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Should I keep my Well tempered tonearm?

I have had this arm for years. I am currently in the middle of getting an oracle Delphi MKIII. My alexandria it was on has had it, and its not logical to repair what needs replacement.

I have always had mistracking issues with this tonearm and whatever cartridge. I just sold a Grado Sonata, which may have been a mistake. I have tried multiple cartridges (read 4 different known good units) and never seem to get it right.

I ordered the protractor from stanalog because I am concerned that its incorrectly set overhang causing mistracking. When I say mistracking I mean sibalence.

I have played with every possible setting and never had it setup to my satisfaction.

Honestly, I am sick of screwing around with this arm. I am about ready to get rid of it and get something different.

The manual isn't all that great as far as installation instructions either. It lists that you mount the cart and set overhang by twisting the arm mounting until the stylus lines up with the overhang circle. This makes no sense to set overhang with an arbitrary cartridge mounting arrangement.

Sorry if this seems like a rant, but I am very frustrated and annoyed with this arm. I just want to listen to good sounding clean music. Not dirty sibalence.

Thanks guys, your input would be appreciated. I would likely have to buy an arm that is priced close to what the WTT is worth used because I won't have a ton of money left over.

Evan

BTW, I put a 10x5 on a thorens turntable and could listen to that all day compared to my setup.
240z4u
gvoth
32 posts
 
You perhaps need to replace your set screw… my azimuth also wavered until I got a replacement from Mike Pranka at Dynavector. He has a small cache of original WT small parts. Great guy.
daveyf's avatar
daveyf
2,857 posts
 
Thanks Gvoth. However, I don't see how replacing the set screw...which I believe adjusts the VTA only and NOT the azimuth will help here. The basic problem that the WTA has is that the monofilament line can can adjust as the float changes position in the silicone fluid. Although, since I had my arm professionally set up by a great tech at the end of last year, I haven't touched the azimuth adjustment and it seems to be still spot on.
audio_candy
13 posts
 

It seems you have built up a prejudice for this tonearm (understandably so) I would sell it and get something else like a Jelco 750D and have no hassles. Then you can just enjoy the music
gvoth
32 posts
 
On the original black arm with calipers, there is a nylon set screw that is accessed from the rear of the table, behind the black azimuth knob. On my WTT, this screw needed replacement after the azimuth began wandering often. Once replaced, the azimuth is again rock solid.

While the WTRP seems to not offer a to skate, you can rotate the paddle to add or remove anti skate influence. I did this on the WT arm tube I adapted to the Simplex esthetic.

I completed my12" WT arm clone, again adapting the Simplex suspension design, put a full twist in the fishing line and am running the arm in underhand with the Sumiko BP parallel to the arm. It sounds really quite good. I hear no distortion and the arm to very dynamic.

Admittedly, with my clone, there is an issue with running a partial twist and in overhang that I think is due to the 3/8" grommet I used spreading the fishing line too widely, adding too much anti skate. I've seen other clones using the same-sized grommet on a 3/8" d suspension arm - most seem to add the full twist in the line, which negates most of the inherent anti skate force. I will add a 1/4" d arm to the pillar and a smaller grommet to confirm my suspicion.

After reading reviews of the Viv Rigid Float arm, I tried running in underhang with the cartridge mounted parallel to the arm tube and love what I hear. I believe Firebaugh himself said the WT arm runs somewhat in underhang and might not conform to other alignment protractors.
gvoth
32 posts
 
I have had a Well Tempered Turntable since 1990 - now sporting the clamp and LP Labs arm - adapted a WT arm tube to Simplex esthetic with golf ball, grommet, etc, built another clone of the arm and just bought a WTRP off eBay being sold for parts that I'm getting a DC thread belt motor built for. You might say I like the Well Tempered design! While there are issues that crop up from time to time, I love the music I hear.
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