Comparison of sonic qualities of some tonearms

@drbond First my compliments on a great thread that hints at how difficult a pathway to truth can be in this crazy but addictive vinyl playback world….

I should have been more precise w my language…. I was referring to the Porter experiment reference earlier this thread….

I guess i somewhat fall into the mists of memory trap @lewm cites having worked many years at several high end shops while flunking in and out of rock bands and various degree granting institutions….. ( we fixed other dealers Rabco but sold nightmare but magic sounding Southers )…

I do have a two arm turntable  project underway…. i could probably cobble together  a quasi valid experiment…. by September and Pac Audio Fest…i’ve great ears coming to visit… serious contrubutors to this thread welcom, if you are around… check swords at the door

@drbond for a measure and listen focus on tonearm design, see the Korf blog / website… i have not heard it… but…. 

@rauliruegas I am down to…. just 4 tonearms…. somewhat reluctant to put that in print… in order of Lew “mist “ density : Dynavector DV-505, Infinity Black Widow, Ortofon RS 309 D and a Triplaner 7 mk2…. Cartridge addiction level requires a non disclosure agreement…. 

"The pivoted offset arm makes one huge compromise for the sake of simplicity and that is it is not tangential."  I would add there is a price to pay for the headshell offset, and that is very high skating force, because of the headshell offset angle.  And that has resulted in another compromise: poorly designed and implemented anti-skate devices (in an attempt to correct for the enhanced skating force) that are only partially or momentarily effective. 

Mijostyn, You have often written that magnetic AS is superior to the string and weight type of AS device, because of reduced friction, I guess associated with the string passing over a support structure.  But this has puzzled me, because if you adjust a string and weight for optimal effect, that process per se accounts for any frictional losses at the fulcum.  With the string and weight, I would guess the AS force is fairly constant over the surface of the LP.  Whereas, with a magnetic design, though I have never looked inside at how they are built, I would imagine that the AS force varies with the distance between the magnet(s) and the ferrous part that is attracted to the magnet, according to an equation where F is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the two attractive elements. (It's complicated but the take home message is that the force would increase as the two elements of an AS corrector based on magnets approach each other.)  I don't honestly know how magnetic AS is built but I have wondered about that.

@mijostyn , good & kind Sir....(*g* ...yes, a 'measured suk-up'.... :) ...)  As many have found, to their perhaps unintended education re dogs....

Pick the breed carefully; esp. if 'tail>dog' is encountered - v - 'dog>tail'....

Long away & far ago:  1st Real TT =  The AR, hold the X...likely a Shure cart of the time....one learned 'Jerry be nimble' (and not drunk or high).

Beyond the Redwood Curtain....Eureka! (literally), the only small hi-fi shop had a Rabco ST-4 on clearance in sealed box for 75$.  

When it worked well, it was marvelous....despite itself.  Arm on a rotating shaft, 3 wheels (main+2 small offset fore & aft of main), keep shaft & wheels Pristine.  Daily. Easy-ish to do, pick arm off shaft, 're-cue' position

....and Gently push Cue....since it was on the 'plinth/base plate' of the entire device, sprung within the wood exterior base.  Push too soft, no rsvp. Push just 'that much, too much' the entire TT would oscillate diagonally.....while the arm descended...

Got good at 'manual damping, stat'

Still have it.  Needs belts, but don't we all.... 😏

I think a version of it was 'adopted' by H-K for their run at linear TTs'.

Stopped self from e-Bay'ng one....

@billstevenson ....further and furtive adventures with My Life with the 

SL-8, no E...know well, Noel. ;)  Still have, still intent on 'getting even' with it.

Yes, I know there's some really nice 'tanges' available....like Sirens on the rocks, they beckon to this sailor.....who still has some reluctance of spending the $ on an audio-vice approaching that of an entry-level car.

If you can, it's your $s' and I'm not opposed. just share with us the nit-gritty-pic about it. *S*👍

@tomic601 ....Yes, like baby birds, too early out of the nest...

"Seee, how they Falllllll...." *L*