Schroeder vs. Triplanar VII Sonic Differences

I read somewhere that the agreement between Herb Papier that granted Tri Mai the rights to manufacture the Triplanar arm specified that the design could not be changed for a certain number of years. Perhaps this is why the design seems frozen for the time being.

I've heard really nice setups with the Schroeder arm. It certainly is promising. But, it too is a handmade item that takes a lot of patience. I know of several people that had to wait about nine months or so. It may not be as backordered now, but I believe that one friend is still waiting after about five or so months. Patience is required for stuff like this.

I can appreciate the concerns expressed over the complex operation of the Kuzma arm. Long ago, I owned a Maplenoll table with an air bearing arm and air suspended platter. It came with a cheap aquarium piston pump and nothing else (no dehydrator, no surge tank, etc.). This is a far cry from the Kuzma arm I saw at CES which is beautifully built, comes with a very serious looking air pump, quality braided air lines, beautifully machined surge tanks, etc.

The Maplenoll was a nightmare. It wasn't a question of whether it might lose air pressure and cause the arm to seize, it was just a matter of WHEN that would happen (within five minutes? an hour?). But, when that did happen, the worst that I experienced was that the record would start to skip. I am sure the cantilever was deflected to a point where the needle would jump out of the groove and return to an earlier groove. I actually never experienced permanent damage to the cartridge (then again, it was not my current Lyra Titan) or to the record. The fear of a horrible catastrophe from the Kuzma arm binding might be a bit overstated. Then again, I could never relax while listening to the Maplenoll, just because I was alway anticipating trouble.

Rgordonpf,

I would be annoyed by the kind of care needed to set down a periphery clamp without accidentally swinging into the cartridge cantilever.

But, there is no inconvenience or danger whatsoever from the skirt on a vacuum holdown. The skirt does not come up over the side of the record. Rather, it seals against the outer groove part of the UNDERSIDE of the record. I have a Basis vacuum table. Once adjusted, it requires no more effort other than to flip the on/off switch. That is less effort than screwing down the center clamp on most tables.