The Schroeder has arrived

Dmailer I second your endorsement for Thom of Galibier - he's a genuine enthusiast and a great guy.

I know that Zyx are very popular around here and I heard an Airy 2 on a Schroeder Ref/dps. It was almost perfect - wonderful openness and neutrality however it lacked bass weight and extension (on Stones-type rock cuts) and I personally couldn't live with that compromise.

I have also heard a DL103 and a Koetsu Urushi Vermilion mounted on the Schroeder Ref when compared to gimbal arms (Micro Seiki MAX 282 and Morch DP6) I thought the bass reproduction was slightly looser when they were mounted in the Schroeder compared to the other arms.

The kind of sound you're aiming for and the music you play will dictate your cart choice (I would expect the Zyx to sound be great on small acoustic ensembles but not for organ works), however if you're happy with the Shelter sound....

The other cart I'm curious to hear in a Schroeder is the Jan Allaerts MC1B.

Frank - thanks for your helpful response and to Thom for further enlightenment into the mysterious art of vinyl set-up.

I just re-visited the thread links on the Galibier Schroeder page and there is such a wealth of helpful information available.

Sirspeedy, if you go to the "support" page on the Galibier site, half way down the page you will find a section headed "arm and cartridge set-up." There's an Excel spreadsheet you can download to calculate resonant frequencies.

With the Temper's mass of 7.5g and 15 cu compliance, the bocote arm gives a resonant frequency of 9.31 Hz.

Incidentally, I think the Galibier site is one of the best-organized analog resources available - certainly better than any other manufacturer's.

I agree with your comments about flexibility of set-up on the Schroeder and the ability to "voice." Having heard References in three different systems, I've found it interesting that each owner's preferred set-up reflects their taste in music and their "ideal" presentation.

Sirspeedy I don't think I'm qualified to advise you. However I went back to the spreadsheet and that cartridge in tigerwood/jacaranda gives a resonant frequency of 8.66 Hz. The ideal range "green zone" is 9 to 11 Hz, however on AJ Van den Hul's site, the 'yellow zone' is 8 to 12 Hz.

On that basis, I reckon either of those are viable.

I was tempted by bocote for my Reference but checking out the pics on Thom's site, I don't like the look of the wood. I also looked at the cartridges that it would allow me to run and, in reality, everything I would want to play with (Koetsus, DL-103 and Dyna XX-2) work better in a 15g armwand. I like the look of jacaranda over tigerwood, so that's what I'm getting.

You have to remember that it's not just the cartridge mass, but also the compliance that counts. Low compliance favors higher mass tonearms.

If you're thinking of buying a Schroeder, if you order now you'll be lucky to take delivery this year. I reckon that's far enough away for you to enjoy a state of the art tennis racket this season and still be able to pay for your arm when it's ready in the new year!

Put your order down, you know it makes sense! :-)
(Disclaimer: No commercial relationship with any of the above - just an impressionable audiophile).