Hi all, just a reiteration of a previous rave on piece of vintage audio: the fabulous MAS 282 tonearm!! After playing with the Sonus and the Audio Technica ATP-12, both of which came close to the JMW-10.5/Ortofn Jubilee combo, I mounted the MAS and set my Grado Woody up on that. Once again this combo SLAMMED, with bass which might in fact be more powerful than the fab JMW/Jubilee combo (and even the high-end experts agree the Jubilee may have the best bass in the business), and which in terms of dynamics is absolutely rivetting, along with the sense of togetherness/gestalt and PRaT. But then I set up the Ortofon M15E Super MM (the leading and first cartridge in the VMS range, though VMS is not in the moniker), which seemed to surpass even the Grado Statement Master for resolution, if not for the Wowie-Zowie Decca-like sense of excitement. In fact, the MAS/M15 combo came closest so far to the JMW/Jubilee combo in terms of detail/resolution/transparency, surpassing even the Mighty RS-A1 Denon DL-103E combo!!! I used a live recording of Carmen MacRae, and only the JMW/Ortofon and MAS/Ortofon M15E/or MAS/Grado managed to resolve the crowd and associated back-stage and stage noises (recorded in a club).
What's truly interesting is that the MAS uses a technique patented by none other than Lenco: the rubber-decoupled counterweight end-stub, though done to a higher and more solid standard than that which came with the Lenco L782 and L75s. Obviously, the whole device is to a higher standard than the Lenco tonearms. Having done some research as to why this arm was so good, I discovered the design was done by the designer of the Linn tonearms, Mr. Ito, whose specialty was most specifically bearings, and the MAS bearings are superb. Ito gave his name the Ittok and the Akito tonearms. Now, these arms are alternately respected and dismissed, and perhaps the MAS tonerarm is a bit of a fortuitous luck, being the result of combining a low-mass (but very stiff and strong arrangement, apparently a sturdy graphite tonearm tube and sturdy/strong plastic headshell) with the Lenco's decoupled counterweight design, the bearings doing the last bit to extract even better detail than the unipivot Sonus, which should in fact be borderline impossible (especially considering the Sonus is rewired with my favourite Cardas/Petra combo, soldered, while the MAS has the original internal wiring and removable headshell, and so should be at a disadvantage)!!
Back when I had tracked down a case of fifty, but in the end I only found and sold a few, but those who have these need to replace the crappy tonearm cable which comes with them and substitute something better, and try quality MMs with them. To reiterate, so far the biggest surprise in vintage tonearms I have experienced are these MAS 282 tonearms!
Next up, the Rega on an Ipe tonearm board (a very heavy exotic wood I'm hoping will surpass my fave walnut and give the Rega a leg up) and the lovely Athena Technologies SP-3 three-way top-of-the-line speakers (but still budget ;-), if unavailable). Have fun all!
What's truly interesting is that the MAS uses a technique patented by none other than Lenco: the rubber-decoupled counterweight end-stub, though done to a higher and more solid standard than that which came with the Lenco L782 and L75s. Obviously, the whole device is to a higher standard than the Lenco tonearms. Having done some research as to why this arm was so good, I discovered the design was done by the designer of the Linn tonearms, Mr. Ito, whose specialty was most specifically bearings, and the MAS bearings are superb. Ito gave his name the Ittok and the Akito tonearms. Now, these arms are alternately respected and dismissed, and perhaps the MAS tonerarm is a bit of a fortuitous luck, being the result of combining a low-mass (but very stiff and strong arrangement, apparently a sturdy graphite tonearm tube and sturdy/strong plastic headshell) with the Lenco's decoupled counterweight design, the bearings doing the last bit to extract even better detail than the unipivot Sonus, which should in fact be borderline impossible (especially considering the Sonus is rewired with my favourite Cardas/Petra combo, soldered, while the MAS has the original internal wiring and removable headshell, and so should be at a disadvantage)!!
Back when I had tracked down a case of fifty, but in the end I only found and sold a few, but those who have these need to replace the crappy tonearm cable which comes with them and substitute something better, and try quality MMs with them. To reiterate, so far the biggest surprise in vintage tonearms I have experienced are these MAS 282 tonearms!
Next up, the Rega on an Ipe tonearm board (a very heavy exotic wood I'm hoping will surpass my fave walnut and give the Rega a leg up) and the lovely Athena Technologies SP-3 three-way top-of-the-line speakers (but still budget ;-), if unavailable). Have fun all!