Silver Tonearm Mk5

When launched in 2002, the Silver Tonearm received widespread acclaim for outperforming high-end arms at a fraction of the cost. Hailed by the editor of Hi-Fi World as the best arm he’d ever heard, the Silver set the benchmark for our cost-effective designs that overtook both the SME and Ekos arms in performance.

The Silver Tonearm has a wide range of strengths which make it a great all-rounder. Highly musical, it tracks dynamics accurately and gets right into the groove of the music. You will expect to hear improved speed, dynamics and separation in the music over the Onyx due to its sophisticated tonearm tube design. The Silver also includes a higher grade external cable which improves bass weight in comparison to the Onyx. It has a natural tonal balance with excellent transparency and fine performance at both frequency extremes.

Features

Yellow stars denote new features not present on lower models.

Arm Tube

is made from high-grade aircraft alloy to reduce the effect of resonance. This has the enormous advantage of allowing your cartridge to function correctly without unwanted movements caused by resonance.

A High Strength Rear-stub

improves counterweight stability in vibration – thus enabling the arm tube to hold the cartridge more steadily. The result is an increase in dynamics and a sense of power and control in the bass.

Superior Yoke Design

encompassing precision bearing fit. This results in an incredibly transparent arm with superb tonal balance.

Bearings

are highly researched and purpose made to our specifications.

Integral VTA Adjuster

consisting of a threaded top nut above arm-board and clamping nut underneath arm-board.

Falling Weight Side Bias

Tests show this to be the highest aperforming method of achieving side bias. It has lower friction, better constant force and lower resonance than other alternatives such as magnets, springs, levers and twisted threads.

Internal Wiring

is high-grade copper Litz wire, Cryogenically frozen to reduce discontinuities in the conductors. This wire allows great transparency, detail and freedom from artefacts.

1 Meter Upgrade External Cable

 (6mm diameter) Low resistance cable with high conductivity Gold plated RCA plugs to fit directly into your phono-stage or amplifier.

Awards

Reviews

“The overall effect is quite a thing to hear; there’s no sense that you’re listening to a tonearm of this modest price, or anywhere near it. I’ve reviewed most of its close rivals over the years – Origin Live Silver Mk4 beats them all, to my ears.”
– Read the full review >
David Price, Stereonet 

“Incredibly smooth, natural and organic, just cuts to the quick. I could go on forever about its insight, liquidity, grip and low-level detail resolution, but I won’t. Suffice to say that this is probably the best tonearm in the world right now, and the price tag is laughably low. The Silver (MK1) is… the very best tonearm I’ve ever heard… awesomely tight bottom end, glass-clear midband, fantastic image precision, walkaround soundstaging and incredible timbral realism… open and airy up top. Words can’t express how good this is. One of the designs of the decade.”
– Read the full review >
Hi-Fi World

“This latest Silver Mk4 offers a great sound for the money, with a very clean, open, three-dimensional soundstage, plus great musical timing and fine dynamics. It’s hard not to like for the money.”
– Read the full review >
Stereonet

“Origin Live’s Mark Baker continues his worldwide dominance of tonearm design with this extensive reworking of the already superb Silver. Retaining the original’s superb timing, rhythm, bass control, and articulation, the new MKII adds a substantially more neutral midband and top end, able to integrate the typical rising high-frequency response of moving coil cartridges coherently and without edge. Capable of great nuance and extreme subtlety, the Silver MKII also has great authority, drive and control, yielding an exceptionally deep communication of all music’s meaning.”
– Read the full review >
Stereo Times

“There may be better value propositions around to upgrade your system but if there is I haven’t heard them… A fantastic product then from Origin Live and this particular audiophile’s dream review tool.”
– Read the full review >
TNT Audio

“A terrific arm, a terrific bargain, and obviously, the highest of recommendations”
– Read the full review >
Stereo Times, The Most Wanted Component of The Year

“I have fitted my new (Silver) tonearm and can now see why you were so excited about it. It gives a very clear focus to my music, the stereo effect is superb and the response is incredible. All the instruments in each piece I played have a new vibrancy about them. To say that I am very pleased with it would be an understatement. It was also extremely easy to fit and set up. It has only after such a short time given a new meaning to vinyl listening for me. Thank you for your advice.”
– Read more owner comments >
R Warrom, UK