, is the adjustment of the height and rotation of the trigger antenna to the correct angle for release. Tighten the hex set screw and you are good to go. The Disco Fwend comes with an additional piece of 3M™ 300LSE ultra-thin double-sided mounting tape and an Eklind 0.9mm hex key. This new model fits all Technics SL-1210/1200 Mk2/3/4/5/6/7/LTD/G/GR/GAE with the standard tonearm.

Little Fwend Tonearm Lifter - Norman Audio

1.  Lifting Mechanism: Safe. Smooth. Silent. Those were the most important aspects of the design. We experimented a lot finding the right relationship between spring compression force, travel, dampening and friction. Little Fwend lifts the tonearm smooth and controlled with minimum use of force (and a little help from Newtons fwends). Little Fwend can lift tonearms with cartridges set up to 8 grams VTF.  

Release Antenna: High carbon steel Roslau piano wire. Very low lateral force is required to release the mechanism. The cantilever will love to meet such low resistance.

Little Fwend Tonearm Lifter - Norman Audio

2. Rubber Beam. Neoprene rubber. The high friction rubber padding lets the tonearm rest safely and stable even with the level a few degrees off both horizontally and vertically. If you´ve read this far, you´re probably the level type of audiophile. 

Height Ranges. Little Fwend comes in two different sizes, Low and High. The Low model can be used under tonearms with clearance between the underside of the arm wand and the mounting surface as low as 32mm, up to 49mm. the High model from 49mm, up to 82mm. Height is adjusted by a set screw in the base. The appropriate hex key is enclosed. Please measure the distance from mounting/plinth surface up to the underside of tonearm wand. Take the measurement when the tonearm has correct VTA and the needle is in the groove. Subtract approx. 1mm from this distance, to make sure there will be safe clearance between the rubber beam and the moving tonearm. 

Little Fwend Tonearm Lifter - Norman Audio

3. Mounting Platform. 0.3mm mild steel disc with adhesive backing. Little Fwend is fastened to the platform through magnetic force. The axially magnetized N52-magnet in the base is strong enough to keep Little Fwend in place, but weak enough to easily reorient the trigger antenna for the various run-out groove areas. Little Fwend is readjusted in seconds. The diametrical magnetic field is very low and will not affect magnetic metals in the radius of the base.

Little Fwend Tonearm Lifter Low Model - Norman Audio
Little Fwend Tonearm Lifter High Model - Norman Audio

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