Why the sudden popularity of 12 inch arms

BTW,one doesn't have to own the absolute "latest/best measuring/highest tech level" stuff to get "fabulous" sound!
I've heard many(domestic settings)systems that had somewhat retro equipment which just "HAD IT",in a very musical way!!The owner/hobbyists knew what they wanted to accomplish,and modded,and voiced these systems to a stunning level of enjoyment.There are MANY systems of this nature that actually embarrass some of the newer,highly regarded set-ups being marketed today.
Of course with a good amount of understanding,and alot of cash you will still do extremely well with todays TOP stuff,but it does not negate the legitimacy of MANY classic designs.....Think "Marantz 10B",as an example.
Also,if one reads Raul's equip listing,and his steps to eek out the best from his set-up,I'd bet it is darn good sounding!..Just some thoughts.
Best

Dear Halcro: Thank you to give all of us the opportunity to talk and understand about:

+++++ " Yes, today we have different/advanced body cartridge materials, different cantilever build materials, different stylus shape/profile, different, different,,,,different, but the quality sound reproduction is almost the same with cartridges build 30+ years ago and this is a fact. The same occur with TT’s and tonearms. Is sad to speak in this way but it is what we have today. Please, I’m not saying that some cartridges designs don’t grow up because they did it, example: Koetsu they today Koetsu’s are better performers that the old ones but against other cartridges the Koetsu ones don’t advance and many old and today cartridges MM/MC beat them " +++++

this is what I posted in other thread along with this:

+++++ " Where I think the audio industry grow-up for the better are in electronic audio items ( like the Phonolinepreamps ), speakers and room treatment " +++++, and I can add: cables. I'm still supporting those statements.

Now, you states: +++++ " In my experience, the greatest advances in analogue playback have occurred in just the last 10 years with arms, cartridges and turntables! " +++++,
that is totally contrary to my statements ( and there is nothing wrong with that. ).

We can take a look to the " today " analog gear design against some " old " designs, examples:

Triplanar design ( I already heard some samples of this tonearm even in my own system. ), IMHO this " today " design is a very old one that over the last years had/has some mods but the main design does not change.

SME, this " today " ( that I own ) very good design is a real " old " one. Do you know how much years has it?

Morch, this " today " ( that I own ) design " comes from an " old " Japanese Highphonic tonearm design.

Graham. this " today " very good tonearm comes from the Japanese Audiocraft " old " design. Btw, if I can remember the Phantom use a magnetic design for the antiskating, well: do you know that the Lustre GST-801 ( that I own ) not only has a magnetic antiskating but a magnetic VTF too? and the Lustre is a 30+ tonearm design!!!!!

VPI, comes from SAEC.

Brickmann, comes from the " old " Swiss Breuer.

and I can go on an on!!!!!!!!

IMHO only the Schroeder is a real new ( very good and clever bearing design ) tonearm design, oh yes the WT too.

New build materials in the " today " tonearms?, well IMHO many " old " tonearm designs were the ones that start with " new " materials that many of " today " ones are using it: ceramic? SAEC, Titanium?, Technics, Boron/Titanium? Technics, carbon fibre? MS, wood? Grace, etc, etc.

Do you know that no one ( other than Schroeder ) of today tonearms can even the Technics EPA-100MK2 so low bearing friction?, far from there and perhaps this is ( overall ) the tonearm to beat for any " today " tonearms. Do you know all the technology design ( at every design level ) that this Technics use?: bearing, build material, damping, etc, etc, IMHO no one " today " tonearm is near it and this Technics is a stellar performer.
BTW, do you already try/tested it with your today audio system?, please do it.

+++++ " To compound the problems I have with you, all your arms appear to have readily interchangeable headshells which presumably have plug-in electrical contacts? " +++++

well the Graham and Morch comes with the same " problem " design. Btw, there is no perfect audio item ( including tonearms ) and you have to choose your own trade-offs, almost always!!!

+++++ " Your most 'modern' turntable appears to be the Acoustic Solid from Germany. I have heard their Mambo and I'm sorry to tell you that this is not comparable to the Raven AC, Continuum Caliburn or Criterion nor the Walker Procsenium or Rockport Sirius. " +++++

I totally agree with you if you compare the Acoustic Signature/Acoustic Solid with out any kind of isolation on it.
I already posted somewhere that the Acoustic Signature comes with a heavy/terrible isolation problems but if you make your part on this audio game and find how isolate it then the AS is a top performer and a very clever ( bearing and power supply ) design.

I already heard ( in very good audio systems ) all the TTs you named but the Continuum, are very good ones and perhaps the best today examples but the " old " ones like Micro Seiki 5000/8000 or the SZ-1TVS+SZ-1M ( this one is a statement of TT by any today standard ), Nakamichi TX-1000 ( its center record computer technology is very far from any today TTs, well no one of today TT builders care about!!!!!!! This TX-1000 TT technology is UNIQUE all over the analog gear world!!!!!!!! ), do you already try it with your today audio system? or the Micro Seikis? well I did, Technics SP-10MK2 and MK3 ( I own it ), Final Paruthenon?, do you know it? a 1984 design: stellar performer!!!! , Yamaha GT-200X, Denon DP-100, etc, etc
All these " old " designs compete and could beat many of the today ones including yours.

Cartridges?, well other of what you can read here:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1200430667&read&3&4&

I can tell you that many " old " MC cartridges not only even the best today cartridges but some can/could beat them.
Examples: Goldbug MS Brier, Victor MC L-1000, Sao Win SMC 10, Audio technica AT1000, FR MC-702, Ortofon MC 2000, etc, etc.
How many of these cartridges do you already heard in your today system? how many of the ones that I named in the MM thread?
Btw, the last one today cartridge that I tested in my system was the Air Tight PC-1.

+++++ " Your claim that the old technology of arms is as good as, if not better than the new, is demonstrably false just as your beliefs that the older cartridges (both MM and MC)are legitimately comparable to the newer LOMCs. " +++++

I don't think so because I can prove it, what I think ( IMHO ) is that you can't prove what you posted!!!!!

+++++ " seems to me to indicate that the sound you are able to extract from the vinyl is decidedly second rate. " +++++

well you can't prove this either but if you take that long flight to America and hear it you will be just shocked!! and could have a very nice " new " music/sound experience.

Sirspeedy posted:
+++++ " One just has to look at the better(quite a few)cartridges,and with a good table(there are many),and tonearm(quite a few "decent" choices,too)the serious vinyl hobbyist/collector can have a field-day at his/her local used record store!!!
Too much fun for one lifetime!!! " +++++

and I agree with him but that statement does not means that the quality sound reproduction is better than with those " very old " analog designs ( tonearms/cartridges/TTs ).

Dear Halcro, like some Agoner told me: " High end is who you are, not what you buy ".

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Raul,
Thank you for pointing out the derivations of certain pivoted arms.
As there are basically 2 commercially successful methods to achieve the pivoted arm principle (unipivot and double gimbel bearings...the Schroeder double magnet bearing is still essentially a unipivot), and as there are hundreds of different models and/or manufacterers over the last 30 years alone, it seems reasonable that they are all variations on a theme.
It's like saying all turntables are derived from the belt-driven platter, the direct-drive platter or the idler-wheel drive.
In other words...it's not telling us anything!
OK Raul, I have a 30 year old Technics 1200 with Nagaoka MP11 MM cartridge and you would be amazed at how it sounds. It will easily equal the sound of all the new high priced turntables/arms/cartridges available today.
Come to my place and hear....you will be surprised....you can try it?
And please stop using that ' Agoner' quote??......it has no meaning in either English OR Spanish!

Dear Halcro: +++++ " ...it's not telling us anything! " +++++

well, IMHO I think that today are " different " TT/tonearm/cartridge gear but unfortunately those "different " does not give us a bettter quality performance.

Seriously, I would like to travel to your lovely country but I can't do it.

The Agoner' quote: maybe has several interpretations, what I understand is that the know-how and audio/music experiences can/could be more important that buy high price ( new kid on the block ) audio items with out that know-how.
Of course that if you have an in deep know-how and you are wealthy then things could happen more easy and faster ( I'm talking about achieving audio system stellar performance. )

Dear Halcro, Sirspeedy put that subject in the right perspective.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Raul, while everybody appreciates your enthusiasm, it sure does seem to be difficult to get you to benefit from more knowledgeable members. You posted that only the manufacturers could answer the OP. I suggest you do call or write to Tri Mai. Mr. Triplanar, as I'm sure you know. This gentleman is perhaps one of the nicest, most affable, most knowledgeable folks I know in the business. He could most certainly explain the differences that have lead to dramatic improvements to a tonearm you claim is no better now than 20 years ago. Will you believe him? Next, I suggest a phone call to Mr. George Merrill. I'm sure that name rings a bell? He would be happy to talk to you. There may not be another person on the planet who is more qualified to help you get the most from your vintage equipment. He can also explain why, and which components have come the farthest in the last thirty years. The average age of most of your system. I look forward to hearing from you after the conversations! Z.