99 replies to this topic

[JohnA]

Looks like the time has come for that second arm.

Have been in talks with a few people about getting a custom armboard made up for my HRX and to the manufacturer of the arm i am looking at getting.

I just need to finalise a few final details and get the project under way.

Will this be the start of something crazy, or can i stop at the second arm

Details will be revealed over time.

[datafone]

I think three is a realistic cut off point

So what arm John?

Oh, It's a surprise? OK I can wait, no doubt It'll be worth the wait to see

[mr-happy-pants]

Mono? 7890

[JohnA]

I think three is a realistic cut off point

So what arm John?

Oh, It's a surprise? OK I can wait, no doubt It'll be worth the wait to see

i think 3 is a good look also
the 3rd arm can be with a removeabe head shell, just so i can go crazier with a bunch of different carts.
Though, i could just grab a bunch of extra arm wands for this second arm and do the same thing

Mono? 7890

not sure if i will go mono. That was the original plan. For the time been, i will throw the jubilee on it as its still got a fair bit of life in it.

[sligoriverblues]

bunch of extra arm wands for this second arm and do the same thing

Smells like Phantom...

Looking forward to seeing pics!

[Tax]

Smells like Phantom...

+1 I am getting a whiff of a Phantom too:-)

Can't wait to hear and see how you progress :-)

[wolster]

No chance of JohnA being labelled as 'armless as far as TTs are concerned.

[JohnA]

+1 I am getting a whiff of a Phantom too:-)

Can't wait to hear and see how you progress :-)

he he, nothing so extravagant

Final measurements of the arm pod shall be taken this Friday and arm has been ordered

[:) al]

hehe came across this. now how did I have an inkling this would be on the books

excellent stuff john. be great to have those two lovely carts on your table, and to be able to flick between them as you please

[Jake]

"A bunch of extra arm wands" ?

VPI methinks. Look forward to the end results John, something exciting for sure. Have been thinking about whacking another arm on the old Scout myself, in a DIY fashion though.

[turntable]

Looking forward to the 2nd arm John. Given the table au size, a 12 inch'ers is probably a safe guess.

Jake, buy that VPI classik and you have your 2nd arm with easy vta for your 200gm box sets, them 120gm Aussie pressing.

[handysteel]

You cannot have to many arms John, sometimes I wish I had more than two..

[Dismord]

i think 3 is a good look also
the 3rd arm can be with a removeabe head shell, just so i can go crazier with a bunch of different carts.
Though, i could just grab a bunch of extra arm wands for this second arm and do the same thing

I run a VPI HRX and looking at that shot with the three arms I'm curious to know how the added weight of those arms affects the way the suspension reacts. Myself I stuck with the JMW 12.5 and three arm wands, one wired for mono. I can still change cartridge/arm combinations in seconds so at the moment don't feel the need for any additional complete arms. I'm curious looking at that shot as to how you manage to position and lower an arm situated at the back of a turntable. Makes me nervous just looking at it. Also I've never encountered a removable head shell that didn't, to my ears, degrade the sound of the cartridge mounted in it, Orthophon's especially.

[JohnA]

You cannot have to many arms John, sometimes I wish I had more than two..

he he, my wife would say i already have too many arms and hands

I run a VPI HRX and looking at that shot with the three arms I'm curious to know how the added weight of those arms affects the way the suspension reacts. Myself I stuck with the JMW 12.5 and three arm wands, one wired for mono. I can still change cartridge/arm combinations in seconds so at the moment don't feel the need for any additional complete arms. I'm curious looking at that shot as to how you manage to position and lower an arm situated at the back of a turntable. Makes me nervous just looking at it. Also I've never encountered a removable head shell that didn't, to my ears, degrade the sound of the cartridge mounted in it, Orthophon's especially.

cant see there been any problem with the suspension. Its not like an extra arm will weigh enough to upset the balance. Do you have the airball suspension or the air bladders in yours?

[Dismord]

Duplicate post deleted.

Edited by Dismord, 08 March 2012 - 10:34 AM.

[JohnA]

easy to tell,

if you have the air bladders, you will have a valve ontop of each one of those 4 corner towers as shown in the pic



if you have the balls, the valves are not there and the holes covered with the black lugs

[Drizt]

It is such a lovely looking TT.

[Dismord]

Do you have the airball suspension or the air bladders in yours?

I have no idea and as the dealer who sold it to me went bankrupt owing VPI large amounts of money and has vanished so I can't ask and I'm not about to go pulling it apart to find out. I trailed other arms and thought the Graham (can't remember the model number) gave a marginally more tuneful & solid bass but as I was offered a really good deal on the HRX plus 3 arm wands and was besotted with the idea of having three arm wands with pre-mounted, aligned and balanced cartridges that could be swapped over in seconds I went with the JMW 'Memorial' 12.4. I've found a far wider range of cartridges work well with the JMW's damped unipivot suspension than audiophile myth would have it.
I haven't thought of even looking at anything else for years but if I did get the itch ( or rich!) it would be in the direction of a Contimuum I heard recently performing miracles with LP's I was familiar with. However to my eyes these things are so damned vulgar and the arm so ugly I'd have to convince myself I could live with all that chrome and the absurd looking arm :-

http://www.continuumaudiolabs.com/

Just spotted your two HRX shots. Mine has the black lugs and no valves. Should that make any difference? I've always been tempted to entirely defeat the suspension as I heard an HRX treated this way once and thought the added slam and speed on the bottom end was dramatic but I was never sure if it was the rest of the system causing that or not. (Lyra 'Parnasus' cartridge into a Boulder phono pre-amp) My HRX sits on a 1inch thick slate slab on a Soundesign damped steel rack on a stone floor so I could probably get away with it. Problem is after decades of fiddling with audio gear I've almost totally lost any desire for experimental tweaking.

Edited by Dismord, 08 March 2012 - 01:06 PM.

[JohnA]

your HRX has the upgraded ball suspension then.

i have had both. Currently with the ball suspension as less mucking around around. The air suspension though allows you to tailor the sound a little by letting air out and running the bladders slightly deflate, full of air or somewhere in between.

The only problem is the constant checking and topping up of air.
As mentioned, i doubt a second arm is going to upset anything, but will let you know once i do it

[Dismord]

your HRX has the upgraded ball suspension then.

i have had both. Currently with the ball suspension as less mucking around around. The air suspension though allows you to tailor the sound a little by letting air out and running the bladders slightly deflate, full of air or somewhere in between. The only problem is the constant checking and topping up of air.

The thought of fiddling around pumping up or letting down air suspension fills me with horrible memories of the early Linn tables and the insane rituals required to keep them in tune. In the end I got sick and tired of having to call in the Linn witchdoctor to fiddle with the suspension and the P bracket and dumped the thing. Besides, I can imagine the reaction of non audiophool friends watching me pump up my turntable before playing them an LP. No wonder they think we're all mad, we are!

[JohnA]

yep, drove me nuts also, thats why i swapped over to the balls.

[JohnA]

Well here is part one.

Got a message a couple of days ago saying my arm board is ready. In actual fact, the kind gentleman made me 2 arm boards, as he must know i wont be able to stop at a second arm

A huge thank you to Mark (handysteel) for making these up for me. A true gentleman.
A great job indeed. I am very happy with the results.

The best part is i can return the table back to stock at any time as no modifications are needed.

Here is what it looks like with the arm board temporarily just sitting in place

[turntable]

Looking good John

All you need is the arm :-)

[JohnA]

Looking good John

All you need is the arm :-)

thanks mate
got a spare one you can send my way?

[turntable]

thanks mate
got a spare one you can send my way?

Ortofon as-309s

[demmauhong]

Well here is part one.

Got a message a couple of days ago saying my arm board is ready. In actual fact, the kind gentleman made me 2 arm boards, as he must know i wont be able to stop at a second arm

A huge thank you to Mark (handysteel) for making these up for me. A true gentleman.
A great job indeed. I am very happy with the results.

The best part is i can return the table back to stock at any time as no modifications are needed.

Here is what it looks like with the arm board temporarily just sitting in place

Look nice what tone arm now ?

[JohnA]

Look nice what tone arm now ?

thanks
the arm is coming......

i may now need to hunt down a 3rd one since handysteel made me the spare arm board

[JohnA]

Ortofon as-309s

ship it over then mate

very kind of you indeed

[petng]

May I be so bold as to suggest my kuzma 313 vta 12 inch arm for your third arm!

[petng]

Only thing I dislike about my dps turntable is the inability to install more than 1 arm. On the other hand it could be a blessing! It's hard enough to get one arm set up properly!!!!

[JohnA]

May I be so bold as to suggest my kuzma 313 vta 12 inch arm for your third arm!

not sure i will even go a 3rd arm to be honest.
It took me for ever to decide to even do this second arm. My concern is will i ever use it, or will i always opt for the best sounding one....

time will tell, then i can decide if i even want a 3rd

[demmauhong]

Hi John ,

I think Two tone arm just enough , Set up 3 tine arm on mine Micro Seiki SX 8000 for a while look messy to me .

[JohnA]

IT HAS ARRIVED

was out the back yard all day today trying to erect a damn shed. Came inside and the wife tells me there is a package awaiting me.

Here it is in all its glory










and whats it look like on the turntable

not too bad if i may say so myself

[ozmillsy]

Nice John, if you like very different genre's, you can go for slightly different flavours on your 2 x arm/cart combo's, to favour your tastes (eg: classical = light & fast, jazz = full & weighty) ?

[JohnA]

thats the plan mate

[jaspert]

Nice pics John. Damn, I now want one with the matt black finish.

[fatgen]

Black is nicer indeed...mm...should I also ...

[samman]

Sensational looking arm, may you get great listening pleasure from your new addition.....I'm sure you will....

[Telecine]

Very nice John.

Can't wait to hear your listening impressions.

[datafone]

Excellent!

[Proac]

Congrat's ...enjoy in good health. Looks fantastic.

[turntable]

John, look super kool.

But, where is the cartridge?

[cheekyboy]

Looks great John and I'm keen to hear your review once you get the cartridge set up. I notice the head shell holes are fixed and I assume there is fine adjustment capability for alignment at the tonearm base?

Cheers,

Keith

[JohnA]

cheers guys.

Yes, must admit James has done a great job, and when he told me about the coating, i was happy to go with it.
The Black does finish it off nicely indeed.

Shane, no cart on it as i havent mounted the arm as yet. Its just sitting there for the photos. Will hopefully have it mounted and setup within a couple of days, but really, i need to get Jasper, the resident arm guru to come do it


Keith, yes mate you are correct in the way you align the cart, and the holes have enough play to allow for offset adjustment


Once its all up and running i'll be sure to post my thoughts

[tuyen]

Damn that arm looks great John. Wishing I had put my name down for one..