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
Dover nicely summarized your options in the very first response to your question. The subsequent posts delineate your best specific options in alternative tonearms. The choice for a course of action yours. you could ask yourself what is the penalty in the re-sale value of your Classic, if you have to drill new holes, and count that as an added cost of the upgrade.
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@skyscraper : " I’m thinking tonight about ways to pay for the expensive, easily retrofit gimbaled Fatboy. " "" know how those VPI gimballed Fatboys compare to any other tonearms in the $4500 price range. "" If you decide to go for that VPI I think is way better to go with an overall way better TT/tonearm as the Rega RP-10 for almost the same price of that VPI tonearm. Do it you a favor and re-read not only the linked reviews of the Rega but the Rega site information with the Stereophile M.Fremer review. Another advantage is that the Rega was reviewed with Lyra cartridges including the Kleos. With this alternative you could put on sale your Classic VPI TT/tonearm along the Ortofon cartridge.
In the other side good that you decided not to go behind that stupid stand alone arm pod advise.
Put your money where it counts.
R. |
Lewm. you’re right, dover hit the nail on the head right out the gate. Options are limited with VPI’s design. I’m not concerned with resale value as aforementioned. I’m not planning on selling the Classic 2, and I’d not want to attempt any mods on it where I might potentially screw it up. I’m happy to have it as it.is in that respect. Raul, I appreciate your advice, and it is sound and sensible. But at $7000 retail for the RP-10, I’m not looking to make that kind of outlay, plus have to change out and sell my VPI Classic 2, tone arm and cartridge to make it happen. I started out only wanting to upgrade a cartridge and did stretch my budget to order the Lyra Kleos. Honestly you all convinced me to do that for excellent reasons, Your above suggestion although probably equally sound is really way more than I’d like to deal with on top of getting the Kleos. I’d take a serious look at the RP-10’s tonearm by itself if it would retrofit onto the VPI Classic 2’s tonearm base, but it doesn’t appear that it will without modifying that base. And i’m unsure if there is any issue with its’ height on that platform. I’ll look for the Fremer review anyway, as I’m not sure if that’s the one I read. In any event thank you for your thoughtful suggestion. One other thing Raul, please do not address others suggestions on my thread as stupid. A modicum of tact is called for. Other’s ideas are expressed with the best of intentions just as yours are. Whether they are knowledgeable as you or not, or their suggestions are as good or not, that part is up to me to sort out on my thread. They are after all graciously taking their time to be of assistance. I hope this suggestion does not put you off, as I do appreciate your advice and knowledge, and that you have taken the time to generously share it on my behalf here. Pindac, I wish there were others here near home to visit and share an interest in audio with, as you seem to be able to. Unfortunately I can’t find any. A local dealer told me years ago there was an audio club in Roanoke, but it’s long gone. That’s the peril of living out in the countryside. The Audiogon site really does help in this regard. Mike |
Mijostyn, My only point was that the example shown is not relevant to the proof that the pivot should be level with the plane of the LP. He raises the AR XA tonearm pivot, causing the headshell to tilt up at the rear, in order to get it to move forward when it encounters a warp. That kind of loads the dice in his favor. It does not describe the most usual case, where the arm/headshell is parallel to the LP surface regardless of where the pivot is located in space. Since watching the video, I have figured out for myself that the principle is valid; the pivot ideally should lie in the plane of the LP surface. For a pivot close to but not quite in the plane of the LP surface, the putative increase in warp wow is probably not such a big deal I would say. I was surprised in the video that I could clearly hear a deviation in frequency from 1000Hz to 1002Hz. (I could hear 1002Hz almost as obviously as I could hear 1005Hz.) I don't really think I can hear that in real life; perhaps his instrument is damped enough that it doesn't display the actual peak readings for a brief pulse. Or my sense of pitch is better than I think. |
