Comparison of sonic qualities of some tonearms

@mijostyn 

Thanks for your comment, but wouldn't you agree that your tonearm theory is the same for all components?  Turntables, cartridges, phono stages, pre-amplifiers, amplifiers, and speakers should "not have any sound of it's own. It will limit discrepancies so as to minimize distortion into inaudibility".  However, reality is really different from theory, and everything does impart some coloration to the reproduction of music.  

However, in the interest of staying on topic, let's please try to just share actual experiences of hearing different tonearms, ideally on the same turntable, with the same cartridge. . . . however, that stipulation might make this a very brief, and sparsely commented thread.  

Dear @drbond  : I owned/own and tested in my system with same cartridges around 25-30 diferent tonearms ( vintage/today ones but the SAT that I listened in other top systems I know ).

The @mijostyn  are theoretical desirable tonearm characteristics and that some tonearms do not mimic those " ideal " characteristics does not means are bad tonearms.

Today and top vintage tonearms all came/comes with first rate not loose bearings ( ABEC 9, at least or jewel type. Both with very low friction and all with unmovable rigidity. ) ).

Normally a medium EM tonearm runs excellent and can be mated with almost any MC/MM/MI cartridge but for my fist hand experiences the 2 main characteristics for the better in a tonearm are the internal quality wiring that must be made with silver wire and second the overall tonearm damping specially at the headshell where the ssue is to " stop " the return/feedback resonances/vibrations that the cantilever will takes as fake modulations that the transducer works with.

My two tonearms in use are self/build designs for me and a close friend and yes those main characteristics are well covered.

Today, tonearms are like the cartridge: does not exist bad tonearms except by unipivots and perhaps tonearms that use wood build material that we must avoid.

Other characteristics out of the tonearm it self is that when be mounted in the TT must be totally isolated from.

 

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.

 The SAT tonearm does not qualify. it is nothing more than a substitute for a "mighty sword" (Randy Newman). A tonearm should have no sound of it's own.

What are you talking about-and in what respect is the SAT arm compromised? You write like a chatbot supported by a 1970's Atari computer. 

From an aesthetic view tonearm cables should exit beneath the tonearm board. They interfere less with suspensions and dust covers this way aside from looking much better.

First you claim that aesthetics are best left for show-cars and next you claim that aesthetics are important. And you seem to ignore that dust covers interfere with performance of a turntable. 

This business with fat cables and fancy sheaths is again for men with undersized mighty swords. 

What fat cables? I have seen fat power cords and even speaker cables but not with turntables. "Fancy sheaths"? Are you medicated? What the heck are you talking about? 

I love too that you misspelled "rigid" two or three times and then later spelled it correctly. Wow. 

My experience is to date, that Rega were instrumental in being responsible for the the commonly seen Tonearm Designs to date.

Rega as a fledgling Company had little if any protection for their IP.

This lack of protection and the response of the media to the Rega Products led to a spate of Copycat design and aftermarket modifications becoming seen in the market place for the Rega Design Tonearm and Geometry.

In a nutshell a very cheap Rega Tonearm was unashamedly being reported on in the mainstream media, as trouncing Established Brands Products.

The individuals who lurk with intentions, especially as Carpet Baggers, seeking out opportunist ventures, were very quick to offer their blingy wares under the guise of Upgrades.

Some of these Opportunists have become quite successful in creating healthy revenues, where they have taken the affair to the place where they are now competitors to Rega. Using Rega Design and Geometries to produce a Tonearm with its own Brand name and being a Market Competitor.

Then there are the Established Tonearm Brands not doing so well out of Rega being a competitor, sales are down, Olden Designs are frowned upon by the mainstream media.

Where does the established Brand go from here. 

How about a one piece casting for a Straight Wand, with the Headshell formed in the casting, obviously this is pure cutting edge innovation not heard of previously 😂🤣.

How about a selection of a Material, that is not used by Rega and a few changes to the Geometry, very Bespoke and Unique 😆.

"Viola", and an Arm is produced that Rega has not influenced in any way, well the notion of it is never to be mentioned anyway 🤐 . 

Most importantly, the 'J' or 'S' Wand is no longer king. 

SME, Linn and others all adopted straight cast wands with Headshell formed in the casting.

I moved approx' 30 Years past, from the SME 3009, to a Linn Cast Wand Design and then to a SME IV with the Single Cast Magnesium Wand design.

Prior to selecting the SME IV, I was able to be demo'd the IV and V side by side, where the V was not an arm that was seemingly advanced during the demo'. I have also been demo'd the SME V on many occasion since and have not felt something extra special is in use.

I have heard a selection of variants of the Rega Design Tonearm both modified and New Brands versions. I have even bought into another Model produced by one of the earlier referred to Carpet Bagger Companies.

I have learnt from these encounters, the designs are all much of a muchness in how the end Sound is influenced by the Design or Geometry.

Most encountered have all been very similar and I will claim usually it is easy to detect that there is a unique trait able to be perceived.

Once this trait is discovered and a different trait is heard that is seemingly the antithesis to the Rega Design trait, for myself there is no returning to a TA with a Rega Design/ Variant of Design or Geometry / Variant of Geometry.

The unique trait being the music being produced is able to be perceived as being constrained, inhibited.

The TA with Rega design/geometry is not able to present as a design that creates the perception of having an unabandoned freedom and being with no inhibition or the worse very very little.

Think ? Woodstock with the Venue being the Madison Square Garden Arena or Woodstock at the Max Yasgurs Farm, where would one like to experience their Woodstock.

My own TA of choice today, and only as a result of the design choices made for it,  is something leaning much more towards that from Max Yasgur's Farm Woodstock, there is without doubt, freedom of expression present and this is perceived in bounds. 

My Plagiarised Rega Design TA's are on the Subs Bench or boxed and Shelved, only getting a small dosage of replay time, usually  to demo' to others differences in the presentations between the similar designs and the alternate design in use. 

Note: Many of my evaluations have been done with same TT on a same Support Structure and System, but not all comparisons have been able to include the same Cart'. 

Note: A Rega Design TA will replay music just fine and recent experiences of the Origin Live TA's with a Sumiko Pearwood Cart' has left me quite impressed, but during the demo' of a certain model, there is the perception of being constrained being detected and today for myself that is a detractor and is little different to knowing a Speaker Cabinet Colouration is impacting on the sound being produced, it is not a rattling ornament distraction in any way.

@pindac Your comments not only accord with my experience of the SME V and IV, but they also fit the official story: the Series V came out first, and had selected parts. The Series IV came out later, and had off the line parts that might not quite match the quality of the V's selected parts. If you are lucky, you might buy a IV that sounds better than a V, but even for average arms of each type the sonic differences will be small. The big advantage of the V is ease of adjustment: a screw adjustment for VTA, and a thumbwheel for VTF. Some would say the damping trough is not an advantage for the V. I own a couple of Rega arms along with a collection of SME arms. I don't think the Regas sound worse, but they are more of a nuisance to set up for VTA and overhang. Having easy adjustments encourages me to get it right, rather than saying 'oh, that's good enough'!