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 5 grams VTF.
Trigger 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.
Lifter 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 30mm, up to 47mm. the High model from 47mm, up to 80mm. 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. Add 1-2mm to this distance, to make sure there will be safe clearance between the lifter beam and the moving tonearm.
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.
