A tonearm unit includes: an arm member having a tip to which a cartridge is attached; and a raising and lowering mechanism which raises and lowers the arm member with respect to a phonograph record along an axis. The raising and lowering mechanism includes: a cam base supporting the arm member; a ring cam provided to be rotatable about the axis with respect to the cam base; a first guide portion on the cam base, extending at an angle along a rotation direction of the ring cam; and a second guide portion on the ring cam, extending at an angle along the rotation direction so as to face the first guide portion. When the ring cam rotates with respect to the cam base, the cam base is raised and lowered with respect to the ring cam as a result of the second guide portion sliding along the first guide portion.

A tonearm unit includes: an arm member having a tip to which a cartridge is attached; and a raising and lowering mechanism which raises and lowers the arm member with respect to a phonograph record along an axis. The raising and lowering mechanism includes: a cam base supporting the arm member; a ring cam provided to be rotatable about the axis with respect to the cam base; a first guide portion on the cam base, extending at an angle along a rotation direction of the ring cam; and a second guide portion on the ring cam, extending at an angle along the rotation direction so as to face the first guide portion. When the ring cam rotates with respect to the cam base, the cam base is raised and lowered with respect to the ring cam as a result of the second guide portion sliding along the first guide portion.

The tone arm holder includes a saddle with a hook portion that defines an open end. A resilient dividing member is located on the top surface of the saddle. The space between the resilient dividing member and the hook define a lock seat configured and arranged for frictional engagement, receipt and storage of a tone arm therein. The opposing side of the saddle from the resilient member defines a performance seat configured and arranged for freely supporting a tone arm whereby a tone arm may be placed on and removed from the performance seat without frictional engagement of the tone arm to the holder. The tone arm is freely movable between the performance seat at a first position and the lock seat at a second position by traversing across the resilient dividing member by exceeding the resilient force of the resilient dividing member.