GrooveMaster II Tonearms

sonyfan101

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Sep 2, 2019
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The GMII is almost without peer in this price range and a very well built arm. If you want higher mass and under $3k not much else to look at, certainly not new arms at any rate, imho. (Caveat: I don't know how much the Bokrand mentioned above sells for ...)

The Bokrand tonearms are about $750 USD with currency conversion
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ortofon-AS...hell-selectable-in-wood-or-metal/313034625747

Unfortunately I have yet to receive mine since ordering in Feb due to delays but hopefully it will ship soon.
 

defride

VIP/Donor
Mar 28, 2013
307
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1,185
@defride
Looking at the technical data of the Funk Firm tonearm you mentioned, it does not seem to be made for SPU or other cartridges with a low compliance.

I mentioned it's worth a look if you don't require a detachable headshell.

The name of the game is settling on something one's happy with, good to hear that these arms can be made to work too great satisfaction with SPUs.
 

djsina2

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May 30, 2019
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I’ve got a new GMII sitting in the box for months that I haven’t been able to use yet. There is something wrong with the SME style sliding base. I’m not convinced it’s of the best design with the two set screws directly opposed to each other and therefore creating a teeter totter effect. Also waiting on the EasyVTA since last year.
 

nemu

Well-Known Member
Jun 25, 2018
10
16
83
I’ve got a new GMII sitting in the box for months that I haven’t been able to use yet. There is something wrong with the SME style sliding base. I’m not convinced it’s of the best design with the two set screws directly opposed to each other and therefore creating a teeter totter effect. Also waiting on the EasyVTA since last year.

For both of my Groovemaster tonearms I am using the solid mounting collar. I personally do not own the SME style sliding base. Until now I did not here about any problems with the sliding base. I hope that your problem will sought out. Do you habe direct contact to the guys from Audio Creative? What are they saying about your problem? I got to know them as very kind and helpful, so please do not hesitate to contact them.

The EasyVTA ist not made by Audio Creative themselves. It is devloped by some british guys, who first developed the EasyVTA for Jelco style tonearms. The groovemaster guys just sell them. Looking in the webshop from Audio Creative the EasyVTA for groovemaster seems to be on stock. Did you order the EasyVTA from Audio Creative or direct from the british guys via eBay or a hifi forum like www.analog-forum.de ?
 
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djsina2

Well-Known Member
May 30, 2019
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For both of my Groovemaster tonearms I am using the solid mounting collar. I personally do not own the SME style sliding base. Until now I did not here about any problems with the sliding base. I hope that your problem will sought out. Do you habe direct contact to the guys from Audio Creative? What are they saying about your problem? I got to know them as very kind and helpful, so please do not hesitate to contact them.

The EasyVTA ist not made by Audio Creative themselves. It is devloped by some british guys, who first developed the EasyVTA for Jelco style tonearms. The groovemaster guys just sell them. Looking in the webshop from Audio Creative the EasyVTA for groovemaster seems to be on stock. Did you order the EasyVTA from Audio Creative or direct from the british guys via eBay or a hifi forum like www.analog-forum.de ?

I do realize EasyVTA is not made by Audio Creative but I ordered it through them. Not sure what the deal is but I paid in Dec 2019 and every time I ask for an update they say they don’t have them yet. I would like to wrap this up soon instead of having my arm in a box for several months now.

As for the sliding base they don’t know what the issue is. They first said I installed it wrong. Then I showed them a video and they agreed something is not right.
 

jeff1225

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Jan 29, 2012
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I do realize EasyVTA is not made by Audio Creative but I ordered it through them. Not sure what the deal is but I paid in Dec 2019 and every time I ask for an update they say they don’t have them yet. I would like to wrap this up soon instead of having my arm in a box for several months now.

As for the sliding base they don’t know what the issue is. They first said I installed it wrong. Then I showed them a video and they agreed something is not right.
I ordered this base as well. What issue are you having with it?
 

djsina2

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May 30, 2019
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I ordered this base as well. What issue are you having with it?

The sliding base is two pieces as you would expect. One piece mounts to the plinth and the other piece to the tonearm stalk. These two pieces mate together for the sliding action. There are two tiny set screws which lock the two pieces together once you slide the base into the position you want. Before I assembled this I noticed it’s a hard metal (set screw) to soft metal (base plate) interface. Because of this I was very gentle torquing the set screws. Got ready to use the arm and noticed a serious wobble at the base plate. Naturally I thought I put the screws in too loose so I tightened them up a bit, but not overly so. Still had the wobble. I emailed AC and they said I put the screws in too tight which dug into the aluminum base plate and caused the two pieces to no longer sit flat. I knew this wasn’t the case since I went gentle the first go around. I looked at the base plate and there were some minor marks where the screws landed. To prove their point wrong I removed the arm completely and put the sliding part of the base into a new position where screws had never touched. Still had the same issues. I showed them a video of me holding the base plate with the set screws locked (under no strain of a heavy tonearm mounted) and it rattled like crazy when I shook it in my hand. They agreed that wasn’t right but had never seen it before. They offered to send a new base plate when my EasyVTA shipped, but as mentioned it’s been months waiting on that.

I’m not a mechanical engineer but to me there seems to be a design flaw in the base. The two set screws are directly opposed to each other at the center point of the base. This seems to create a pivot point, like a teeter totter, if there is any slop at all in the interface between the two base plate pieces.
 

jeff1225

Well-Known Member
Jan 29, 2012
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OK thanks for the write up, it makes sense the way you described it. I love the flexibility of the SME sliding base, I hope it doesn't cause added problems for me. I get my arm next week.

What cartridge will you be using with the arm?
 

djsina2

Well-Known Member
May 30, 2019
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OK thanks for the write up, it makes sense the way you described it. I love the flexibility of the SME sliding base, I hope it doesn't cause added problems for me. I get my arm next week.

What cartridge will you be using with the arm?

Shindo SPU-G
 
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PeterA

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Dec 6, 2011
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OK thanks for the write up, it makes sense the way you described it. I love the flexibility of the SME sliding base, I hope it doesn't cause added problems for me. I get my arm next week.

What cartridge will you be using with the arm?

The SME sliding base of the 3012R is designed very differently from the SME sliding base of the V arm. Both seem to function very well and they seem different from the mechanism which is being described for your new arm. Could someone post a detailed photograph?
 
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djsina2

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May 30, 2019
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The SME sliding base of the 3012R is designed very differently from the SME sliding base of the V arm. Both seem to function very well and they seem different from the mechanism which is being described for your new arm. Could someone post a detailed photograph?

I also have a SME 3010R and that base does seem better, but not without its own problems IMHO.

I’ll take some pictures in a little bit.
 
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djsina2

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May 30, 2019
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I also have a SME 3010R and that base does seem better, but not without its own problems IMHO.

I’ll take some pictures in a little bit.
 

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djsina2

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May 30, 2019
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Interesting as it looks very well made....better that the 3012R.

The quality of the materials and machining of the GMII is quite nice. The headshelll connector and the arm lift are better than other arms I've used. Not sure what is wrong with my base. I just looked at it again for the first time in months. The sliding piece does not fit flat in the base and there is slop to it. The opposing lock screws are not helping matters any. You can see how it creates a pivot point. It's crazy how much the arm rocks back and forth once that slight fitment issue at the base is translated up to the arm.
 

nemu

Well-Known Member
Jun 25, 2018
10
16
83
Not sure what is wrong with my base. I just looked at it again for the first time in months. The sliding piece does not fit flat in the base and there is slop to it. The opposing lock screws are not helping matters any. You can see how it creates a pivot point. It's crazy how much the arm rocks back and forth once that slight fitment issue at the base is translated up to the arm.

Thanks for describing your problem with the sliding base. I do not really understand why the guys from Audio Creative did not send you a new sliding base right away. I can understand that you are not satisfied with this situation.
 
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djsina2

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May 30, 2019
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Thanks for describing your problem with the sliding base. I do not really understand why the guys from Audio Creative did not send you a new sliding base right away. I can understand that you are not satisfied with this situation.

I told them it would be fine to send the new base with the EasyVTA, which was due to arrive to them in a couple weeks. I just checked my records though and I paid for this 11/25/19. So it's been a long time waiting on this EasyVTA. I email them about once a month for an update and it's the same answer of "not here yet, don't know when". I emailed them a few days ago for the monthly update and no response yet.
 

pjwd

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Jun 22, 2015
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The quality of the materials and machining of the GMII is quite nice. The headshelll connector and the arm lift are better than other arms I've used. Not sure what is wrong with my base. I just looked at it again for the first time in months. The sliding piece does not fit flat in the base and there is slop to it. The opposing lock screws are not helping matters any. You can see how it creates a pivot point. It's crazy how much the arm rocks back and forth once that slight fitment issue at the base is translated up to the arm.
djsina2,

That is a weird way to do it - set screws are really meant for a clamping action

You may have tried this but you could just try a set screw from one side only to clamp it up tight and then tighten the other one a bit for extra grip

Phil
 

djsina2

Well-Known Member
May 30, 2019
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djsina2,

That is a weird way to do it - set screws are really meant for a clamping action

You may have tried this but you could just try a set screw from one side only to clamp it up tight and then tighten the other one a bit for extra grip

Phil

I see what you are suggesting but I don't recall if I tried it that way. I'll give that a try tomorrow.
 

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