Pierre Clement A1B

The Pierre Clément A1B turntable is a belt-drive record player from the early 1970s, designed as part of a very high-fidelity system with several innovative features aimed at perfecting record groove scanning:

• Drive: Belt drive with a 250 RPM AC synchronous motor.

• Speeds supported: 33 and 45 RPM.

• Rumble: Approximately 60 dB, indicating good noise isolation from motor vibrations.

• Tonearm: Tangential (linear tracking) tonearm, which keeps the stylus perpendicular to the record groove to eliminate tracking error common in pivoted arms.

• Design Innovations: The arm is very short and has low dynamic weight, minimizing tracking force variation and distortion caused by mechanical torque or wire tension in the arm.

• The tangential arm uses a chariot system with photorésistances and a motor-controlled screw to maintain the correct angle of the arm over the record surface; this includes automatic motor speed correction to follow the tonearm precisely.

• Mechanical features: Automatic arm lift and return at the end of the record via limit switches that stop the motor, preventing damage and enabling convenient playback.

• Cabinet: Walnut finish with a combination of wood and aluminum facade.

• Dimensions: 450 x 405 x 165 mm.

• Weight: Approximately 13-18 kg, depending on sources.

• The A1B is considered a collector's item today, noted for its advanced tangential arm design and precise analog playback quality.

This turntable exemplifies Pierre Clément's approach to reducing all mechanical and electrical distortions in analog record playback by using advanced tangential tracking and stable belt drive technology