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A question for Graham owners

Hello guys,

I'm going to buy a Graham Phantom arm but I have had a very good offer over a preowned Graham 2.2t/c in mint conditions.
I have read the Stereophile review about the Phantom with inside the comparisons with the 2.2t
Well .. we know the use of the MintLP Best Tractor can reduce the difference (gap) between the two arms.. surely more than using the Graham Jig on both , like the reviewer did.
Now the question : Anyone here has been able to verify the difference between the two arms in the best MintLP conditions?

It would be interesting for me to understand if the old Graham 2.2t/c could be a good "sonical" deal over the higher price of the new Phantom.

Thanks to everyOne for suggestions/opinions

Cheers,

Curio
128x128curio
audiolui
295 posts
 
I am with Dougdeacon. I am not here to defend the Phantom. Most likely the cause of mistracking is from the cartridge.

A good case in point. I mounted a new cartridge (quite expensive)on the Phantom I and it sounded great until it rode on one passage where it was the most dynamic on that track and the cartrdige sounded distorted and almost skipped that passage. Of course, I didn't blame the Phantom, I adjusted the VTA and wow, the distorted sound was gone and no mistracking at all. It is very easy to misalign a cartridge.

Both the 2.2 and the Phantom are great tonearms.
downunder
1,329 posts
 
Kipdent, I am with the other posters here

I bought a Phantom about 6 months ago to go with my TW AC-3 and aligned using the Graham jig.
I had been using 12 inch arms before that with my HRX so I think I may have got a little lazy as they do track a little better than 9 inch arms.

I too heard that the Phantom was mistracking on the last track or two on albums, some more evident that others.

I bought the Mint tractor and re-aligned - the cartridge was ever so out.

The Phantom now tracks fine, so what I was initially hearing was slight cartridge misalignment.
curio's avatar
curio OP
305 posts
 
if you're happy, let it be. If not, you can always easily sell the 2.2 in the 'gon where you can also find a used Phantom...
- Rgurney -

Thanks Rgurney .. I'm already searching for a Graham Phantom here on Agon but the two listed are already sold out and no one else on the horizon.
I also searched for the Tri-Planar MKVII uII , imho another good choice , but finding one is still worse than the Phantom .. no one preowned or demo around! :-(
stiltskin
499 posts
 
Curio
The Phantom IS a very good tracker....Along with others here you also know set up IS everything.

The Graham Phantom is known to be a fabulous match for your Raven.
With a budget in mind, I would be patient for a used one.

The Phantom is a beautiful sounding arm, well thought out, will handle many if not all available cartridges with "easy fine tuning designed" for the end user in mind as is the Tri-Planer.

Definitely you cannot go wrong with either.
In the long run you will be happy and satisfied.

My instinct is what you have now for a arm compared to a Graham 2.2 could end up being a minimal leap forward at best with a differant presentation.
curio's avatar
curio OP
305 posts
 
Definitely you cannot go wrong with either.
- Stiltskin -

Hi Stiltskin,

Thanks for your suggestion .. in fact I'm already searching for a preowned Graham Phantom MKII or the Tri-Planar MKVII UII but I didn't find one yet :-(

Cheers,

Curio
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