2. analog
  3. 1295813105

Tonearm choices

hey all

newbie here but like many, I have been getting advice from you guys for years....and thank you:)

I recently had all my kit stolen including my TT. If you ever see a TW Raven One with a broken Jelco 10.5 and cantilever-less Benz Wood LP, it was mine :)

I was fortunate to have some a little 'windfall' which I used partly for a new/used Merc and wife and whatever left went to the audio. So I got myself a great deal on a TW AC and Transfiguration Orpheus, Whest Audio MC REF V Mk4 phono preamp, Ayre K5 and V5 pre-power and Wilson Watt Puppy 8.
The puppies they did not take!!! I wonder why?

I have spoken to a few people about arms but have now got it down to about 4 arms. TW Raven tonearm, Graham Phantom, Triplanar OR wait another 6 months to see what happens.

James at Whest Audio recommended the Graham and TW but favours the TW because it might take a while to get a Phantom (so he was told) and he has heard a lot of positives about the TW arm. My dealer recommended the Triplanar because he has one and feels it is MUCH better than the Phantom. A good friend and Phantom user recommends the Phantom but has not heard the other 2.

I like the Whest approach as there is no bias there.
I like the dealer approach as he is a triplanar user.
My friend is a nutcase but I believe him.

Which way do I turn? At present I'm using a modified REGA RB351. It's good but I think you all know what I mean. The amazing thing is the Raven AC/Orpheus/ Whest MC REF V/ makes the Rega sound quite stunning. But I tried an older Graham 2.0 and it just blew the RB351 out of the water.

So the question is has anyone compared these 3 tonearms or is there something else out these?

grubbie

grubscrew
larryi
4,373 posts
 
Grubscrew,

Thanks for your followup reporting. I did not quite understand your comment about unipivots and why the Basis arm was out of the running on that account. The Phantom is also a unipivot arm. Both arms do not shake side-to-side, as is the case with some unipivots, because they both have mechanisms to stabilize the arm (magnets with the Phantom, and the arm leaning against a precision ball bearing with the Basis Vector).

Did you get to try the Triplanar? That is another very popular pivoted arm.
ebm
9,311 posts
 
In my system TW 10.5 arm has bigger stage much better midrange bloom and depth.Arm is on Raven AC table.
goldeneraguy
442 posts
 
Blackburn ,I am starting to wonder why you find it necessary to continuously knock TW products.Is this personal?
You state that you have it on good authority from an audio enthusiast as to the Raven AC.What does that (audio enthusiast)mean anyway?? Aren't we all audio enthusiast's.
I for one will be purchasing A TW turntable and arm. not because someone told me about it but because I heard it.
I ask what turntable/arm do you have that beats the Raven A/C and 10.5 arm combo ??
And now to the OP's question.All quality tonearms have their strengths and weakness' I currently have a Basis Vector 3.
Very good arm that works flawlessly on my Kuzma Stabi Reference table.Don't dismiss it because its uni-pivot
grubscrew OP
8 posts
 
mmm

much more to think about. I have taken the unipivot thing onboard and will be listening to a Basis Vector but it will take a couple of weeks.

I think the Orpheus/TW Arm works differently to the Phantom/ Orpheus. The diffences we observed we wrote down (geeky). I wonder what the Phantom would be like with something else?

Why anyone knocks other products.... I always think they are either a dealer and they do not stock those items or another sinister reason. At this level you either like the product or you don't. The TW and Phantom are both excellent arms and I could easily live with anyone of them but I felt the TW had the edge in my system.

And that is the point at the moment. The TW had the edge in my system at this moment.
opus88
530 posts
 
Grubscrew: In your comments comparing the TW 10.5 and Phantom arms you say, "The TW was quieter(geometry?)but not as deep in soundstage." Then, further down, in listing the evaluative categories you indicate: soundstage depth-TW. Please clarify, thanks.
More to discover