How to choose an upgraded tonearm.

Dear @skyscraper : Up grade the VPI tonearm to " dual pivot " and latter on think not to change the tonearm but the VPI TT/tonearm that in reality is an average/mediocre item.

The posts here said talk of tonearms at around 5K and all those are good options but for a different TT.

 

You could think in this extremely well regarded and " inexpensive " TT/tonearm: the Rega RP10:

 

https://www.the-ear.net/review-hardware/rega-rp10-turntable-tonearm

https://www.tonepublications.com/review/rega-rp10-turntable/

 

Mr. M.Fremer review on the 80K+ turntable manufactured by SAT model XD1 he used the SAT 50K+ tonearm and mounted the Lyra Etna Lambda and in that SAT overall review M.Fremer posted:

""

The XD1 shares some sonic characteristics with Rega’s revolutionary RP10 turntable: ultrafast, clean transients throughout the audible frequency range; tight, fast bass; revealing midrange transparency; and overall sonic stability and focus. All these characteristics result, apparently, from careful attention paid to structural rigidity and the removal or prevention of unwanted vibrational energy.

As good as the P10 is, it’s not an SAT XD1. ""

 

and the RP10 set you back the ridiculous 5.5K dollars including the tonearm:

 

 

 

 

 

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.

 

Thank you for your suggestions Raul. I will look all of them up.

Mike

The gentlemans in the " tonepublications " link tested in the RP10 the best Lyra cartridges including the Atlas and the Dynavector XV1-s too in all cases with excellent results.

 

R.

Tonearms are a very attractive item to be used in a System, there is an allure about the device, to the point a LP Replay enthusiast can lose many hours observing the models available.

The Designs and Aesthetics commonly discovered can easily be described as quite a feat of engineering.

The Devise has to offer an extremely precise accuracy in its function and maintain the designed function, when met with many different environments, any changes to properties of materials used within the design, as a result of an environment, has the capability to impact on the performance in a detrimental manner.

Learning about a Tonearms Design Intent and how its consistency in unadulterated function has been the basis for the choosing engineering methods and material selection will be quite a valuable undertaking.

A very nice aesthetic, one that really shouts pride of ownership, is not a compensation for a design that is supplied with deficiencies in place where the engineering and used materials are not optimised. 

What really matters, is what is under the hood, what designs and materials are  being used at the concealed locations, it is quality of thought and work undertaken for the out of sight various interfaces that enables the the magic to happen.       

@skyscraper  : The Lyra cartridge M.Fremer used in his SAT review was not the Etna but the Atlas Lambda SL, go figure ! ! He used too another unique top cartridge that was the Ortofon Century.

 

R.