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Which arms are really SOTA, and can be properly setup?

Absolute “must have” mechanical adjustments for a SOTA arm IMO!

1) Micrometer arm height adjustment that has index marks for VTA/SRA. Index marks are needed to ‘fine tune”, and go back to a previous setting, when the last setting was better.
2) Fine azimuth adjustment with index marks. Azimuth is as important as VTA/SRA, for sound quality.
3) Internally damped arm tube, and adjustable external fluid arm damping.
4) Anti-skate adjustment, including no anti-skate option.
5) Fine tracking force adjustment with index marks. For ease of adjustment, azimuth setting should not need to be reset when tracking force is changed IMO.
6) Adjustable head shell cartridge position, and arm pivot-to-stylus distance, for desired horizontal alignment. Straight non-pivot arms also need proper cartridge alignment (if off, they will be off through out the entire record). They also may have equal left-right channel sidewall force issues as the arm moves across the record, depending on the type of arm movement mechanism, IMO.


Tuning the arm by ear is “subjective”! Set for the listener’s sonic taste, as to what playback sounds best!


Electronic amplification, and the cartridge, must be “settled in” (warmed up) before adjustments are made. Play a few Lps before “fine tuning” any adjustments. Keep the stylus clean.

Incremental, “very fine” adjustments, over long term listening, with many Lps is necessary.
The optimum setting is always within a very small “window”.

Certain settings affect, other settings, that may need to be re-adjusted.

Listen for sonic changes as you make incremental adjustments, back and forth, as “clues” for the best setting.

Optimal setting are not for one record, but for the “mean” of all your Lps IMO.

Adjustment for each Lp is “madness’, time consuming, and interrupts the enjoyment of repeated playing during long listening sessions IMO.

When all adjustments are complete 80% of your Lps will sound at their best, the remainder very good IMO. I throw away bad recordings, why waste time listening to crap?

Not every record is well recorded, or will sound great, even with the arm properly set up.

Cartridge suspension break-in and settling over time, and stylus wear, requires arm re-adjustment.

Resistor loading, arm cables, and step-up transformer, gain and impedance (if used), are also big factors in getting best playback sound.
don_c55

Showing 4 responses by don_c55

don_c55 OP
1,025 posts
 
arsh: The original JMW 10 and 12 do.

Most newer VPI arms with dropped counter weight come close (If you use Soundsmith counter intuitive).

The VPI 3D does not have adjustable damping (I disagree that it is not needed).

Graham and  TriPlanar arms do. There are others I am sure.
don_c55 OP
1,025 posts
 
6) should read "pivot to spindle distance and stylus angle for chosen alignment "

Only some VPI arms and most Triplanar models meet my SOTA adjustment requirements.

SME arms do not.

Any others???
don_c55 OP
1,025 posts
 
Another problem with SRA  adjusting each Lp, is that there is a"settling" of the suspension that takes 30 to 60 minutes of play before getting good quality playback.

Before this settling time has elapsed the SRA adjustment would yield poor results.


don_c55 OP
1,025 posts
 
I like to have a tonearm that give flexible choice in cartridges, which I can tune to get the most out of.

I agree with many of you points, I was concerned with the ability to fine tune the arm for best sound quality, easily, by the owner,  to his tastes, as what sounds best to him.

Lets talk about one thing at a time.

"the best tonearm/cartridge combination" brings into play cartridge/arm debates and too many arguments IMO.
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