Has anyone had experience with the Schroeder Arm

I spoke with the new owner of Wheaton at HE2004 and while I was trying to compliment his product I,at the same time told him of my concerns about the play in the vta scale as well as the fact that dialing in an EXACT tracking force required a "HUNT AND SEARCH" approach (with the non-exacting)way of sliding the counterweight as opposed to the EXACT threaded rotation of the GRAHAM.Tiny increments in downforce make all the diff. in a high res set up.His response to me was that he felt his counterweight system was good enough.

Sirspeedy,
I recently contacted him with exactly the same concern (lack of fine control of VTF). I even offered an easily-implemented fix/upgrade that would provide the needed control. I got a similar response, polite but noncommital. :-(

OTOH it's not at all difficult to devise your own fine VTF control. We set our C/W for the top end of the likely range for the cartridge. If we want to reduce VTF then one or more O-rings slipped over the end stub reduce downforce by .01-.02g each. Pretty simple and very quick.

When someone makes the perfect arm I guess we'll all buy one. Until then we each have to choose our favorite set of compromises. If the Schroeder Ref had tool-less VTA adjustability with a scale for repeatability, there'd be one mounted on my table today.

Doug,I think I made it clear in my posts that I thought the WHEATON was a fine arm.However easy it is to fine tune out certain design imperfections and dial into a specific parameter(many analog front end stuff have these quirks),these manufacturers are charging megabucks(the Wheaton,I believe is 3900.sheckles).It is not too much for us audiobuffs to expect a higher degree of machining if you are going to pay the REDICULOUS prices the High End stuff seems to command.Why put a marker scale and arrow on top of the arm,to mark the vta if it is not really that accurate.Please don't get me wrong,and I don't want to agitate Wheaton owners,of which I was a happy one until my 2.2 came along.I mean even the cuing was not accurate on my arm.Couple that with the locking pillar being a home depot looking nut,the cuing fluid draining out after a short time and my friend having a 2.2 that I set up & realized how much more precise it was to dial into very tight parameters more quickly and easily I decided I could get better results with my current arm.I think I made the right choice,but,I'm not ruling out the fact that if I worked with the manufacturer and held onto the arm longer(I did have it over 2 years)I could have gotten better results.Unfortunately,and sadly,Herb Papier passed away(a SUPER nice guy)and the company sold around this time.

I forgot to mention,there IS a PERFECT arm out there,but it is also REDICULOUS dollars.Fortunately I have been lucky enough to hear it on many occassions and through numerous other component upgrades,so,I THINK I know it's sonic signature quite well.It is the AIR-TANGENT arm.An unbelieveable non-sounding arm!However,it requires a bit of TLC to get right.My friend owns one(as well as the greatest vinyl collection imagineable)I mean you could buy Bermuda with the money he could get for his record collection(all,and I mean ALL the DECCAS,MERCS,EMI'setc).I hate him his stuff sounds so great.The one thing he did to get the most out of his GEM of an arm is to dump the pump that came with it,and,are you ready for this,bought a used compressor from a local dentist's office.He keeps this pump(which looks like,and is as big as a motor boat engine)in a closet in one of his 3 record rooms.I guess this does make this an imperfect arm,but,believe me,if you ever get a chance to hear a really good system with an air bearing design like this one you will immediately hear the difference.A cushiony soundstage with incredible detail and space between instruments.Most importantly,the lack of any bearing friction allows musical instruments to really bloom with the kind of timbre and harmonic glow that when heard makes one realize how much of a compromise pivot arms are.

No argument that arms at these price points should not suffer obvious compromises. Obviously we agree about the ones the TriPlanar has. We decided to deal with them and so far that's working out well. You decided to change to the 2.2, which we've heard and used and don't like at all. Neither of us is right or wrong, we just chose the set of compromises that works best for us (not being ready to mortgage the house for an Air Tangent!)

Speaking of top linear trackers, have you heard the Kuzma Air Line? That's been sort of my dream arm since I saw the first reviews.

Doug,I think if we pool our resources we could come up with the right(perfect match),but we would have to work out some kind of "divorce type"custody agreement.I have not,and probably will never hear the KUZMA