I have assisted a friend in setting up a Woody SPU tonearm. Here are my impressions:
Pros:
once adjusted, it sounds great.
Cons:
1- it's the ultimate fiddler's tonearm - it requires infinite patience to setup and almost constant tweaking and adjustment.
2- it looks like it was made in Pete's garage. Not a complaint, just a fact.
3- I could not hear a significant difference from my Schick arm on my TD-124. So while I love the wood look I can't see spending more money and the Schick is a breeze to setup.
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Thanks @br3098
So when it "sounds great," it sounds as good as a Schick?
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Yes, at least on my deck and using the GM MkII E and the Mono 65 SPUs. But that's my point. IMO I wouldn't pay more than the Schick and have to put up with the setup/adjustment hassle of the Woody, unless it sounded a LOT better.
But there are guys (mentioned on Pete Riggle's Woody page) who disagree and find that it sounds better. Again, I did not hear a significant difference between the two. Maybe the standard Woody (not the SPU version) sounds different. I haven't seen one so I can't say.
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I'm taking your advice and not taking the risk. Thanks.
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OK.
Just saw this and have to throw in my two cents.
I have a Woody universal. ( 2+ years now )
Gone are a Moerch DP8 and a Fidelity Research FR66s.
That says a LOT.
To my ears, the Woody bested them both.
Yes, it's a touch difficult to set up initially. Lots of variables and somewhat finicky.
But once I got it dialed in, I haven't had to touch it again. In my experience, it doesn't need constant fiddling.
It simply sounds like music every time I lower the stylus onto the record.
Every time.
Of course, YMMV, as always.
BTW, deck is an Amazon Grand Referenz, so no slouch and not holding back any observations and allowing the Woody to perform at it's best.
FWIW, I could hit Lotto tomorrow and the only thing I would buy would be another Woody, probably an SPU
Cheers, Crazy Bill.
PS. Hoping everyone is staying safe in all this craziness. |
I have a VPI HW19 Mk IV turntable. I used to have a OL Rega 250 tonearm mounted. The cartridges I have used are a Dynavector 20 lomc and also a Shelter 501 mkIi with a Soundsmith retip which I currently have mounted.
First off compared to the Rega it is a time consuming process to setup. However, it’s sound is truly great. The music is warm but detailed, the soundstage is huge both horizontally and deep. I was truly stunned at how much better it is than the Rega.
If you have the money I recommend this tonearm. For me, once I set it up it becomes much easier to make adjustments or reset up in the future if you must.
Good luck
Richard
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Cool arm, of course it is the inventor is a former Boeing wind tunnel rat - like me.
Seriously, anybody own the 9” and comment about fussiness after initial setup ? |
Don't shoot the designer without an audition. |
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@noromance ,
I assume you started this thread on the interest I posted |
It looks interesting and frankly affordable |
From their website -
Compare the Woody Universal Tonearm (tm) at $1900 to the Schroeder and Reed tonearms in the $4000 to $7500 range, and the Durand arms priced at $8500 and $16,500. Dream no more. The Woody tonearms are extremely musical, and anticipate all user needs at a price many audiophiles can afford.
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How to make a very simple device as complicated as you can. That is not a tonearm. It is a musical instrument. I'm sure it sings. If you want to compare this to beautifully designed arms look at the Reed 2G and the Schroder CB or LT.
Some people have to own something different, distinctive, good looking. They forget about the most important issue, performance. But, if it looks cool it must sound great. Tonearms should not sound at all. Their job is to lock that cartridge into position over the record and allow it to move in two axis only. It has to counteract forces generated by friction and geometry unobtrusively and not vibrate in any way. There is no such thing as a perfect pivoted tonearm but there are a few that come close. This is not one on them. Wood has some endearing features but in it's natural state is not a good material for tonearms. It is way to inconsistent. Each piece is different. The Schick suffers from a weakness I won't tolerate and that is a removable head shell. It is added mass and four more contacts interfering with a very weak signal. If you want to use multiple cartridges you need multiple tonearms. |
@slaw I assume you started this thread on the interest I posted I posted it three years ago so not sure what you mean. |
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@slaw None needed my friend! Were you looking at the Woodie?
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Yep, I would be interested enough in purchasing if not for all my ongoing projects @noromance |
Compare the Woody Universal Tonearm (tm) at $1900 to the Schroeder and Reed tonearms in the $4000 to $7500 range I paid about €1300 for my Reed 3p “12 inch Cocobolo, it was DEMO unit from the manufacturer in Lithuania. Yes, retail is expensive, but who cares when used Reed available for much lower price? Buy used and save a lot! Reed 3p is one of the best tonearms ever. I would’t pay $4k for any tonearm anyway, but I got my Reed 3p “12 somehow. When people quote retail price it’s nothing for people like me, I prefer Demo unit from the manufacturer (with warranty) with -70% discount. It was the best deal in my life. Maybe this discount is too much, but any expensive tonearm can be found used for less money than its retail (which is crazy). |
