Schroeder Reference Arm

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the very generous offer. Before I start asking around, I might take you up on your offer. But I'll then need a couple of hours max. to familiarize myself with this particular sample(so that the setup/adjustment doesn't take too long). Will you be at the RMAF from day one, so I get to play with it in advance?

I'd still stick with the suggestion to focus on the cartridges chosen by Joel and me(based on our personal preference), with (it appears)different carts to be listened to first, then one switch to i.e the A90.

Thom's the MOC, let's hear what he has to say.

Best,

Frank

Frank,

i'll arrive Thursday evening; hopefully that is early enough to do what you need to do. if necessary, i'd consider shipping it to you a few weeks prior. whatever we need to do in the interests of the proper process.

Hi all,

Thanks to Mike for stepping up (there I go with another pun ).

I defer to Frank, Joel, and Mike on cartridge selection. I completely trust Frank’s, Joel’s, and Mike’s assessment on the A-90.

I’d love to reduce the confusion by going to a single pair of “identical” cartridges that everyone is comfortable with.

I didn’t want to put pressure on Joel and Frank coming to an agreement on one cartridge, but this development will mean more time to listen and adjust in flight.

I also wanted to de-emphasize the nature of any kind of "shootout", and will (on Saturday evening) re-introduce my position on this before we start.

Not having to do a cartridge swap would really open up the possibilities, and we could listen to different phono stages as necessary. Show conditions are brutal, and you never know what will work until you’re there.

Note that Frank and I are arranging some off-hours time in the room, to get to know the system before the Saturday session. I want everyone to have the best opportunity to have a good presentation – in what are always, challenging conditions at best.

This first system exposure (for Frank) may not be on Thursday, as there’s too much system fine tuning to be done before the first day of the show. While Thursday night is possible, it’s not likely however. We'll have time.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier

Hi Tawa, Frank ...

I frequent another audio list, and whenever one of us chirps up with an idea, the response is always “try it and report back to us”. I was tempted to make this comment in my initial post on the topic, but didn’t want to come off as being too snarky.

On the topic of shims and other interfaces for an aluminum headshell Model-2, I brought up the nylon washer on the Tri-Planar only to emphasize that even in this seemingly “harmless” position (between cartridge screw & top of headshell), the effect is dramatic, and not for the better in this particular instance.

A seemingly innocuous material interface had dramtic effects.

As you wrote (Frank), a washer in this position (between pivot bolt and headshell) would introduce some torque tolerance, but of course will not change the cartridge carrier to under side of headshell interface

Once you introduce something at the interface between the cartridge carrier and the under side of the headshell, I would expect the changes become even more dramatic.

I would definitely suggest your trying these combinations (Tawa). While you may not like anything you try, you’ll gain an appreciation for how tunable an analog front end is.

It’s about the journey and not the destination.

Enjoy the journey!

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier

Hi Frank,

I wish this forum software allowed you to edit posts. I noticed another point that needed clarification.

Of course, the optimal torque (absolute value) for an aluminum headshell Model-2 will likely be different from the screw torque required for a wood headshell DPs/Reference.

My point was centered on the user without a fine torque wrench, and the end-user's perception/feel that with the aluminum headshell, the right torque (whatever its absolute value) is s more of a go/no-go sort of thing, than with the wooden headshells which compress.

Does this make sense? I don't want to put words in your mouth.

Cheers,
Thom