Graham Phantom vs Triplaner

Mr Mai does not give or loan tonearms. There were so many at CES this and every year because the people in this business want the very best to demo their product. They pick Triplanar. With their wallets! Z.

Good point, Z. Of course one should also consider that the easily adjustable, repeatable VTA & VTF adjustments make it easier to optimize for varying weather, humidity, LP thickness, etc, which allows for the associated equipment to be shown at its best advantage. IOW, it might be the best value arm that's widely adaptable to changing conditions. Not that I do not think it is a great arm. I haven't heard that many, but it is a great arm!

The common use of a particular component at CES or any show does not necessarily mean it is the "best" or is being endorsed by all those folks. Sure, the Triplanars are not being given away, but, anyone who loans gear to others at a show will find plenty of takers.

Some manufacturers, like Wilson, loan a lot of stuff out in order to be seen/heard in a lot of different places. That is a good business practice, not necessarily a measure of anything else.

Just for the record, I think the Triplanar is a very, very good arm.

Guys, I have spent alot of time with Mr Mai. He seems to have a reason for the trade offs he takes to make his price point. He has the engineering, design, and manufacturing experience to be placed (by others) at the pinnacle of a select group. Most rags and table mfgrs use SME, GRAHAM and TRIPLANAR in the same sentence when discussing "the best". I watched the owner of PAD bring Tri a cable to take and listen/critique. His opinion is obviously highly valued in the biz.

I have also noticed more HRXs than one might think one would at CES. At last count there are 84 TT mfgrs. Harry sells all he makes, doesn't have review tables much, so again dealers and MFGRS go into their own pockets to use this table at shows. Does this make either of these the best? No, but it says something...

Z

I agree. TRi Mai is a very nice guy. I met him at CES this year.

Harry from VPI is also a great guy and an even greater tinkerer. That is why sometimes some of his designs seem to be a work in progress as they are - sort of. he is always thinking of better and more unsusual ways of making music.

He thought the RIM drive idea would be a piece of shit. The fact that he spent time playing around with it, he said that even he was suprised at how much better it made his table sound. like a "master tape" was his words.

I'll try one out in the next 2 mnths or so. after I get my 2nd 12.7 arm wand back from him