SME V, Tri-Planar or Phantom B-44

Dgad,of course I(being the yenta that I am)LOVE this kind of posting,from you!In no way do I doubt your findings,and hope my comments are taken as just hobbyspeak.

The truth is,from my own experience(in my set ups over the years)as well as friends' systems.....there is such a huge chasm of differing performance parameters that we all MUST overcome(individually)that it's hard to make blanket statements.

I don't accuse you,or anyone of this,but "BOY"....I've been to friends' homes whose systems literally did an about-face in specific performance areas,when someting as supposedly insignificant as a "fuse" was changed for a better one....A slight azimuth change,a tube change,a cable change,a speaker placement change,sub roll off change,on and on!I went into withdrawal when a friend sold his Air Tangent arm,and originally got far lower performance from the unipivot replacement.Months later,the UNI got a much better set-up(from another hobbyist/friend),and BOOM.... "fabulosity"!!...Yet...

The truth is,even the "cute and popular" little stylus force pressure guage many of us now use(I do),which has become so popular,and is advertised by Acoustic Sounds as "The Accutech"(over priced "there" btw)is NOT accurate,from the latest info I've come across.

The VTF guage is inaccurate to about .05 gms,and though many folks do/should voice this by ear,there are those who simply set to a "desired" vtf,if it falls into some kind of sefety zone,and "is good enough sounding"!...There are alot of folks where "good enough" is the FINAL STOP!

What can I say?Even I have no clue(as of now)if my series two arm is any better than the series one,and in truth I don't care...Why?Because we get far too "into" the techno crap,and forget that ALL the answers to our sonic questions lie on the LP's!We talk far too little about the great software,and how to approach great LP's differently,other than throwing new toys at them.Do we "really" know how the best discs sound...at their "best"?Only one way to approch this,from my perspective.

If we know what they "should" sound like,we are way ahead of the game.....There exists a useful alternative to hobbyspeak by "us",as well as industry folks/reviewers opinions!You've really got to take these discs over to some very good/reliable outside set-ups,to learn how well we "do" these individualy....

Sometimes it gets ugly!I've done this like a zillion times.Often not being so pleased with what I thought was "good enough" in my own set up.Spent serious moola too.

If we know what truly accurately reproduced music sounds like on many of our reference discs(which comes into focus quite well,once you start to drag these LP's over to other set-ups...to learn something interesting,and I hope this makes sense),the better LP's will tell us everything we need to know,and this business(though I admit to loving it)of the newest comparison componentry/gadget revealing the "N'th degree" of "some" kind of parameter will be rather insignificant.

Just my 2 cents

Hi Speedy and Dgad and also Raul. Good to see you all back!
I agree with you Dgad about the differing experiences and sound which can be derived from identical components......just listen to the horrors at HiFi shows with expensive exotic equipment. All I was pointing out was that, if we accept this fact, how do we reconcile the descriptions and conclusions of any components review?
If the reviewer claims a component to be good in his testing yet we ourselves have heard it to sound poorly, what are we to think?
And yet in this case (and always with Raul), when a component is preferred over another by a consensus, there are those who claim "mismatch, poor set-up etc".
It seems to me that if poor sound can always be blamed on poor set-up or compatibility, what you are really saying is that there are no 'lesser' nor 'better' components?

My dealer got a Phantom2 a couple of weeks back to put on his raven AC. He had previously had a Phantom and liked it very much.

Much to his horror when he removed the VPI 10.5 and put on the Phantom2 he indicated it was not a step forward. yes the Phantom2 was more detailed, yet at the same time analytical and hifi( not 3d) sounding similar to some of the complaints of Bob's older arm's.

He found the VPI 10.5 musically more satisfying.

He sold the entire unit 3 days after setting up the Phantom2, so maybe the new wiring needed for burn in time and/or he need to play with the fluid more.

Anyone else had an opportunity to compare both??

Firstly,very good point Halcro.Fuel for thought.

Secondly,Downunder "THAT" scares me!!!...

You of all people know (I assume) of the problems I had been having(if I was totaly honest,and actually named names, and was more specific as to the problems which developed from "amazing" lack of concern,many would be shocked,but I'm not going there.....even though the "ineptitude" and lack of caring still peeves me)...

I've been "guaranteed" that this weekend my "final piece" of my audio system will come from the West Coast.I need it to finish off my set-up,and "should" have a far superior "rig" than before(I've made quite a few improvements/mods while awaiting some things to work out)....BUT...I am absolutely paranoid that something will go wrong AGAIN!!

The industry has demonstrated to me,it is not close to where it was just a few years ago,with regards to competence,and customer support....At THESE prices,it is a shame!!!

SHEEESH!!!

So...I've got my new Phantom Series II completely set-up,but without actually hearing it!...I set up the original Phantom I,for a friend,and know it very well.It was superb,and he too is upgrading to the series II!Basically because he's competitive,and likes to keep abreast of the latest stuff.

In my case,it was circumstances that got me to the Series II.I've only got 12 hours on my Orpheus.All on my long since missed Graham 2.2 BUT....

I've had numerous conversations with Bob Graham,over the last few months.He knows what he is doing!!He has demonstrated to me that he is a concerned mfgr,and I'd be shocked if it worked out the way you describe.I'd have to down a case of Rock Bare Shiraz if so -:)

Originally HP of TAS was enthusiastic about the Titanium wand,but there are other changes to the arm which should/could put it over the series I.The wand is only one change.

I do find the newer arm to "appear" more finely made in some areas.Especially the better precision of the bearing screw cap teethe,which allow for much more precision when screwing in the bearing cap.I was not crazy about the older tolerences here.

Also,the cue lift bar seems to magnetically "lock" into place,in the downward position.This is "cute",and could very well allow for les "rattle"/noise(if any) during play.

The inner cabling has supposedly been improved,and I "think" the magna-glide feature is improved.

I'll definitely find out "very soon",but.... WHATEVER I POST IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS....take with a healthy grain of salt,because I will be "SO HAPPY" to listen to all my fabulous(the "one" thing I am certain of)Lp's again,that virtually "anything" resembling music will be great...to my ears!!

Take my comments more seriously around December or January,when I start to realize I have issues again -:)

Get it? -:)

BTW, I have heard from several users who have compared the version I and II and say that the arms are more alike than they are different. In one case the arm was subjected to a cable cooker prior to use. He describes the "house sound" of the Phantom II is the same as Phantom I. Apparently, the Phantom II is a little quicker and more detailed without much change to the body and smoothness the Phantom I is known for.

Maybe the dealer referred to by Downunder did not give it enough time for burn-in and/or optimization.