Oracle Audio Reference Tonearm

The Oracle Audio Reference Tonearm is Oracle's flagship arm, engineered from the ground up with a high modulus carbon fiber armtube, a precision four-bearing design, and Cardas HSL CLEAR 34/4 Reference internal wiring running from headshell to output. Designed as the ultimate tonearm for Oracle's Delphi turntable platform, the Reference delivers the tracking precision and signal purity that high-end cartridges require to perform at their full potential.

At $6,000, the Reference competes with arms from SME, Graham, and Tri-Planar, but it was purpose-built for the Delphi's suspension geometry rather than adapted from a universal design. That distinction matters. The bearing tolerances, effective mass, and damping behavior are all optimized for the Delphi's floating sub-chassis, which means you get mechanical synergy that a bolt-on third-party arm cannot replicate. If you're running a Delphi with a cartridge north of $2,000, this is where the arm stops being the bottleneck. We recommend it to customers who have already heard what the Paris Tonearm can do and want to know what they're still leaving on the table.

Key Features of the Oracle Audio Reference Tonearm

• High Modulus Carbon Fiber Armtube: The armtube is constructed from high modulus carbon fiber, providing an optimal combination of rigidity and controlled resonance behavior that keeps the stylus tracking accurately across the entire record surface.
• Precision Four-Bearing Design: A very high precision four-bearing assembly delivers exceptional tracking stability with minimal friction, ensuring consistent performance regardless of groove modulation levels.
• Cardas HSL CLEAR 34/4 Reference Internal Wiring: Premium Cardas reference-grade wire runs the full length of the arm, from the headshell pins to the Cardas RCA connector junction box, maintaining signal integrity without compromise.
• Precision VTA Calibration System: A dedicated vertical tracking angle adjustment system allows exact alignment of the stylus rake angle to match your specific cartridge and record thickness.
• Adjustable Silicone Damping: A tunable silicone damping system lets you match the tonearm's mechanical behavior to your cartridge's compliance characteristics, controlling resonance without over-damping the signal.
• Integrated End-of-Record Auto Lift: A built-in mechanism automatically lifts the tonearm at the end of a record, protecting both your stylus and your vinyl from unnecessary wear.
• 20-Gram Effective Mass: The arm's effective mass of 20 grams makes it well-suited for low-compliance moving coil cartridges, which represent the majority of high-end designs available today.

Carbon Fiber Construction and Resonance Control

The choice of high modulus carbon fiber for the armtube is deliberate and purposeful. Carbon fiber offers a higher stiffness-to-weight ratio than aluminum or other metals commonly used in tonearm construction, meaning the tube resists flexing under the dynamic forces of record playback without adding unnecessary mass. Equally important is how carbon fiber handles vibration. Rather than ringing at specific frequencies the way metal tubes can, carbon fiber dissipates vibrational energy more broadly across the frequency spectrum, reducing the chance of audible coloration being introduced into the signal. Oracle selected this material specifically because it allows the cartridge to do its job without the arm adding its own character to the sound.

Precision Bearing Assembly

The Reference Tonearm uses a very high precision four-bearing design that addresses both horizontal and vertical movement with minimal friction. Low bearing friction is critical in tonearm performance because it directly affects the arm's ability to follow the groove modulations accurately, especially at low frequencies where large stylus excursions require the arm to move freely. The four-bearing arrangement distributes the mechanical load evenly, reducing wear over time and maintaining consistent tracking performance throughout the life of the arm. This is not a unipivot or magnetic bearing design. It is a fixed-bearing approach that prioritizes mechanical stability and predictable behavior under all playing conditions.

Cardas Reference-Grade Signal Path

Oracle selected Cardas HSL CLEAR 34/4 Reference wire for the internal wiring of the Reference Tonearm, and it runs uninterrupted from the headshell connector pins to the Cardas RCA junction box at the output. The HSL CLEAR line uses pure Cardas copper in a 34 AWG configuration wrapped in nylon microfiber rather than an extruded jacket, minimizing dielectric absorption and preserving the micro-level detail that high-end cartridges are capable of retrieving. By using a single continuous run of reference-grade wire with no solder joints or connector transitions between headshell and output, Oracle eliminates potential points of signal degradation along the way. The Cardas RCA junction box provides a clean, secure connection point for your preferred interconnect cables.

Setup Precision and Damping Control

The Reference Tonearm includes a precision VTA calibration system that allows fine adjustment of the vertical tracking angle. Correct VTA alignment ensures the stylus sits at the proper rake angle in the groove, which directly affects frequency response, distortion levels, and the overall tonal balance of the playback. The adjustable silicone damping system provides an additional layer of tuning control. By varying the damping level, you can optimize the tonearm's behavior for your specific cartridge's compliance characteristics. Higher-compliance cartridges may benefit from lighter damping to preserve dynamics, while lower-compliance designs might perform better with additional damping to control the arm/cartridge resonance frequency. The integrated end-of-record auto lift mechanism provides peace of mind by automatically raising the arm when the record reaches its innermost groove.

Designed for the Delphi, Compatible with More

The Reference Tonearm was designed first and foremost for Oracle's Delphi turntable platform. The Delphi Mk VII comes equipped with a pre-cut tonearm board that accommodates 9 and 10-inch tonearms, and the Reference mounts directly to the Delphi's armboard for a seamless mechanical and visual integration. That said, the Reference Tonearm is not exclusively limited to the Delphi. It can be mounted on other turntables that accept standard 9 or 10-inch tonearm mounting geometry, though the Delphi remains the platform where Oracle has optimized every aspect of the arm's performance.

Explore the Full Oracle Audio Tonearm Range

Oracle offers tonearm options at multiple price points, each built to complement their turntable platforms.

• Oracle Audio Paris Tonearm - Oracle's mid-range tonearm option featuring carbon fiber construction and their Micro Vibration Stabiliser silicone damping system.
• Oracle Audio Origine Tonearm - A unipivot design with adjustable effective mass, built for Oracle's Origine turntable platform.
• Oracle Audio Delphi Mk VII Classic Turntable - The turntable platform the Reference Tonearm was designed for.
• Oracle Audio Delphi Mk VII Reference Turntable - The Delphi with upgraded power supply, an ideal match for the Reference Tonearm.
• Oracle Audio Delphi Mk VII Signature Turntable - Oracle's ultimate turntable, built for the listener who accepts nothing less.

The Listening Room Difference

We're a third-generation family business with a brick-and-mortar showroom in Chestertown, Maryland, and a reputation built on trust, not hype. Whether you're visiting in person or ordering online, we bring decades of experience, personalized service, and honest guidance to every interaction. We don't just ship boxes. We help build systems, answer your questions like real humans, and make sure every detail of your setup is right, from the cables to the final connection. Our passion is helping you get the most out of your gear, with support that lasts well beyond the sale.

Oracle Audio Reference Tonearm Specifications