The Victor UA‑7045 is one of those cases that reminds us why Japanese engineering from the late 1970s and early 1980s is still so revered among audiophiles. Designed with an effective length of 245 mm and a highly sensitive support system, it was conceived to get the most out of high and medium compliance cartridges.
On paper, the technical specifications are relatively simple, but in practice the tonearm is far from basic. The lift mechanism is smooth and the VTA system allows you to correct the height in full use with great precision.
Sonically, the UA-7045 tends to disappear and let the cartridge speak for itself. With high compliance MM cartridges or medium compliance MC cartridges, within its weight capacity, the tonearm offers a stable soundstage, clean focus and a balance that favours rhythm, coherence and tonal texture. Sometimes described as a ‘sleeper’: a high-end tonearm that flies under the radar but, when properly tuned, rivals much more expensive options from the same era.
The Victor/JVC range never had the same commercial glamour as names like SME or SAEC, but the intrinsic quality of these tonearms ultimately gave them cult status among those who know them well.
On the market, the asking price for a UA-7045 remains, as a rule, below that of the ‘trendy’ models, making Victor a smart choice, a classic of musical engineering, without requiring an excessive budget…
Type: Statically balanced tonearm with gimbal support
Overall length: 350 mm
Effective length: 245 mm
Pivot‑to‑spindle (mounting) distance: 230 mm
Overhang: 15 mm
Tracking force adjustment: 0–3 g (direct reading, 0.1 g steps)
Cartridge weight range (incl. headshell): 12–32 g
Arm height (elevation) adjustment range: 40–60 mm
Arm weight: 610 g