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TriPlanar tonearm outward skating issue

Hi all,

I have been trying to research a solution to a recent issue with my TriPlanar VII UII tonearm that I bought  a couple years back.

The tonearm seems to want to skate outwards, even with zero anti skate applied and the weight removed from the little anti skate arm. It is evident at various settings of VTF, VTA, etc. The platter is very level and everything seems to be aligned OK. This outward skating force is very light in the outer grooves and becomes stronger as the cartridge gets closer to the end of a side. In fact, as it traces the lead-out grooves at the end of a side, the tonearm sometimes thrusts outwards across those grooves back into the last track. Very scary!

A visual check of the cantilever azimuth seems to confirm an outward pressure from the tonearm since the cantilever is leaning with the stylus end closer to the spindle.

I can’t seem to find any information online about this phenomenon.

Any insights and recommendations would appreciated.
shayes002
cleeds
6,275 posts
 
wrm57
@cleeds: Good thought but the Triplanar has a captive cable fixed to the base, relieving stress on the arm from the cable.
Given the skating issue you described, this captive cable warrants close examination.
wrm57
1,092 posts
 
Yes, the wiring was my first thought, too. I've played around with the cable to no effect. Perhaps there is some torquing of the internal wiring within the arm tube/pivot, I don't know, but that's beyond my skill to check. And as I've been able to dial-in bias with the lighter weight, I see no need to send it back to Tri.
rauliruegas
13,129 posts
 
Dear @shayes002 @wrm57 : That problem is a real problem with your tonearms even that one of you " solved ". That's not a normal behavior.

Due to past experiences I had could be that the problem is in anti-skate mechanism where the thread in that mechanism does not " flows " in easy way ( to much friction. ) or that the thread is to short/length to achieve zero bias when in rest position.

Those 2 kind of problems I had in the past with tonearms and I can't be sure that is what's happening in the Triplanar. What I'm sure is that is unacceptable in any tonearm design. It's obvious that something is wrong and the best way to fix it is that both of you put in contact/touch with the today manufacturer.

Yes, I read that @wrm57 did it in the past and the manufacturer just did not fixed but it's him who has the responsability to do it.

Maybe there are other owners that has a " lighter " problem with out know it.

Normally that bias mechanism is " calculated " to start to works from the begin of the LP at outerward groove and goes higher in small force increments as the tonearm play at the inside grooves.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.
cleeds
6,275 posts
 
rauliruegas
That problem is a real problem with your tonearms even that one of you " solved ". That's not a normal behavior.
I'm with Raul on this one. The OP treated the symptom of the pickup arm problem, not the root cause.
rauliruegas
13,129 posts
 
Dear @cleeds : What is something " weird " is the very high tolerance levels that some times we audiophiles have with manufacturers or retailers when they just can’t fix a problem like the @wrm57 with his tonearm.

I see he is satisfied when was him whom fix it.
My question: where is that tonearm manufacturer that did not fix aproblem in its manugactured tonearm? , I think that when we take te responsability to fix a manufacturer problem we are taking out the main responsability of any manufacturer/designer and that’s why I said seems to me " weird " the wrm57 attitude but this attitude it’s not the first time we took it, any one can read the VPI thread here where manufacturer just does not takes its main and only responsability after the product be sold.

Now, if Triplanar comes here and says that that issue is part of the toneaerm design at least the owners needs to know it but no explanation and not fixed trouble.  !!!

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.
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