SME 20/2 & Graham Phantom issue

Hi Jameswei, I'm no expert to provide knowledge and theory behind the geometry of TT and tonearm. You can find of this knowledge in other website. I use Wally protractor to set up my tonearm, it sounds ok to me.
I also find it sounds quite amazingly diferent if I don't use the ring. With the ring, the tonearm is riding stably along the horizontal pane and result in more signal is picked up by cartridge. Most important of all and what I like most is the stable soundstage it gets from using the ring.

If you can't position/anchor your tonearm on top of the platter spindle (as per manual installation instruction), then the angle of your cartridge isn't placed in the best postion on the platter.

I suggest you call Bob Granham to discuss your problem. I tell you, if your tonearm and cartridge is set up properly, you get sharp and focus image, detail with good extension (assuming your speaker is placed properly and synchronies with your room acoustic). Use Carol Kidd All My Tommorrow Lp to check your center image focus. Her voice should be small relative to your overall soundstage image.

Hi Samleung,

Thanks for the follow through.

I agree with your assessment of the benefits of the ring clamp. I like it too!

Perhaps I miss your point about the positioning of the tonearm. You are certainly right to say that the tonearm should be able to rotate the cartridge so that it is over the spindle. My tonearm does that fine. The tonearm pivot is at the right place on the plinth, and the cartridge is mounted in the cartridge shell in the right place.

The question I think we have been asking is whether it matters where the ARMREST is located. I mean, when you are not playing a record and the arm is at rest on its armrest support, at that time is the arm pointing straight out toward the front of the turntable or is it pointing slightly inward toward the spindle or slightly outward, away from the spindle? My opinion is that it doesn't make a real difference, especially since the angle is small.

Again, I am interested in your view. If you have a better idea of this matter, I'd appreciate it if you let us know.

I have been analyzing the Phantom and the armrest position appears to effect the antiskate start point of the tonearm. So it does have an effect. I have 3 arms so I can use the either of my other 2 arms w. the Phantom armrest moved aside. I just need to readjust the Phantom each time. I agree about using a longer armwand to allow you to use the outer ring. I wonder if it compromises the arm to some extent. I doubt it tough as my Schroder is a 10.5inch & the Ikeda is a 9 inch. There is an interesting write up from Frank Schroder re: arm lenghts elsewhere. He explains some of the benefits and compromises. One of the great things about the Phantom is that it is incredibly easy to setup.

Is the elongated version for the VPI the same? Do you use the spindle and the plastic cover to determine arm distance? Do you still use the setup jig to setup the cartridge?