Tacco MKII

The Scheu Tacco MK II is our acclaimed flagship model. In addition to considering all known geometric parameters, the main focus during development was on meticulous material selection. The actual bearing/counterweight block is made of tungsten, which not only allows for a compact design but also, thanks to its high density, effectively suppresses resonances within the bearing unit and concentrates the free masses into a small space. This design dissipates any disruptive energy very efficiently and quickly. Due to the high density of tungsten, the Tacco requires an extremely small counterweight.

The Tacco is a single-point bearing tonearm. The highlight of the redesigned Tacco MK II is the new, extremely high-quality ruby/sapphire bearing. The bearing tip is formed by a 2mm ruby ball mounted on a carbide pin. The bearing shell is made of leucosaphire and is machined into the tungsten base of the tonearm. This arrangement achieves extremely low internal friction. Furthermore, the contact surface is well-defined, eliminating any shifting of the bearing point.

The lateral balance is easy to adjust. The high concentration of mass around the pivot point of this arm allows for optimal adjustment to any scanner.

The headshell is made of aluminum. The wooden, conical arm tube is available with a 9-inch arm length. The Scheu analog tonearm cable is available in various lengths.

The concept of the new Scheu Tacco is a complete success. Simple construction and ease of use are combined with thoughtful details and exquisite craftsmanship. This, coupled with a not exactly economical choice of materials, results in an outstanding sound that is second to none.

LP – 2/2010

The sound

The Tacco impresses with a very clear and contoured sound, with very clean bass and exceptionally fine detail in the highs. Vocals are reproduced very naturally.

Versions

Wood of the arm tube

The wooden, conical arm tube of the Scheu Tacco MK II is made of either Thuja or Amboina.

Arm length We offer the Tacco as a 9-inch tonearm.

Tonearm cable The standard tonearm cable is 1.15m long from the tonearm base. Other lengths are available upon request.

However, for an optimal music experience, a length of 1.5 meters should not be exceeded. If you need to bridge a greater distance, choose a longer cable from the phono preamplifier to the amplifier, as the transmission from this device onwards occurs at a significantly higher signal level. We recommend, for example, the backbone NF cables from Audictive for this application .

The Scheu analog tonearm cable

A tonearm cable must combine many qualities: It must be very lightweight and flexible to avoid placing unnecessary strain on the stylus during its delicate work in the groove, as otherwise the very fine details in the sound image would be lost. At the same time, the cable should handle the sensitive audio signal from the cartridge as gently as possible to transport the subtle sound components of a recording to the phono stage without distortion.

We can now also supply this critical turntable component in a special Scheu configuration. We consulted with the analog cable specialists at Audictive and, together, developed a tonearm cable specifically designed for the requirements of our high-quality phono arms with single-point bearings.

The new Scheu analog tonearm cable offers you unparalleled sound quality. Vocals are richly detailed, instrumental attack is crisper than ever, and the bass rumbles deep, rich, and precise from the speakers.

Beneath the inconspicuous black outer shell of our cable, we have used several highly optimized materials to achieve this result: The signal conductor is a bundle of 42 individual strands made of a copper alloy with a diameter of just 0.025 mm. Each of these ultra-fine strands is coated with silver, ensuring excellent audio signal transmission despite a total cross-section of just 0.021 mm². The resistance of a conductor is only approximately 1 ohm per meter. The insulation is made of FEP, a material that combines outstanding dielectric properties with high flexibility and very good chemical resistance.

Two of these conductors are twisted together per channel to provide initial protection against external interference. Starting at the tonearm base, the two twisted signal conductors are routed in a robust Teflon tube (a trademark of DuPont), which provides protection against mechanical influences without compromising the electrical properties of our cable. A fine braid of tinned copper surrounds this tube and forms a second layer of protection against external electrical interference. This shielding braid is connected to the housing of your phono preamplifier via the ground wire.