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A question for Graham owners

Hello guys,

I'm going to buy a Graham Phantom arm but I have had a very good offer over a preowned Graham 2.2t/c in mint conditions.
I have read the Stereophile review about the Phantom with inside the comparisons with the 2.2t
Well .. we know the use of the MintLP Best Tractor can reduce the difference (gap) between the two arms.. surely more than using the Graham Jig on both , like the reviewer did.
Now the question : Anyone here has been able to verify the difference between the two arms in the best MintLP conditions?

It would be interesting for me to understand if the old Graham 2.2t/c could be a good "sonical" deal over the higher price of the new Phantom.

Thanks to everyOne for suggestions/opinions

Cheers,

Curio
128x128curio
syntax's avatar
syntax
2,193 posts
 
The 2.2 can't reach the Performance from the Phantom.
This one is a different chapter. Better choice for a lot of cartridges, more stable with warped records, huge soundstage ....But the 2.2 is still a very good coice.
audiolui
295 posts
 
I don't know about the MintLP Best Tractor you mentioned. I used to have the latest Graham 2.2 before the Phantom. The sonic difference is substanial. Deeper and more impactful bass, fuller body, better transient response and dynamic, more focused image, and bigger soundstage. If you can afford the Phantom, grab it.

By the way, I just upgraded to the Phantom II which is also better than the original Phantom. However, the sonic difference between Phantom I and II is not as much as that between the 2.2 and Phantom I. Hope that helps.
kipdent
65 posts
 
I really don't mean to be incendiary here, but this thread is probably as good a place as any to mention a negative issue about the Phantom I've discovered. Due to the fanatical following of the Phamtom, I was poised to purchase one. However, after auditioning it twice in two separate, very good systems and with knowledgeable owners, I distinctly heard mistracking on tracks I am very familiar with. This was a dealbreaker for me for the Phantom. I have not heard the 2.2 and so cannot comment if it's tracking might be better or worse.
curio's avatar
curio OP
305 posts
 
Thanks Audiolui and Kipdent
By the way I can't imagine a Phantom that can't track every groove at its best , probably Kipdent the cartridge on that Phantom wasn't mounted correctly
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Agree with Curio. I can think of many problems that are more likely to cause mistracking (or mistracking-like sounds) than a tonearm. I've diagnosed mistracking sounds on quite a few setups, and in no case was the tonearm itself to blame.

In some cases what sounds like mistracking isn't mistracking at all. Vinyl pressing voids and various phono stage issues can emulate mistracking noises well enough to fool most of us, especially in an unfamiliar system.

To conclude that such sounds were actual mistracking (without verification) and then attribute blame to the Phantom (without being able to investigate other, more likely possibilities) seems like two assumptions in one.

Not a Graham owner, just a disinterested observer...
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