Comparison of sonic qualities of some tonearms

@pindac
All of my components get serviced every 5 to 15 years, depending.

The tonearm has been serviced and functions as it is designed to.

People who manufacture tables and arms say that with proper maintenance, old components can last a lifetime.

The owner of VPI talked me out of spending $5,000 and out of upgrading to a classic from an HW: he said that the HW MK IV is as good as the classic and the bearing is designed to last forever. Not to be too on-the-nose about it, but that was $5K he could have made from me; instead, he told me to spend it on the wife. So, he clearly disagrees with you: since he has been building tables for almost 50 years, why should I trust you more than him?

I recently had two guests over from Israel (I studiously avoided politics for an evening): one is a repeat visitor but who hadn’t been over since Jon rebuilt the amps, and the other was his dad who had just flown in. His dad is a year younger than me.

For two hours, I played some of their favorite music, as well as some surprises. For two hours, on almost every song after song, I would drop the needle in the groove and watch them clasp their hands over their heads and faces in astonishment and disbelief: they could not believe what they were hearing. At the end, the dad gets up, gives me this enormous bear hug that only Mediterranean types are capable of, thanks me again and again and says "When I die and go to heaven, I am going to ask God to send me here".

Btw, my speakers are a mere year younger than him: they are 68 years old.

Do you REALLY think I would not give attention to maintenance?

Oy vey iz mir. 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄

@unreceivedogma I very much know how a Social Get Together with a audio system in use for the listening to music, as the main topic on the agenda, is truelly good for ones spirit.

I participate in such activities regular and am a active individual extending invitation and meeting new like minded enthusiasts on regular occasion.

My local Audio Group are keen to put on a Weekend of a Social Activity extending invites to the Wider Audio community, and I have now found a Ideal Venue for this that has a wonderful acoustic produced in the space, as a result of  Multi Faceted Ceiling that is continuous in gaining Height within the Space to be used for Listening, there are also Tie Rods used for ceiling structure that are approx' 10" above floor level, so a light weight absorption or diffusion can be suspended to further treat the space.

Note: at no time did my post suggest that your equipment was without service, I was not given any indication that the equipment you are using was without a service.

  I was commenting on my experiences of seeing what lies under the hood of a variety of Audio Equipment that has a mechanical interface as part of the design and has a long term history of being produced.

If one really wants an eye opener, have a look at the images that can be found of Cart's that are only a few years old and been sent to a Third Party Repair service that Photo Documents  the before and after work. There are Cart's that appear to be so heavily contaminated, the crud looks like it could have been from usage in Sand / Dust Storm.

There is also the degrade of the critical materials caused by moisture or UV. Dampers looking like they have been eaten away on the side that has received th most UV exposure and Rust Particles (shorting risk, rusted or not) when collected  on Coils, or even Verdigris oxidation seen on Copper Coils.

To the individual with a keenness to experience Vinyl Replays at a high level of quality for the end sound, these conditions that can speedily manifest are a condition needing to be avoided.

There are third party services that do recommend a dehumidifier is used, I have often though maybe a inclusion of a recycling air filter as well, with a micron type filter screen.    

@pindac
The cartridges - Koetsu Onyx and Rosewood Signature - get re-tipped and refurbished regularly. I understand that the grit that inevitably gets inside the cartridge can itself get electrically charged and stress and even break the coils.

I used to have Van den Hul do it, but I have been giving this work over to Steve at VAS in Cliffwood of late who has done a better than fine job on his first swings at each of the cartridges, especially the Rosewood.

As to humidity, the entire 1865 4.5 story brick townhouse based on a Calvert Vaux #5 design that we renovated and restored from top (the .5 floor attic that the audio room takes up [actually .3: 23 x 14]) to bottom gets fresh air 24/7 through an ERV conditioning system. If anything, the air is on the too-dry side. The entire room surface - walls and ceiling with rock wool and burlap, the floors with moroccan rugs - itself is acoustically insulated and is semi-anechoic.

I am not nearly as obsessive as many of the people in this group, but I have been at this for 56 years since I built my own Dyna 70 when I was 14 and I know where I am going (actually, I have arrived there, finally) based on a particular philosophical approach and my financial means.

See theaudioatticvinylsundays.com http://theaudioatticvinylsundays.com

I see there is a virtual community on offer, that has a popularity and is followed. I like to see this type of thing and am encouraging of it, individuals with a interest in audio spend way too much time being insular and not experiencing much more than what they have. With nothing to use as a gauge/measure how is an individual able to ascertain if their design for a system is one that parallels others worthy of being experienced and mentioned.

I've created a Thread not too long ago, to show others within the Forum that like minded individuals can be encountered on particular dates throughout the month. What follows on from such encounters is what one makes of it.

If you missed it have a look.

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