Best Cartridge for VPI Aries orig + JMW 10.5 ?

According to his 6/16 post, TWL never used a JMW arm with a Denon cartridge. Nor presumably with any low compliance cartridge. Nor at all. That being the case, why would anyone pay any attention to what he has to say about this combination? His argument is pseudoscience gone astray.

Art Dudly, who is acknowledged as an analog expert, has actually tried the combination and says the Denon 103/JMW 10 (It WAS the 103, not the 103D) combination offers great performance. I concur based on experience. It is also an extremely cost effective duo.

Melm, when you learn something about tonearm design, let me know. Then we might be able to have a productive discussion.

FYI, I HAVE used a DL103 on many different tonearms, but only an idiot would even try one on a JMW. If you think that this is not a problem, maybe you should try talking to Harry about it. Do you think Harry would introduce a set of optional outriggers to handle cartridges of low compliance, if they weren't needed? He says that the outriggers are needed for even cartridges of 9cu like the Shelter and Koetsu. He doesn't even try to mention the 103 at 5cu.

My only comment to your(and Art's) use of a 103 on a JMW is, that you don't know what a 103 sounds like when it is in a proper arm for it, or you would not have made statements as you did. Just because it makes sound doesn't mean it is good in the arm. It is people like you, who will throw any cartridge into any arm, and hope it sounds right, that makes getting into analog needlessly difficult and problematic for beginners. I think the JMW is a fine arm with the right cartridges. Unfortunately for you and Art, the 103 is NOT the right cartridge.

The JMW is neither the correct mass, nor stable enough for a 103, and that is a plain fact.

I see this very commonly, especially with JMW users. They think that just because they bought an expensive nice arm, that it can be used "willy-nilly" with any cartridge, without any concern for matching. Well, I'm sorry, but that is not the way it works.

Like I said, try spending about 30 years learning about this subject, and maybe we can talk then.

So Art Dudley put a Denon 103 on a JMW 10 and it sounded great. But Art Dudley doesn't know what a 103 sounds like? And Art is an "idiot" for even trying? But Twl knows the truth-doesn't he?

[In case anyone doesn't know who Art is, he wrote for the Absolute Sound and then ran and edited the very informative "Listner" magazine and is now a monthly columnist for Stereophile. Most of us consider him extremely knowledgeable, especially regarding analog reproduction.]

And I used a Denon 103 for an extended period on a first class arm with traditional bearings, and I am sure it sounded better on the JMW that I have now. But I don't know what a 103 sounds like? And I am an "idiot" for even trying? But Twl knows the truth-doesn't he?.

But you, the great Twl, have never used a Denon 103 on a JMW arm. But you DO know what that combination sounds like. What impeccable logic. Yuccch!

And you, the great Twl, think Art or I would throw any cartridge on any arm simply because we have found the 103 and the original JMW arms to sound very good, a proposition definitely shared by VPI by the way.

The "outriggers" for your information are part of the 1X.5 upgrade, and will probably make any appropriate cartridge sound better, as upgrades are designed to do. The original JMW arms have a VERY heavy upper bearing circular weight well below the bearing and already provide much of what the relatively small 1X.5 "outriggers" provide.

Some people can spend 30 years trying to learn something and then prove by what they say or write that they haven't succeeded in learning anything. What a waste of 30 years.

Twl sounds like a hi fi salesman; he's got all the buzz words. He just doesn't put them together correctly.

There is only one final test, friend; that is to listen!

Melm, go ahead and use the combo. I don't care. The person asked about it, I told him what I thought.

I do realize what this is all about though. I've read the other posts regarding this on the other forum(AA), and your panties are in a wad because you didn't like what I said about the JMW arm. Too bad. I stand by what I said, and it is correct, regardless of your rantings and ravings to the contrary. I know that you came over here from AA for the express purpose of picking a fight with me over this. Just because you are in love with VPI, doesn't mean that it works ideally with every cartridge known to man. I reviewed your posts over there, and the vast majority of them read exactly like a VPI salesman.

But, if you think it does work well with a 103, then by all means, you can use it. I notice that none of the other tonearm brand users get their noses out of joint when somebody mentions a cartridge that doesn't match them well. They all realize that nothing is perfect for everything. But JMW users seem to be overly sensitive about this, and often take the opinion that this(JMW) is some kind of perfect arm that defies all known laws of physics. It's not, and it doesn't. It has good and bad points just like any other arm.

BTW, the smaller outriggers are not needed to be large because the inertia increases by a square of the distance from the pivot. Conversely, even a relatively larger mass at a point close to the pivot will have less effect. This is well demonstrated by the fact that the outriggers were added for the stated purpose. I'm certain Harry is aware of the math, and that is the reason for the size of the outriggers.

Your personal attacks on me are getting tiresome. If you wanted to make your point about disagreeing with me on the matchup, you've made your point. You are entitled to it, as am I. If you want to start some kind of personal vendetta against me because I didn't bow down at the VPI JMW altar, then we have something else to deal with altogether.

Any other simmilar posts to this anybody can hip me to?
chazzbo