How to choose an upgraded tonearm.
In two recent threads on selecting an upgraded cartridge, some of you suggested a new tonearm was in order. Since I’ve never chosen a new tonearm, I’m asking you all for some advice on how to do so for that future event.
My current turntable is a VPI Classic 2 with a VPI JMW 10.5i unipivot tonearm. A new Lyra Kleos MC cartridge is on order. I’ll likely be changing to a gimbal style tonearm. The rest of the system is Magico A3 speakers, a Luxman 507uX MkII integrated amp, a Marants Ruby CD player, and a Shunyata Hydra Denali power conditioner.
What price range should an appropriate tonearm for the Lyra Kleos be in, that would also be in keeping with the price point of my Classic 2, The Classic 2 was in the $3-4,000 range, as is the Lyra Kleos. I’ll be purchasing new, not used, and will not be upgrading any other equipment than the tonearm.
Pardon some rookie questions, but what attributes should I be looking for in a quality tonearm? Who are some of the better known manufacturers, and which models of theirs might be workable? Are there other alternative to either a gimbal or unipvot tonearm? Are tonearms generally interchangeable between different manufacturers turntables? And what improvements in sound quality might be gained by upgrading my tonearm?
Since this is all new to me, any other advice you might have about things to consider would be greatly appreciated and will help kick off my research. Thanks,
Mike
Mijostyn, If, instead of insults to my intelligence, you would point out to me what minutes in the video explain the physics behind having the pivot in the plane of the LP, I would watch that part of the video. I don’t need the part about the wonderfulness of the AR XA turntable, and I would rather not spend the better part of 51 minutes waiting for the lecture on pivot location. I watched. At ~20:00, one can find the discussion about pivot height relative to the LP surface.
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Mijostyn, I’m sorry I threw in that distracting reference to the VPI peripheral ring, What i would really like is to draw your attention to is the question of whether you think the Rega tonearm you recommended might be able fit on the existing VPI tonearm platform on my Classic 2. And if so would some modification to the platform be needed. If you wouldn’t mind revisiting that part of my previous post it would be appreciated. Thanks for your assistance, Tablejockey, I’m wondering if that arm you suggest will fit on the VPI Classic 2’s tonearm platform. That’s my main issue right now. It seems VPI’s tonearm and platform are proprietary and you can’t stray much from their brand. Hopefully there are other aftermarket gimballed tonearms that might work on VPI tonearm base without major surgery. If any of you know of any that meet those parameters that would be wonderful. Thanks. Lewm, if you’re on my thread you will have to do what you’re told. Mike |
@skyscraper : " I do need to learn about tonearms first, as I really know little to nothing about them. It might be hard to believe, and my wife never could, how much I enjoy engaging in the analysis part of any search or project, When I haven’t the disposable cash to make a new purchase.."
"" I am still curious about what sonic differences an arm can make...""
""" At the outset the last thing I was considering was a tonearm upgrade. """
"""" Maybe the dual pivot will help wring enough out of the Kleos with my current tonearm to make this a minor issue. """"
I think that because of what you said you can’t really learn about tonearm/T/cartridge intrinsecal relationship through a thread through " paper ", you just can’t. The information everyone already posted here ( including mine. ) only makes that you continue to have more and more questions and dudes. Every additional post on the Kleos/tonearm/TT issue in this moment goes against you and your today system:
""""" Can’t wait for the Kleos to arrive in about three months or so. """""
The only " fast " way you have to learn is with first hand experiences with same cartridge mounted in different tonearms . You have time to look how you can have those first hand experiences. It’s not easy because the room/systems where you need to have those first hand experiences needs in some way familiar to you or at least that you " understand " those room/systems different signatures. You have posts here that even gone to almost " stupid " advise for you as an external arm-pod when your needs are way different. Even you and certainly not me know for sure what you really need till the Kleos arrives .
Again, if you really want to " learn " ( as you said. ) the best for you as soon is posible is find out how to get those first hand experiences . I want that you know that you can’t be an " experienced " or even an average audiophile in that issue in 6 months when to many of us took " years " to learn about: YEARS not months. But even with all those first hand experiences you can’t really know how the Kleos will performs in your room/system and you will not know not only that but what the Kleos realy can shows you till in a different room/system than yours you can listen the Kleos quality level performance mounted in a good " rigth " room/system.
Unfortunatelly and as you accepted your really low know-how level impedes that you can assimilate our posts in the whole issue, you are not prepared to and it's not your fault.
R.
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"I’m wondering if that arm you suggest will fit on the VPI Classic 2’s tonearm platform." skyscraper- I would confirm with the VPI staff what your options are outside of the gimbal. Contact the audimods to see if they do have customers with such transplants. VPI gimbal is the best way to go. Keeps the table's integrity should you later to decide to get rid of it. Aftermarket arms you do find will require some hacking of the base to a degree. It's now compromising resale value. Once molested, no going back. As mentioned by a few, you're still good to go with the stock arm. If you didn't get the bug regarding its "absolute" technical shortcomings, you would be enjoying that great cart, thinking it's the best thing since sliced bread. VPI dual pivot seems to get approval overall from users. It does look very low tech/crude-a simple clamp with a divot sliding on plastic film? That is not a "pivot" |
