Best of the Gliders, or?

Mark, I'd probably spring for a better tonearm first, since any serious cartridge upgrade will likely be limited by the PT-7 (which I think is a Jelco design). Since you already have a VPI, maybe you could add a JMW? I see that there are two JMW 10 versions available now on Audiogon in the 700-buck range, and there is a 12.6 advertised for 1100.

This will almost certainly give you improved sound from your Glider, and will also be a better platform for future cartridge upgrades. Moving to a better cartridge now will give you better sound, but the extent of the improvement will be limited by the PT-7, and that limitation will still be there when you want to make subsequent cartridge upgrades.

As long as you use a RCM and also are gentle when you lower the cartridge's cantilever onto the LP surface (and the anti-skate setting doesn't unduly bias the cantilever), your Glider should be good for at least 1500 ~ 2000 hours.

hth, jonathan carr

Second Jcarr. If you find yourself upgrading the cart though, for not much more than you're considering check out the new Transfiguration Axia although it would outclass your current rig and would only make sense if you were planning on an upgrade there as well. I don't think the Lyra would be the ticket for your stated desire for smoothness.

Dealer disclaimer.

I'm certainly not in disagreement with your assessments of the AQ Arm JCarr/PiedPiper.

While a very good "what I call entry level audiophile Arm", there's not much path for improvement for upgrades/tweaks with this Arm.

Why have I never heard/read about a Cardas-Incognito rewire to this arm? Is it because they stuffed the arm-wand like a freaking cannoli, and nobody can inside this arm to do the required Mods? This is the impression I get.

I'm limited to Arms, as I'm still using the 19-Jr MDF one piece Plinth. Linn, and a couple of others I understand will work for a quick, painless swap out. Trying to find a new Acrylic/Stainless Plinth, and Separate Armboard to be drilled for Arm of choice will not be an easy task I'm afraid. VPI has appeared to cease all support with this model.

I do understand that there are other very important qualities to an Arm besides just wiring. There's certainly no comparison of an AQ PT Arm, to a TOTL Graham, or SME.

Yes, in a ridiculous, insane sense, one could mount a $4500 Lyra Titan to a $44 Plastic Garrard Table, but as we all know, the Lyra would suffer a very horrible existence on such a Table.

I'd actually like keeping my 19 Turntable. It's got soul, and personality, even though it's meager to much that's out there now. How I wish years ago, I would've at least sprung for the VPI Aries, which was within my budget then, but I flinched. Is it too late? lol Mark

never too late...

I do understand folks that a better Tonearm than the AQ PT-7/8 would no doubt imporve performance. Since I'm already drilled for the AQ, that still does leave a few options.

Basically, the AQ Arm is not a bad one. I've probably read literal 100's of posts about this Arm, an as I've menetioned before, am running an original AQ Emerald Cable, which I believe was Silver Plated Copper, cost me $250 new, back in '97, and I've also recently added the Expressimo Counterweight from Elusive Disc.

Downsides to this arm besides the obvious Bearings, which are no doubt better in more expensive Arms, are the seeming lack of an internal wire Upgrade, and also lack of Azimuth Adjustment, but from what I can see, my Arm's Azimuth is essentially nuts on. (No I haven't done an testing with Meter, etc)

There are two improvement paths I see, that would no doubt help, and that is one, a SAMA, and two, a better Cable. Of course, jumping from the Glider, to the Lyra Helikon should be a substantial improvement, and these other tweaks I mention above should help the Helikon perform better.

Isolation of Motor Vibration should help any Cartridge, as well as my ole Glider. Mark