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Experience w/ Trans-Fi Auio Terminator Tone Arm?

How many of you have the Trans-Fi Auio Terminator Air Bearing linear Tone Arm? Or the older Trans-Fi Evolution Tonearm. What is your experience with this arm, how satisfied are you with this arm, and how does it compare with other tonearms you have tried?

I am seriously thinking of getting the Terminator for my VPI Super Scoutmaster with Rim Drive, but have no experience with linear tone arms. I have found just one person on Audiogon who has this arm and loves it. This fact is somewhat confusing to me, since if the arm is so great, as some people say it is, you would think more people on Audiogon would have it or at least tried it out.
Thanks,
jbcello
jtwrace's avatar
jtwrace
443 posts
 
I'd say this owner could help too.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=102689.msg1047021#msg1047021
sgunther
187 posts
 
Great to hear that the Terminator is catching on. Now that you guys are in the next step is Vic's Salvation TT. I have had the Terminator about 3 years and bought the Salvation about one month ago. I think it may have been only the second in the U.S. I was using the Michell Gyro SE II shich is a very nice table but it is no competition for the Salvation.The Terminator/Salvation combination justs sounds like music. The combination somehow combines smooth and relaxed with dynamic and punchy, the timbre of instrumants is great and the sound stage is clear, deep and wide. My wife is a skeptic about this hobby and even she was impressed. The terminator/Salvation combo is about $4,000 with shipping. I don't think there is anything in that price range that can touch it.
redglobe
223 posts
 
Has anyone tried an LP ring clamp with their Salvation TT? The Resomat would seem to create issues with warped LPs (VTA, azimuth).
spiritofmusic
828 posts
 
Redglobe, I'm v.close to making a decision to buy the Salvation w. Terminator arm. My only other possibility is the Technics SL1200-derived Inspire Monarch.
I can tell you if you use it with Vic's Terminator T3Pro linear tracking arm (his preference, and all Salvations so far have been fitted with his arm), because of proximity of arm base arrangement to platter, it will not accommodate an outer ring.
Vic really believes, contrary to popular opinion, that use of rings/clamps damps the life out of lp replay.
Having heard his set up with the Reso Mat, I can only agree with him.
If I go down this route, moderately unflat lps will play ok, and I'll use something like the Vinyl Flat or Furutech LP Flattener with my handful of severely warped lps that may not work without a ring/clamp.
redglobe
223 posts
 
Spiritofmusic,

Have you actually measured the space between platter and tonearm base? I see a couple of users of the T3Pro using outer rings with non-Transfi decks.

I cannot fathom how a clamp can damp the life out of an LP: Eliminating vibration in the LP will make it easier for the stylus to track the groove. Isn't it easier to walk on non-vibrating surface than on one that is moving?

Is there anyone in the Chicagoland area that has the Terminator Pro or the Salvation deck with which I can hear with my own ears?
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