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Long and Short Arms. YOU KNOW THEY FIT a Luxman PD444.

Tonearms for Luxman PD444

Suggestions, warnings, known incompatibilities, great low cost ….?

My friend just bought a Luxman PD444. No arms.

Coming with two arm boards,

a. small hole looks like star washer. TP-LH I think. (diameter of hole___MM?)

b. big hole, SME size hole. TP-LS I think. (diameter of hole___MM?)

Note: Long arm must go on the left rear side. That will be the primary arm.

’Normal’ right side arm will be alternate cartridges, primarily MONO ready to go, alternate MM and MC cartridges. Thus long arm can have less/different features, not in a rush to make decisions, so lets make the long arm part two, later.

…………………………………………………….

First: short arm, right side, desired features:

1. removable headshell

2. height adjustment

2a. VTA on the Fly, OR

2b. EASY to see/reach/loosen/tighten, i.e. knurled/slotted gizmos (not allen screw(s)

3. azimuth adjustment. preferred in OEM headshell (some use clamp allowing re-positioning the fitting in the end of the arm, so any OEM or other headshell works. Non-oem headshell, but prefer OEM solves it.

4. integral arm rest/lock (not separately mounted stick)

5. din or rca below the plinth

………………………

..................................................................

So far, hifi shark, $1,500 max I have found:

1. Acos Lustre GST-801 (my rear arm). VTA/FLY. has 1,2a,3,4,5 and unique magnetic tracking and anti-skate. Always check to verify the vta/fly base is included, some alternate mounts exist.

mount: bigger hole, big heavy ’counterweight’ fastened below. I see one on Chakster’s PD444, he got it on, normally, or by some trick.

2. Micro Seiki MA-505 VTA/FLY 505S silver wire; SII, MK3 (other variations ___?) has 1,2a,3,4,5 variations desirable features???

28mm hole, 3 screws from below, nut below

3. Fidelity Research FR-64 Fx. 2b pair of knurled/slotted rods for height

Hole ____mm? nut below

4. Audio-Craft variations: AC-300c; AC400C; AC-3000mc, others? 2b knurled/slotted rod

5. SAEC WE-308SX. 2b knurled/slotted rod

6. Graham 1.5 Tonearm, FIXED HEADSHELL, unipivot (upside down) micrometer azimuth, vta, tracking, anti-skate, Fits SME cutouts i.e. Luxman TP-LS big hole???

7. Pioneer PA-1000 ,Carbon arm, carbon headshell, 2b small 21mm hole

……………………………………………

I got tired down around $1,025, went to bed

Suggestions, warnings, known incompatibilities, great low cost ….?

counterweight rod: anyone know maximum length/clearance from centerline of arm trough to inside of dust cover ____mm?

 

 

 

 

 

elliottbnewcombjr
elliottbnewcombjr OP
5,461 posts
 

mijostyn

This is about the second arm, right side, 9", for mono and alternate cartridges, MM and MC. It will be purchased and installed first, SOON! The criteria has been considered, desired features have been clearly stated.

I am asking for help: who personally knows what fits, who has had good, bad, found tricky solutions to mount ....

.......................................

The left rear arm, without doubt, will be a long one, it will be part two, later, more money acquired, more time for research, 

..........................................

My preference, after searching other maker's two arm tables, those OEM arms, ... many makers, using the desired features:

a pair of Micro Seiki MA-505, short now on right side, long one later. 

Micro Seiki MA-505 Experiences, Concerns, questions to ask while buying???

 

 

elliottbnewcombjr OP
5,461 posts
 

VTA/FLY, or Very Easy Height Adjustment is a dream come true. I really don’t care about adjusting while listening, I care about the absolute ease of getting it right.

My Acos Lustre GST-801 VTA/FLY base is superbly made. (Micro Seiki MA-505 has the identical base) It’s movement, tolerances, remind me of my Thorens TD124 bearing (it was incredible tolerances).

 

 

Technics VTA/FLY EPA-B500 base is terrific, I just installed one for my friend’s SP-15

It is big, custom shaped hole, I prefer the GST/Micro base, IF it's larger diameter hole can be accomodated.

 

 

mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 

@elliottbnewcombjr , like I said, you can make any arm fit. Send me the arm board and the specs of the arm and I will make it fit no charge.

My comments are for your information. The intent s not to make you angry. A 911 is a better handling car than a Lincoln. More people will go for the Lincoln because they do not want a stiff, noisy car. 

Get a Kuzma 4 point 9. It is a Cayman. 

elliottbnewcombjr OP
5,461 posts
 

 

mijostyn

I'm not angry, that takes a lot. If you do not have personal experience with PD444, I have to ask, why respond?

 

lewm
13,106 posts
 

Too bad we've lost Chakster.  He was  a PD444 maven.  I hope Putin didn't get him for his outspoken political remarks. More likely he is in Audiogon purgatory for selling stuff here or touting it here and selling it elsewhere.

The Technics B500 is a technical marvel, I agree, but it is so large as to defy mounting on many turntables.  As you say (Elliott) it requires a very large diameter mounting hole, just for starters.  So I would not recommend it unless you have taken all the necessary measurements to be sure it will fit. Until recently, I owned a B500 and two arm wands to go with it.  I sold it because none of the 5 turntables I currently use regularly could easily fit it. (Well, maybe one of them could, actually.)

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