Ortofon RS-309D opinions

I've been using one for about 6 months Curio. It beats all the other arms I have which include an SME V, Origin Live Conqueror (Mk3), and Linn Ekos 2. By "beats" I mean it extracts more detail and sounds so much more "alive" than the others. From my experience with it (and the other arms)I say it's a truly great arm and at a bargain price.

I use it with an Ortofon A90 by the way, so it's easy to hear how good it is with that cartridge :).

I'm new to posting here at Audiogon although I've been reading for a while, so hello to all!

Hello Sprog,

Thanks for your opinion and welcome here on Audiogon.

I listened the Ortofon RS309D - A90 combo at Top Audio show in Milano and I agree it is a fantastic combination.
The probem is eventually with the Benz LP and unfortunately no one here owns this duo.
It would be interesting to have opinions about a Jelco 750L 12" inches with Benz LP , a cheaper combination.

Curio, I have an Ortofon AS 309S arm on my Raven One (its the 12 inch arm),and a Dynavector cartridge, and use a Synergistic Research Tricon Analog tonearm cable going to the new Fosgate phono stage and Joule Electra LA-150 Mk 2 preamp. The combo is wonderful, great sound, extremely low noise. I'd imagine the Ortofon arm is just below arms like the Graham and Triplanar (its what I could afford at the time when I also bought the Raven One from Jeff at Highwater Sound). I plan to eventually get a Graham arm, but for now I'm one happy camper. Sorry I cant offer you any feedback on the Ortofon arm with the Benz cart. As long as the arm mass provides the proper compliance with the Benz cart, I dont see how you could go wrong.--Mrmitch

What are you RS309D folks using as alignment protractors? I seriously considered buying one but was put off by its unusual geometry. I'm a big fan of arc protractors like Wallytractor and MintLP, which are apparently inappropriate for this arm.

I have the AS309-S and I had the same questions. Ortofon were happy to give an explanation - see below.

I ended up using the alignment gauge that came with the tonearm, as it was a bit difficult to get Mint to make one. Now that I have re-read this, I might try my SPU with pivot to spindle of 314mm.
Anyway, the arm sounds great and clearly more than one way to align cartridges with this or any tonearm.

BTW, I use Mint tractor for my other tonearms.

There are two schools of thought concerning this arm – the figures that are suggested by Ortofon Japan ’s engineers, versus the suggestions by our chief of cartridge engineering (in Denmark ).

The recommendation from the Japanese engineers is:
Mounting distance = 311mm
Eff. Armlength = 326mm
which gives overhang 15mm)
Cartridge parallel to headset, i.e. offset angle like the arm itself (19 deg)

Denmark’s recommendation is:
Mounting dist = 316,6mm
Eff. Armlength = 329mm
Off.set. angle = 16.5 deg

Denmark’s rec. gives Baerwald alignment.
As you see the cartridge need a slight twist with respect to headshell.The stated eff. armlength is easily achieved with Ortofon headshells and most cartridges.

Using a SPU (in G-housing) gives an eff armlength of 329mm
Off.set angle is of course determined by the arm itself, i.e. 19 deg.
A mounting distance of 314mm will then give the best result.

Best wishes,

Louis @ Ortofon