2. analog
  3. 1259956607

9", 10" or 12" tonearms

I keep seeing tonearm ads listed by length and would like someone to comment on the sonic differences that length can make. I know that longer arms cost more so I assume that there must be some difference sonically. Can someone please explain?
russellrcncom

Showing 2 responses by syntax

syntax's avatar
syntax
2,193 posts
 
Well, when someone out there owns a Fr-66s and want to switch to a Graham Phantom II, send me a mail.
Cash is waiting.
syntax's avatar
syntax
2,193 posts
 
It is true, the discussion about tonearm length comes back every few weeks and all is said or written about. A good made 9“ Arm is superior to an average 12“ Arm.
Just my personal opinion about it.
A top 10“ or 12“ or longer Arm will give some results which can be interesting for one or the other.
When the customer wants to learn, he has to learn by himself. The typical audiophile is lazy, he looks for someone who „knows“ more than he does and will follow.
Can be ok, but you know the sentence „Ask 5 audiophiles and you will get 6 opinions“?
Best way is to visit other systems and to listen, after a while you will get impressions which will - or can - be a step forward.
Today we have internet and the times are modern, means, in High End - specially in analog - „Products“ came into the „market“ which are made from amateurs, supported from DIY groups, Internet support, Hype, good pricing when writing positive, top margins etc.
I don‘t care about, it is the way it is and everyone can burn his money the way he prefers. Everyone who has to live from „this“ has to defend his opinion and it does not make much sense to support old designs which are no longer available.
But let‘s go back to real life.
A customer can do his own comparisons, he has not to live from it and when the system is good enough to show the differences, he will hear the differences.
I did that, I think, I bought or loaned about 15 Arms and I had (or have) good/average 9“Arms (both expensive), I had 10“ Arm (expensive), same with 12“ Arms and after all those years I think, I do not prefer Arm length, I prefer the brain from the designer, some are better than others. And I prefer science and precision.
It is not a religion, I know some audiophiles who listen with Tables or Arms or Cartridges. I would refuse to listen to any longer than 5 minutes, because it is colored, limited...They are happy with it and don‘t want to know it any better (not everyone is interested in real top performance, a real top review is ok, too)
High End means „High“, not average, not hype(d), it means a better preformance... today and tomorrow we will see the change, average units will become „The Standard“ and when more and more believe in that, it will be „The Standard“.
When you don‘t believe in „The Standard of today“ you‘ll have to work on your own.
Sad, but true.
It is a long journey...
More to discover