Graham Phantom vs Triplaner

Larry, Yes, Mr Wilson puts the stuff out there. He can afford it. Or can't afford not to. Mr Mai cannot afford to give or loan. Yes, it is probably the most idiot proof design out there, works with anything, and does not cost the moon. Sounds like a good recipe to me. All that, and a great guy to do business with. Sign me up! Z.

Yes, Tri Mai is a nice guy, and so was the founder Herb Papier. I've also met Victor Conti from Vector. It seems like a lot of the people involved in tonearm design are great guys who are passionate about their work.

I am a bit leery of the whole business of people needing to establish which is "the best," treating everything as some kind of competition. I've heard a lot of different and good setups using a wide range of arms -- Shroeder Reference, Kuzma (tangential/air bearing), Vector, Naim Aro, SME, Moerch, Graham Phantom, etc. I've heard the same cartridge (Transfiguration Orpheus) in different arms in the same system.

As a general observation, when one is using an arm that is compatible with a particular cartridge, among very well designed arms, the differences are slight as compared to the difference in sound from changing cartridges or the turntable itself. That actually argues in favor of the easy-to-use arms (Graham, Triplanar). I say "slight" in comparison, but, differences are notable and certainly worth considering. But, these kinds of differences fall into the category of system tuning, personal preferences, etc. and so nothing suggests one is better than the other.

D, Harry is one of this industries true characters. Loves hi-fi. Loves to make stuff. I am actually a bit concerned that retirement looms. I could be wrong, since for the first time in a long time, VPI was present at a show. Sheila was manning a little table in the room Grundman was hanging out in. At The Show. I bought one of his very first products, a suspended plinth and base for a Denon DD motor. This was 1981, I think. I like the work in progress thing, as harry doesn't have the formal education that obviously isn't required if one keeps an ear to the ground and an open mind (I'm thinking of a member withOUT these attributes). The flip side to this is an upgrade program. Great for dealers and end users alike. See if you can get that sprocket painted gloss black. Might look OK. LMK. Z.

Larry,you are "SOOOOO" right!!!

Right on Larry. The time I spent with AJ this year was a hoot! BTW, he owns a company called Basis. He makes turntables. VERY good turntables. SOTA, even. Logic dictates, his Vector follows suit. Couldn't agree more on the "best" issue, ( I quote mfgrs and rags in my statement that "three arms are mentioned...) But as you may have noticed, I do take exception to the close minded, the arrogant and the stubborn. Proposing that the best one can afford is "best" is, well, ignorance. No bueno. The best one can afford is nothing more, and nothing less, than the best one can afford. You also nailed it, as far as the basic character remaining. Tuning and tweaking are the finishing touches, not night and day. Finite changes mean much more at the tippy top. A quality arm design will, in fact, accommodate many, many, carts. The three that are always mentioned meet this design parameter, absolutely. Z.