best value current production tonearm

Bpoletti, Trans-Fi is only sold direct from UK manufacturer. It's not a bad thing, as this disintermediates dealer margin, and Vic provides good sales and tech support via email.

Trans-Fi is all over it. It's much simpler to set-up than a pivot arm if you can adjudge a right angle.

Mcbuddah,

The custom variable in a Trans-Fi order is the thickness of the delrin or brass pedestal that supports the aluminum arm base. The bottom of the arm base should be about 14mm below the surface of the platter or record mat. Thus the pedestal height should be specified as the distance from your TT armboard to the platter or mat surface minus about 14mm. This will ensure that for a cartridge of typical height, level VTA is obtained toward the middle of arm's range of VTA adjustment. Vic at Trans-Fi usually equips his standard delrin pedestal with a long bolt straight down the center of the pedestal which bolts to the tonearm base at the top and clamps to the underside of the armboard at the bottom. I had him make(and later fashioned for myself in brass) a two-stud version with a separate eccentric stud on top that swings in an arc to allow fine adjustment of the distance between the air manifold and the record spindle.

I use a Rena 400 aquarium pump with a 1 gallon plastic gas can in line to smooth pulsing. There are photos on his web site showing the DIY pump set-up.

Don't do that. Trans-Fi bumped SME IV and Graham 1.5TC from my system. Check out testimonials of the many high-end TT owners on the TF web site. No affiliation.