Schroeder model 2 or Morch DP6?

Hi Slowhand,

Excellent question. Unfortunately, our shootouts at Cello's have never included a Morch. I'm sorry to say I've never heard one.

The one person I know who has compared them on the same rig is Chris Brady (Teres). He commented briefly on the DP-6 and the Schroeders on the Basis Vector thread that's running currently. I know he thinks well of the top Danish arm, especially at its price point.

Dear Slowhand: +++++ " I am interested in the sonic differences in the 2 arms. " +++++

Those differences depend with which cartridges mates the tonearms, wich TT, with which kind of arm-board ( material ) and of course the musical bias of the person that do the evaluation.

Both tonearms are good ones but the DP-6 has an additional plus: it can handle different effective mass arm wands, this means that it works at its best with almost any cartridge. It is a very well thinking and executed design: Recomended!!!!!!

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Thanks for the responses guys. I am now using a VPI mk4 TT with JMW10 arm and a ZYX Yatra cartridge. I would like to someday go to another TT, but not sure when that will happen.

Hello Slowhand,

When Peter (Redpoint) and I were together, we acquired two DP-6's - with a total of 3 arm wands between us. I used a 9" Precision Red wand exclusively, as I was using Benz cartridges at the time.

Both Peter and I had quite a bit of trouble getting predictable anti-skate behavior with the arm. I've heard this from other individuals whose opinion I respect.

It appeared to me as if the coil spring assembly was hanging up.

I disassembled and cleaned the assembly. This did not improve matters. I always felt as if I was trying to keep a British sports car running when I had this arm in my system.

Now, Peter is a tortured soul when it comes to tonearms. He decided to pick up yet another arm wand for his Moerch - a 12" one.

Peter told me that this transformed the tonearm over a range of cartridges. We don't know what to make of this, because from an effective mass perspective, there was no change.

I have been around enough different tonearms to not buy into the argument of the inherent superiority of longer tonearms. Tracing distortion is only one consideration. Arm tube resonance (and the difficulty in controlling it in a longer wand while maintaining effective mass), bearing loading, etc. also need to be considered.

Perhaps these attributes work in favor of 12" as far as the Moerch is concerned. I can't say ...

I consider the DP-6 (with a 9" wand) to have fairly nice performance at its price point, but when I picked up a used Micro Seiki MA-505 Mk III at a fraction of the Moerch's used selling price, I saw no reason to keep the Moerch. I had learned all that I cared to about the tonearm.

Note that these comments apply only to the DP-6 (in its 9" configuration), and not to the UP-4 tonearm. I think that the UP-4 is an absolutely great buy at it's price point. The DP-6 faces stronger competition, however.

I suppose the main consideration is whether you are purchasing the arm new or used. For a kilobuck or so, the DP-6 is a fairly nice tonearm, although I prefer my Micro MA-505 Mk III to it. Certainly, hell will freeze over before you find a Schröder Model-2 on the used market, so you are looking at a more significant outlay for this arm.

Cheers,
Thom

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Thom,
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I have heard the Schroder Model 2 in my system but not the Moerch. Can you do us the favor of detailing the differences you have heard between the two.
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Thanks,
Larry
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