Gimbal vs unipivot tonearms


Curious as to the difference between these types of arms. In my experience, it seems as if unipivots are much more difficult to handle.

Is it like typical debates - depends on the actual product design/build or is one better sounding or less expensive or harder to set up....?
sokogear
@rodman99999 

I've been using a Magnepan Unitrac I, since 1981.
I have one, and recently replaced it with a Rega RB300 finally rewired with Discovery wire.

I have it on a vintage Denon, and I always thought the lack of bass was due to the table. It wasn't, at least not all of it.

The Unitrac still does some things better than the Rega, but the bass is greatly improved. This is with medium to high compliance cartridges.
      When you guys run near-field response tests, that come back flat down to 20Hz, from stylus to woofers, get back to me.

              https://www.analogueseduction.net/test-records-turntable-set-up/elipsonlp.html      (see: B4 - B9)
 
      My TL woofer system, crossed in at 80Hz (10th Order, Butterworth), was designed for output down to 16Hz, by Roger Sanders, back in 1980.      Article: published in Speaker Builder magazine that year, along with two on building your own electrostatics.

       If interested: .https://cc-webshop.com/collections/speaker-builder-magazine/products/speaker-builder-the-lost-years-...

      My TacT RCS 2.2X's room correction program cuts things off, sadly, at 20Hz.     My Dahlquist DQ-LP1 (what I was using, back when I built the woofers, didn't and I had a much larger room, as well.    I know their and the rest of my system's, capabilities quite well and have been VERY happy (except for current room limitations).

       If I were going to change anything; it would be to a swarm woofer system, to overcome the present room.

        Glad you guys are enjoying your arm/cart combos.  

        I certainly have enjoyed mine, over the past forty years!

                                               Happy listening!
         ps: Obvously, there's MUCH more to the faithful reproduction of Bass, via an arm/cart and system, than just a frequency response curve.  

         If it doesn't sound/feel/convey REAL (ie: clean/clear pitch, the tightness of the drum skins, definition between rhythm section instruments, ambience recovery, not to mention: the flutter of a slow Leslie horn or your pant legs and heart, during those pipe organ pedal notes), it ain't worth squat!

                                                    Enjoy the journey!
Dear @rodman99999  :  I almost agree with all what you posted  ( only a couple of issues where I have a " different " opinion. ) and you are rigth.

I never can put my hands in a NOS Unitrac and the only time I was nearer to I losted on ebay auction, my lost because I wanted to test it.

Anyway,  the Unitrac shares the same " problems " not only as unipivots but gimball tonearms too and these is that develops several kinds of resonances during playback that the Unitrac can't avoid and does not matters that the cartridges been high compliance.
Unfortunatelly those developed  resonances/distortions just " colored " the top to bottom the frequency range of what our system is reproducing.

In that " top to bottom " the more important issue is to damp/tame those resonances precisely at the bass range because its harmonics affects all the frequency range. Gimball tonearms are superior to unipivots in this speciofic regards.

So, I'm with the @mijostyn advise that even that you are satisfied with what you have you need to make some listen sessions with a gimball tonearm. The overall improvement could be higher that what you can imagine and if you don't like it always can return to the Unitrac.

Btw,my room/system is fine tunned through nearfield real MUSIC tracks LPs tests.

Regards and ejoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

@rauliruegas, et al:  I wish I could be surprised, by the marked propensity of so many on the 'GoN to assume and advise others; there has to something wrong with their system, without ever being within 100 Kilometers of same.
       
       Let alone: ever having listened to or tested the other's system.

      "I never can put my hands in a NOS Unitrac and the only time I was nearer to I losted on ebay auction, my lost because I wanted to test it."

       To be clear: are you admitting never having actually tested or auditioned the Unitrac I; with or without any of my previously mentioned cart choices?

        "Btw,my room/system is fine tunned through nearfield real MUSIC tracks LPs tests."

         AS IF: the cited test LP assuredly must be the only way I have fine-tuned MY room/system?    

          Never mind: over five decades of familiarity with the sound of the REAL thing, in a plethora of acoustic environments (good and bad/unplugged and reinforced), when on stage, in a sound booth, an audience and in live venues of my own design and/or recommendations?  

           NOT that I think I have it all together.   Something Feynman often mentioned, during his lectures, when fondly reminiscing about his father, "Never stop learning", (one of his rules of life) has always resonated within me.

                        However: I was NOT born yesterday!

           "...if you don't like it always can return to the Unitrac."

           I'm kinda one of those, "If it ain't broke: DON'T FIX IT" types.

           At the age of 74: I'm not inclined to kid myself about (what's left of) my aural acuity.    Yet my system still manages to amaze my few musician friends extant, as well as those new, I allow to visit my swirling vortex of entropy (read: pathetic, embarrassing abode).  

                   "...enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS"
 
                                  Trust me: I do TRY!

                      Happy listening and enjoy the journey!