Tonearm ranking

[RaceDoc]

I have owned and heared most of the named contenders. But if you are looking out for the
"best", my opinion is, that none of them can come really close to the ViV Rigid Float 9".

After giving it a solid base you are done.

Sonically it is in a league of its own.

It is very easy to adjust. Only the underhang has to be adjusted. SRA and azimuth are
easy to change as well.

Another big plus is that the arm really squeezes out the best of every cartridge I have
used (or friends owning the tonearm too) ... no matter of the weight (headshell/cartridge)
or compliance. There are no resonance problems at all.

Cartrides were a lightweight ZYX 4D (Atmos), a heavyweight SPU, a Koetsu Rosewood,
a higher compliance Ortofon Vero+, DS-Audio DS-W1 and DS-Audio DS-002 so far.

As a conclusion I sold all my other "high end" tonearms. Only a modified Jelco 12" is left as
a sparring partner for the Ridid Float.

 

[bonzo75]

Thanks, can you please mention what were the other tone arms you sold? Also which TT and phono are you using?

 

[RaceDoc]

The last tonearm sold was a modified DaVinci Nobile 10" which I preferred for example
in comparison to the DaVinci Grandezza, a Reed 3P or a Graham.

My turntable is a Montegiro Lusso.

My phono stages are the internal one in my Tidal audio preamplifier and the DS-Audio
equalizer.

 

[Loheswaran]

While the Breur has no azimuth adjustment - several use them with EMT cartridges - I remember reading that you can adjust azimuth on the cartridge itself - not only that once can get super thin shims from model shops who sell parts for radio control cars and planes. I would love a Breuer - that said, Les Wong who used to sell them at Walrus Systems said to me that the Brinkmann was actually better built.

I am curious that the following arms haven't even been discussed on this thread:

1. Helius Omega (I am gonna mount mine very soon)
2. Brinkmann
4. Kuzma Airline
5. Graham Phantom
6. Moerch DP8 (I have the DP6)
7. Wheaton tri-planar
8. Clearaudio (parallel tracker)
...

Why is that?

 

[Believe High Fidelity]

The last tonearm sold was a modified DaVinci Nobile 10" which I preferred for example
in comparison to the DaVinci Grandezza, a Reed 3P or a Graham.

My turntable is a Montegiro Lusso.

My phono stages are the internal one in my Tidal audio preamplifier and the DS-Audio
equalizer.

Oooohhh. The Lusso is a gorgeous table. How do you like it?

If I am correct Montegiro went out of business, no?

 

[RaceDoc]

Unfortunally you are right. Montegiro is out of the business for some years now.
The mother company faced bankruptcy and so Montegiro was gone as well.

The design of the Lusso for sure is a polarizing one and I understand everyone who
tells me that this view is not his cup of tea, but I love it ;-)

 

[DasguteOhr]

Hi,

1.Acoustical Systems Axiom / VTF on the Fly
2.TW Acustic 10.5 the Best VTA Mechanic smooth...
3.Versa Dynamics Tangential
4.Graham Phantom II
5.FR-64s /Alphason HR 100s One Piece of Titan great..

 

[Tango]

I have the Axiom/Palladian on the same table as the SAT/Coralstone. The SAT combo was installed a few weeks earlier than the Axiom combo. They were brand new except for the Coralstone I bought used from Kedar. I have not tried switching carts. The SAT combo keeps getting better and better. This morning they are sounding best since installed. Arm, cart need quite some time to show what they really have to offer. But so far, what I hear from SAT combo is quite ahead of the Axiom combo in all parameters except for the tight deep bass that the Axiom combo is better. I think that comes from the Palladian though. The size of images from the Axiom combo is smaller and the presentation move a little further back. I am only reporting a work in progress. Both of them need more time and fine tune. I also need to switch cart on Axiom to really see how good it can be. SAT is my go to arm. I have two. They are very expensive so I bought the Axiom to see if I can get the same level of sound or better at half the price of SAT. Will give feedbacks again in the next three four months.



Tang

 

[rockitman]

^^^ Bad Ass spinner there Mr. Tang. I want an SAT arm so bad but don't want to pay the steep price of admission.

 

[Steve Williams]

I have the Axiom/Palladian on the same table as the SAT/Coralstone. The SAT combo was installed a few weeks earlier than the Axiom combo. They were brand new except for the Coralstone I bought used from Kedar. I have not tried switching carts. The SAT combo keeps getting better and better. This morning they are sounding best since installed. Arm, cart need quite some time to show what they really have to offer. But so far, what I hear from SAT combo is quite ahead of the Axiom combo in all parameters except for the tight deep bass that the Axiom combo is better. I think that comes from the Palladian though. The size of images from the Axiom combo is smaller and the presentation move a little further back. I am only reporting a work in progress. Both of them need more time and fine tune. I also need to switch cart on Axiom to really see how good it can be. SAT is my go to arm. I have two. They are very expensive so I bought the Axiom to see if I can get the same level of sound or better at half the price of SAT. Will give feedbacks again in the next three four months.

View attachment 37652

Tang

^^^ Bad Ass spinner there Mr. Tang. I want an SAT arm so bad but don't want to pay the steep price of admission.

one better is the SAT with the titanium wand that TechDas does

 

[bonzo75]

The two carts are so different though to do compares. The bass issue might be due to the cart difference. I would never use a koetsu for a compare unless you are trying to identify koetsu attributes... The cart is quite different and shows a very high variance across implementations

 

[theophile]

The two carts are so different though to do compares. The bass issue might be due to the cart difference. I would never use a koetsu for a compare unless you are trying to identify koetsu attributes... The cart is quite different and shows a very high variance across implementations

To my way of thinking: Are the two tonearms able to optimise the same cartridge in order to perform a like for like comparison? Or are their parameters sufficiently divergent to the point where it would not be possible to put the same cartridge on both arms without the cartridge parameters obviously giving one arm a misleading advantage over the other one?

It seems obvious that a comparison requires the same cartridge however this can only be a reasonable determinate if the both tonearms' parameters match the cartridge.

To throw the cat among the pigeons, on top of that we still have the vexed issue of tonearm/cartridge synergy which leaves even great pairings of superb cartridges and superb arms leaving something to be desired.

 

[bonzo75]

Hi I am not saying carts should always be identical. You can also use a Tonearm 1 + Cart 1 combo vs Tonearm 2 vs Cart 2 combo for synergy. After you compare, you can do a common cart compare to check for any synergy or lack of that exists in the arm and cart. Problem is when you throw a Koetsu in the mix. It has a very specific sound and shows a very high variance across set ups, unlike say Lyra or Zyx

 

[ddk]

one better is the SAT with the titanium wand that TechDas does

They only make them for Graham arms, SAT is made from carbon fiber.

david

 

[Tango]

The two carts are so different though to do compares. The bass issue might be due to the cart difference. I would never use a koetsu for a compare unless you are trying to identify koetsu attributes... The cart is quite different and shows a very high variance across implementations

Come on Ked. You would be blind if you didnt see I wrote about the "combos" work in progress and I havent drawn any conclusion. New arms, carts take quite a while to breakin. You know I have the resource if I really want to compare just arms. However, in this case, Mr.Dietrich said his arm/cart combo has best synergy and sound best. So, Why not try his best vs another formidden combo of mine .

Kind regards,
Tang

 

[bonzo75]

Tang... My point is that the axiom combo is fine for the compare, but the other combo should include atlas, Opus, etc, not Koetsu

 

[Ron Resnick]

Very interesting, Tang! My personal project (which I presently have no way to pursue) is to figure out if, for a Koetsu, the Axiom is the modern Fidelity Research FR-66S.

I would be very fascinated to hear your comparison of the same Coralstone cartridge on your SAT versus your Axiom.

 

[bonzo75]

For that you need to compare FR and axiom

I think audio blazer and his friends have coral Stone with axiom, you can check with them. Don't think they liked the coral.

 

[Tango]

Today Dietrich the Axiom tonearm guy came to redo my setup of Axiom/Palladian. He did his things while I was having meeting most of the day. An hour ago I entered the room to listen. The sound is now excellent. This combo is now playing on the same level as my SAT combos, but with different tone. More body than Opus and Coralstone on SAT. High extension is not as good but more majestic in bottom end. Energy, pace, resolution and innerdetail are all here now. He changed armboard to a new one and gave me titanium headshell screws. When I left the room, He was measuring distances and dimension of my EMT and said he could customize the Axiom to fit my 927 from the rear .



Tang

 

[bonzo75]

Wow amazing. Just through sheer set up, no additional cost of components. I forget... Is your SAT Opus on the same table?