2. analog
  3. 123981-46

VPI 3D tonearm adjustment

I have a couple of questions on set up of my new Prime and the 3D tonearm:

1. I've had the TT for about three weeks. I had a scout and moved my Dyna 20x2L to the Prime.
my first impressions was this is a wonderful upgrade. But after a couple weeks I noticed there was more glare on the highs.  I initially set the tonearm parallel to the record - dead level. I then ran across articles about how on some earlier 3D arms the shell warped. I think I have a new style arm, but last night I decided that rather than set the arm parallel I would check and make sure the shell was paralelle - it was not. It tilted downward 1.5 degrees. To get back to paralelle had to turn down the vta adjustment to where the body off the adjustment tower is almost all the way down. But with it adjusted as such the sound is now fantastic. My first question is the shell supposed to be parallel?

2. My second question is now that the tower is almost all the way down I can't use the alighnment jig, the tonearm hits it.  I've heard that the small cup on the underside of the tonearm where the needle sits,can be raised and lowered - is this true for the 3D arm?  There isn't a screw on the top of the arm to adjust with?
last_lemming
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
Unipivots suck.
But that's why we love them! Constantly worrying if they are "in tune", always something to fiddle with. But when they're working boy are they good! 

And more seriously I concur with don_c55 that they do take some user engagement to get the most out of them but that's part of the charm of analog is it not
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,583 posts
 
Aw, I was kiddin’ ;-). But I had a couple of them years ago, and I’m not convinced that with a very low-compliance stylus, the arm can’t actually be moved a little by the stylus itself, spun on it’s axis out of correct azimuth. But nobody was more critical of LP playback gear than good ol’ Brooks Berdan, and he highly approved of the Grahams and VPI's, selling a lot of them. What do I know?!
Ag insider logo xs@2x
cleeds
5,824 posts
 
I've always had a prejudice against unipivot arms. I think they're actually a bit creepy, to be honest. I've always chosen arms with rigid bearings. Of course, that rules out linear trackers and air bearing arms, too.
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,402 posts
 
Don c55   You're absolutely wrong on every count.   If you don't know what you're talking about, why post an influential diatribe which just might affect the mindset of those unsure of the issue. 
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Don c55   You're absolutely wrong on every count.   If you don't know what you're talking about, why post an influential diatribe which just might affect the mindset of those unsure of the issue.  

Probably for the same reason you rant every time someone mentions Cardas. don_c55 did post "IMO", which as you pointed out in your reply on the other Cardas thread, everyone is entitled to their own opinion:

stringreen3,747 posts05-01-2016 5:20pmJMC....I'm hear to share my experiences in this hobby..both happy and unhappy ones.  

Turn around is fair play. If you are allowed to bash others "loved" choices, you can't complain when others bash the ones you love. 
Others are allowed to share their experiences in this hobby, both happy and unhappy ones, just as you are.
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