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Tri-Planar Vll "SE Upgrade"

Contemplating  sending my Tri-Planar Vll back to Tri Mai for his "SE Upgrade". Essentially, same carbon fiber wand and internal silver wire and leads used in his 12" U12 arm. Anybody done the dirty deed?  If so, better, worse or pretty much the same. 

I've only seen one post on the subject and that person seemed more than happy.

Thanks to anyone who responds with personal experience.  No conjecture please. 
128x128rfogel8
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mem2112
20 posts
 
I purchaesd my Triplanar VII second hand a few years back. It was an 09 vi tage with rca leads. I did send it Tri last year for the se upgrade and maintenance go through. I would say that it is a worthwhile upgrade. Besides the cosmetic improvements with headshell and armtube changes, the arm sounds better. The silver wiring and maybe the arm tube definately improved the soundstage presentation. I have a Graham phantom elite to compare with and prior to the upgrade, The Graham easily had a more 3d presentation. The upgrade put the Triplanar in very similar company in my system. I have been using both a Transfiguration Proteus and Zyx Universe II. I have sttled on the Graham with the Proteus which is a spectacular combo and the Universe II paired with the Triplanar. So I am adding to this thread with my experience as a positive one with the upgrade.

Cheers


pbnaudio's avatar
pbnaudio
1,610 posts
 
I have the "Schalplatte 2"  in route will try it on my 12" Tripalnar and report what it can track, have a choice of Cartridges Lyra Atlas, Etna and Ortofon MC Anna for high caliber MC - any particular combination  you'd
like to see ?


Good Listening

Peter
  
https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/6431#&gid=1&pid=8

Link to picture of the Denon DN308 rebuild with the triplanar in "fitting" mode :-)
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

pbnaudio, At last someone who is willing to check my finding.

BTW this ''Schallplatte 2'' is my ''old companion'' for years. I

even use the anti-skate test in order to get some impression about

the ''inside force'' . One can't get those 80 or 90 microns values

without  increaising of the anti-skate force . The right channel

start with distortion first and need compensation with anti-skate.

The German expression is ''Mu'' which means the same as micron.

I really hope that you can refute my finding. Then I can sell my

Triplanar without sense of guilt (grin).

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,662 posts
 
@nandric ,

I have several LPs which I recorded (the first being Canto General, music of Mikas Theodorakis). For that recording we got the biggest bass drum in the state, which was a good six feet across. I have the master tapes and I know how this recording is supposed to sound. The LP was cut without any processing whatsoever other than RIAA pre-emphasis.

This LP does quite well as a test record for me as it has very wide dynamic range and very deep bass. Most arms can't play it right; the Triplanar is one of the very few that can. It also easily tracks the Church Windows LP which has groove modulation well in excess of 60 microns.

As others have mentioned, the arm tracks everything you throw at it. In fact this arm taught me that the ability of the arm to track the cartridge correctly is far more important than the choice of cartridge. It is the most adjustable arm in the world and has the lowest friction bearings of any arm made.

Regarding not believing you:
Being quite familiar with Occam's Razor, right now its suggesting to me that there is a simple explanation here:  despite claims of many arms and cartridges, you may not know how to set up a tone arm and/or you don't have and never had a Triplanar.
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