Technics SP-10 MKIIA tonearms

Dear Radicalsteve: IMHO both tonearms are very good depend the cartridge you mate with. Both are very flexible with different cartridges due to the different arm wans on the 500 and removable headshell on the 100 ( along with its adjustable damping. ).

I love the VTA mechanism on the 500 over the 100 and over many other today tonearms. I agree that both tonearms could improve its quality performance if we make a internal re-wiring, no I don't do it yet.

The EPA 100MK2 that comes with the same EPA-500 VTA mechanism has to me a Reference tonearm standard level and its effective mass is lower than the EPA-100. The bearing friction on the MK2 is almost inexistent and IMHO unique on the subject.

Technics ( a member of Panasonic and Matushita gigant. ) research and development team were second to none even in this days. THose tonearms, phono cartridges and its SP-10s TTs are a vivid " test " of that Technics dedication to the Excellence on the design and build execution of analog audio items that after all those years where were made today are still performing at high quality level.

I don't know if Fineaudio has " problems " with his EPA-100 or if he does not likes its performance with the cartridge(s) he own or maybe only want to try something different.
Anyway all of you already give him the precise answers he need it.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

I may have got the arm terminology wrong, I was thinking that the "H" was the more massive arm, that was the one I intended to recommend. The tests I referred to were the ones done on both arms in the old "Hi FI Choice" , which remain the best conducted tests I have seen.

IME tonearms were what Technics did best. In terms of quality, I consider the EPA-100MkII to be at the top of the Japanese-made tonearms (or at least very close to it). Even today, the MkII is more than competitive with most tonearms.

cheers, jonathan carr

Hi Gents

Is the EPA 100MK2 still a preferable arm to put on a Technics SL-1000MK3D, or will a Graham Phantom of similar perform better or just different?

I see that the tonearm can only handle up to 10 gm cartridges, and that is with a 9.5 gm headshell. Not so great for today's heavier MC carts.
There is a local guy that makes a heavier counterweight that enables all heavy carts to be used with this arm, so maybe this is not a much of an issue with this.

any thoughts are appreciated.

You can even fit the Jelco SA-750lb 12" onto the SH-B3 "Obsidian" plinth. I had to make a new armboard from aluminum plate though and you need to measure precisely to get the correct spindle/pivot while ensuring you get the arm as far to the right as you can so that the back of the arm does not foul the lid. It's a tight fit but it can be done if you are careful. It's documented with photos on the Hifi Wigwam site.