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10 Inch Tonearms

Hi All,
Most tonearm manufacturers make a ten inch tonearm. I am aware as to why someone would want a twelve inch tonearm or a nine inch but where does the ten inch apply? If I wanted to replace my nine inch tonearm with a ten inch, would it matter and if so, how?
128x128goofyfoot
tablejockey
3,921 posts
 
Think of 10" a "compromise" between the 2

Neither is "perfect" yet possess qualities over the other.

Just get a good setup and make certain setup/adjustments are close as possible. Play records and forget about audio insanity.
goofyfoot's avatar
goofyfoot OP
1,380 posts
 
I've always understood a 12 inch tonearm to be better than a 9 inch arm in every way. Hard to believe a tonearm maker would make a ten inch tonearm if there wasn't something that made them desirable. 
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,860 posts
 
As tablejockey said, 10" is a compromise —in a good way—giving some of the advantages of a longer arm with those of the 9". Legend has it that 9" is faster due to less mass, while 12" does the better tracking thang.
Post removed 
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
There are two other variables depending from TT construction.
There are TT's which allow only 9'' tonearms ( Kuzma Stabi
Refernce) as well TT 's which don't. Technics SP mk 2 for
 example does not allow 9'' .
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