the perfect tonearm

The Jelco 750 doesn't have VTAF, but it's a great arm. I own one and use it on my vintage Thorens.

Dear Mickeyc8, get a Graham 2.2 on the used market and enjoy analog life. Its most universal (although I hate the term regarding tonearms...) and will give excellent results with almost all of todays better cartridges. Furthermore it is the one tonearm which is very precisely to align thanks to the remarkable tools Robert Graham provides with the tonearm package.
This can't be overestimated in its everyday importance for the avarage user who is not too much into tonearm geometry.
The Graham gives you an easy to align to precise results tool which is all in one package:
- easy to adjust to
- excellent sonics
- universal
- beautiful to the eye
- excellent craftmanship
- has well withstand all tests of time with flying colors.
An excellent tonearm and as a 2nd hand unit of outstanding value for the money.
Enjoy,
D.

If you do get the G2.2, just be aware that it is incompatible with the Grado cartridge line.

Of course if you have a budget of $2K for a used arm, with some patience you might find on older Triplanar, like a Mk6 or early Mk7, which seems to be a better arm overall. Not only will it play the Grados easily, but it also plays any of the cartridges that seemed to work fine in the G2.2.

The Graham Phantom is also a much better arm than the 2.2, if you can find one of those you will do quite well!

Good Luck!

Dear Atmasphere, very interesting. Would you please enlighten us all why the Graham is "incompatible with the Grado cartridge line" ?
I very much look forward to learn the technical background for this incompatibility.......
BTW - you should clarify that you - according to your own statements - have never actually listened to the Phantom and that you have friendship relationship with the distributor of Triplanar.
Cheers,
D.

To Mikeyc8, you may have problems finding what you are looking for such a price in a new arm.

I concur with Dertonarm's recommendation for the Graham 2.2, which is easy to setup and sounds decent. The Triplanars also sound decent, and if you can find either one second-hand and in good condition, I'd go for it.

In a somewhat different direction, you could consider vintage heavyweight arms like the FR-64fx or an IT-245, both of which can sound quite good and don't need to cost a lot of money. Like this:

http://page18.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/w37585355

FWIW, the Triplanar and other tonearms that have drop-down headshell sides may have problems with wide-bodied cartridges like the Allearts Formula One. When I was using this particular pair, I had to machine a thick spacer to get the cartridge body to clear the headshell sides. hth