Upcoming Technics SP-10R (100th Anniversary Model)

I spoke to the design engineer - or one of them - at this CES (2018) and I suggested that they made the back right corner of the plinth removable so one can utilize 9" tonearms on the turntable when mounted in a plinth.  He seemed somewhat interested in the idea.  As it is now only 12" arms are useable just like with its predecessor the Mk2 and Mk3.

Lets see what they decide to do once this goes into production

Good Listening

Peter

If I understand this correctly I'm surprised by the confusion for both Ralph and Peter who I know to be very knowledgable designers/manufacturers.

Ralph, why not buy a SP10R motor unit, or were you hoping to buy the motor unit and new plinth but without a Technics arm?  I agree buying a SL1000R only to discard the arm seems foolish.  There are other Technics plinth manufacturers in addition to Albert Porter with good reputations.

Peter, the EPA-100 arm is slightly less than 10" (250mm) so why do you consider only 12" arms will be useable?

@atmasphere have you tried the EPA-100 MK II ?

No- but just by looking at it I can see an engineering bug. And I know that their bearings are not as hard as they could be, because the hardest bearings are available from only one source.

Ralph, why not buy a SP10R motor unit, or were you hoping to buy the motor unit and new plinth but without a Technics arm?

I'll design and build a plinth for the Technics if I have to, but would rather that the Technics engineers have done a job as well as they did on the SL1200G. I am indeed hoping that the SL1000R plinth is properly designed. The SP-10 was always tricky due to the plinth issue.

Dear @atmasphere : First the 1000R does not comes with the EPA-100 tonearm and I was refering in specific to the 1000R.

Now, you are not speaking as an audiophile because if each single audiophile did think like you then no single of those very well regarded TT that comes with its tonearms that I mentioned/listed just never been sold and facts/sales says other very different history to yours one.

In the other side I had never in my system at the same time the EPA 100 or EPA 100MK2 and the Triplanar. All three/3 are very good performers with its own trade-offs.

You said the Triplanar has better bearings, maybe better for you but the Technics gimbal type with 20 precision ruby ball bearings and lower than 5mg. on friction level is no slouch about as it’s not on damping issue or low resonances in its design. Technics did it not only through the boron and titanium nitride build materials but with its unique variable dynamic damping.
Do you know that boron is used on cartridge cantilevers instead carbon fiber ( TP arm wand. ) because boron is less resonant?
The Technics are fully adjustable and that MK2 VTA mechanism is even today unavialable my any other tonearm including the Triplanar. This VTA Technics unique mechanism outperforms " easily " the one in the tonearm you are supporting.

With the rigth knowledge level almost any one can make that a removable headshell tonearm design can beats ( easily. ) the TP because that depends on many parameters: cartridges, set up, system chain, room interactions, music/sound knowledge levels and the like and as always in audio exist no perfection anywhere.

I think that you have a misunderstood in what you know on Technics tonearms/TTs, quality excecution design and quality level performance against the TP.

The 1000R is only the 100th anniversary item and not the today statement Technics TT/tonearm/cartridge design ever.
You have to remember that Technics is a little part of the gigantic japanese entreprise name it Mathushita with endless resources of every type/kind that mere " mortals " as you or me can’t imagine not even on our dreams ! ! If they want it they can build a product that can " easily " put on shame not only today items but even its SP10 MK3 ! ! or its EPA 100MK2.

Your very close link with TP maybe impedes an unbiased point of view not only against the Technics tonearms but the Technics today 1000R turntable.

You are a manufacturer designer and I know for sure ( first hand experiences. ) that your designs are not perfect ones and with several trade-offs.
Seems to me that when speaking of TP or TT you have an undisclosed agenda. No problem with me if you have it, as me you are free to give an opinion.

Again, Technics made its 1000R design not expresely customed for you or for me.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

Dear @atmasphere :   """  arm and the EPA-100; the Triplanar is easily a better arm... """

I think that any test evaluations between different tonearms needs to have " same parameters/characteristics " and I'm refereing here to that vintage EPA 100 internal wires against the fresh/today TP wiring and this sole characteristic in a tonearm evaluation has a heavy " weigth " for differences in the overall quality performance levels.

When I madeall my " thousands " of comparison tests of several vintage and today tonearms against mine all parameters were almost the same, of course always with the same tonearms internal wiring. I always mantained " test differences/parameters/characteristics " at minimum.

You said almost nothing of the comparison characteristics evaluations that are the foundation of your opiniojnn  about.

R.