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VPI Uni-Pivit Tone Arms

I have owned a few VPI TT with the uni-pivit arm. My current TT is the VPI classic 3 signature. The uni-pivit arm is wearing me out. The arm is always tilted to one side no matter how I adjust it. I also notice that the sharp point in the arm housing has rounded quite a bit. I remember some time ago when I touched it I would get a sharp prick like a pin sticking me. Now i can run my finger across it without worrying. Is this normal?
Has anyone else notice the tilted arm? Mine is tilted to the left and sometimes the ears (the part that sticks out from the arm housing) touches the base of the housing.

But with all this discomfort, the TT still sounds awesome. But I hate those things about the TT that I pointed out. I owned the vpi classic, scout, and scout 2, and they all have those faults I mentioned that bothers me.

What's your experience with the uni-pivit arms?


almandog
almandog OP
141 posts
 
Selling it is an easy option. But I don't want to sell something that's not working properly. It would still cause issues for the buyer. I never sell anything that's broken. I think I will get a new spike and the double pivot. 
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mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,155 posts
 
mreeter, I have a 40 year old Syrinx PU 3. It is as good as the day I bought it and I have never had to do anything to it but play records. Sharpening spikes? If the spike is hardened for durability, sanding it the way you mentioned will heat up the mental and potentially take the temper right out of it. Which means it will just wear out faster, much faster. Just buy a new spike.
There is everything wrong with unipivots. Show me one well known reviewer that uses one. There is just no getting away from the fact that they have too many degrees of freedom. It is just a cheap easy way to make an arm. You don't have to worry about tolerances at all. You don't have to worry about everything lining up perfectly. You don't have to worry about bearing preload, just plop the thing down on a bearing that is going to wear out quickly and away you go. Nobody even uses the Graham any more.Maybe he just doesn't charge enough for it. If he charged more than the SAT arm Michael Fremer might even buy one. 
almandog OP
141 posts
 
Today I heard from VIP. They are sending me a new spike. I thought of getting a VPI Fatboy tonearm but it's at the same price point as trading in my Classic III for a VPI Prime Signature. Now I am in limbo now: The Fatboy tonearm for the Classic  III or the Classic III trade in for a VPI Prime Signature?

 Rational?
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