Why the sudden popularity of 12 inch arms

Z

Define MUSIC?? Please don't tell me you are talking about Dianna Krall or alike??

I beleive I gave a hint of some new release pop/rock/alternative music I like.

BTW, I am going to have to go over to halcro's place to listen to the Raven/ Cobra since we both live in Sydney.

All else being equal, a 12" inch arm should be better than a 9" arm (who can argue with more inches is better, guys?). The trouble is, there is no way to make all else equal. It is hardly a technological breakthrough to make an arm longer, but to do so, one must increase mass, particularly inertial or effective mass because the heavy cartridge will be hanging way out there on the end of a lever. Either that or a lot of mass has to be removed from elsewhere which compromises rigidity.

It is much easier today to make the compromise in favor of longer arms than in the past because of the available material. One can use carbon fiber impregnated material, cast magnesium, titanium, etc. But, it is not necessarily the case that any given arm can be scaled up to a longer length with ease; some designs might suffer too much in the other areas of concern, such as rigidity.

So, it is a matter of designers making their choice of tradeoffs. But, to say that one aspect of design, specifically length, is so important that a long arm is inherently superior, as someone mentioned that Roy Gregory has suggested, I don't buy. I will take a "short" Triplanar, Vector, etc., any day over the VPI arm.

Hey guys.....don't underestimate the Rega Planar 3!
It MUST be wall-mounted and the Hadcock GH228 is a far better match than the Rega arms.
I simply don't gel with the sound of suspended decks.......do any of you see a similarity here - Caliburn, Criterion, Walker Proscenium, Rockport Sirius, Raven AC?
Have you heard the VPI HRX?

Z,of course there is always something better!My point is....with the performance I currently get,I no longer "care" all that much about bettering what I am hearing,"in my room".Been to loads of trade shows,dealer showrooms,personal hobby set-ups at some reviewers' homes,and friends' homes.Yeah,there is a better mousetrap,but I'm close enough to not worry about getting hemorrhoids anymore!
As to the wood..."not like this grain pattern,and finishing"!!No way,jose!!...This pair was promised to a certain reviewer,for personal usage.Instead,Mike Hobson got them to me as a favor.Sometimes things work out.-:)
Best.

BTW,Z or anyone curious(c'mon we all like to check out what some of us own/like)about the Ascent MK-II(which I modded twice),there is a review which can be found online(probably Avalon's site)written by Michael Gindi(he talked me into getting my pair).I never appreciated the validity of this review,until years of ownership.Especially "after" a friend had bought one of the superb Kharma designs,then morphing to the close to the Ascent, but still no cigar Magico Minis(yet I LOVE the Magicos,and could see getting a pair,if in a different room).These still fell short of the Ascent-II(if you like micro-detail.. oh boy)....The review is enthusiastically written,and quite entertaining....AND.. DEAD ACCURATE(took years to realize how accurate it truly was)!!
OK,I'll go back on topic-:)