Upcoming Technics SP-10R (100th Anniversary Model)

Dear @atmasphere : First the 1000R does not comes with the EPA-100 tonearm and I was refering in specific to the 1000R.

Now, you are not speaking as an audiophile because if each single audiophile did think like you then no single of those very well regarded TT that comes with its tonearms that I mentioned/listed just never been sold and facts/sales says other very different history to yours one.

In the other side I had never in my system at the same time the EPA 100 or EPA 100MK2 and the Triplanar. All three/3 are very good performers with its own trade-offs.

You said the Triplanar has better bearings, maybe better for you but the Technics gimbal type with 20 precision ruby ball bearings and lower than 5mg. on friction level is no slouch about as it’s not on damping issue or low resonances in its design. Technics did it not only through the boron and titanium nitride build materials but with its unique variable dynamic damping.
Do you know that boron is used on cartridge cantilevers instead carbon fiber ( TP arm wand. ) because boron is less resonant?
The Technics are fully adjustable and that MK2 VTA mechanism is even today unavialable my any other tonearm including the Triplanar. This VTA Technics unique mechanism outperforms " easily " the one in the tonearm you are supporting.

With the rigth knowledge level almost any one can make that a removable headshell tonearm design can beats ( easily. ) the TP because that depends on many parameters: cartridges, set up, system chain, room interactions, music/sound knowledge levels and the like and as always in audio exist no perfection anywhere.

I think that you have a misunderstood in what you know on Technics tonearms/TTs, quality excecution design and quality level performance against the TP.

The 1000R is only the 100th anniversary item and not the today statement Technics TT/tonearm/cartridge design ever.
You have to remember that Technics is a little part of the gigantic japanese entreprise name it Mathushita with endless resources of every type/kind that mere " mortals " as you or me can’t imagine not even on our dreams ! ! If they want it they can build a product that can " easily " put on shame not only today items but even its SP10 MK3 ! ! or its EPA 100MK2.

Your very close link with TP maybe impedes an unbiased point of view not only against the Technics tonearms but the Technics today 1000R turntable.

You are a manufacturer designer and I know for sure ( first hand experiences. ) that your designs are not perfect ones and with several trade-offs.
Seems to me that when speaking of TP or TT you have an undisclosed agenda. No problem with me if you have it, as me you are free to give an opinion.

Again, Technics made its 1000R design not expresely customed for you or for me.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

Dear @atmasphere :   """  arm and the EPA-100; the Triplanar is easily a better arm... """

I think that any test evaluations between different tonearms needs to have " same parameters/characteristics " and I'm refereing here to that vintage EPA 100 internal wires against the fresh/today TP wiring and this sole characteristic in a tonearm evaluation has a heavy " weigth " for differences in the overall quality performance levels.

When I madeall my " thousands " of comparison tests of several vintage and today tonearms against mine all parameters were almost the same, of course always with the same tonearms internal wiring. I always mantained " test differences/parameters/characteristics " at minimum.

You said almost nothing of the comparison characteristics evaluations that are the foundation of your opiniojnn  about.

R.

Sheesh Raul calm down.

Sounds like you have not in fact compared these arms nor have all the facts. Just for an example, while the Triplanar does use carbon fiber in the arm wand, its actually a composite and is also internally damped.

While jeweled bearings can be harder than metal, the problem you have then is that they don't survive over-tightening very well at all. The use of balls in the bearing increases sticktion. So the Technics bearings, while very good, are simply not **as** good.

The arm bearings are the plane of the arm wand, rather than the LP. This causes increased variability of tracking pressure depending on warp and bass modulation. I think this is my major beef with the arm; I have LPs that I have recorded and I know how the bass is supposed to sound. I've yet to hear an arm with this bug that plays the bass right.

While I think the Technics arms are very nice, I simply want to use one that is better and not have to pay for the arm I won't be using. I hope that's alright.

@atmasphere : I know the main importance of bearing in any tonearm design and all what you posted but I only ask for the EPA 100 internal wires in the unit you have that " per sé " is really important and makes a difference every thing the same.

Maybe I'm wrong but what I'm read from your posts in this thread seems to me that you are trying to diminish the Technics design " more " that could deserves. The TP is not perfect but comes with today silver wires and the EPA 100 is way inferior in this regards.

Anyway, understood your needs.

R.

Just to be clear I think Technics did an outstanding job- while retaining the looks of the older products, they managed to also improve performance.

FWIW, Triplanar has a new wire that is *considerably* more supple. They began installing it about 3 years ago.