Page "Phonograph" Paragraph 119

Since the early 1980s, an elegant solution has been the near-frictionless air bearing linear arm which requires no tracking drive mechanism other than the record groove itself.

This provides a similar benefit as the electronic linear tonearm without the complexity and necessity of servo-motor correction for tracking error.

In this case the trade-off is the introduction of pneumatics in the form of audible pumps and tubing.

A more elegant solution is the mechanically-driven low-friction design also driven by the groove.

Examples include Souther Engineering ( U. S. A .), Clearaudio ( Germany ), and Aura ( Czech Republic ).

This design places an exceeding demand upon precision engineering due to the lack of pneumatics.