SME 20/2 & Graham Phantom issue

Hello jameswei,it still sounds good if you position your Phantom tonearm in a bigger angle to fit your VPI ring. The TT and tonearm geometry isn't correct. It is ok but not maximize your Phantom performance. I know Granham makes a armwand that is 1/2" longer to fit in VPI (or other) TT that uses the ring. The hole in my arm board was make to fit longer tonearm.

Hi Samleung,

Thanks for your comments. I am not able to change my armboard but I can play without the ring clamp if it makes a real difference. Can you explain why you think "The TT and tonearm geometry isn't correct"? And, why is the performance less than "maximized"?

RLawry:
I guess i'm gonna just keep this mount..it took me 8 months waiting for the arm, and i dont want to send it back it for modification. Bob Graham says the Phantom is supposed to be poisitioned like SME arms on SME table..so i guess it's OK.
Did you notice the change it makes when you play around with the fluid damping? It makes so much difference ! I ended up with the fluid just pass the bottom of the square shank. More than that, the arm sounded too damped.
Great arm ! It makes my Koetsu Urushi sound full, warm like analog tape, great focus as well. I cant wait to get another arm wand next week to mount my Lyra Helikon on !

Hi Jameswei, I'm no expert to provide knowledge and theory behind the geometry of TT and tonearm. You can find of this knowledge in other website. I use Wally protractor to set up my tonearm, it sounds ok to me.
I also find it sounds quite amazingly diferent if I don't use the ring. With the ring, the tonearm is riding stably along the horizontal pane and result in more signal is picked up by cartridge. Most important of all and what I like most is the stable soundstage it gets from using the ring.

If you can't position/anchor your tonearm on top of the platter spindle (as per manual installation instruction), then the angle of your cartridge isn't placed in the best postion on the platter.

I suggest you call Bob Granham to discuss your problem. I tell you, if your tonearm and cartridge is set up properly, you get sharp and focus image, detail with good extension (assuming your speaker is placed properly and synchronies with your room acoustic). Use Carol Kidd All My Tommorrow Lp to check your center image focus. Her voice should be small relative to your overall soundstage image.

Hi Samleung,

Thanks for the follow through.

I agree with your assessment of the benefits of the ring clamp. I like it too!

Perhaps I miss your point about the positioning of the tonearm. You are certainly right to say that the tonearm should be able to rotate the cartridge so that it is over the spindle. My tonearm does that fine. The tonearm pivot is at the right place on the plinth, and the cartridge is mounted in the cartridge shell in the right place.

The question I think we have been asking is whether it matters where the ARMREST is located. I mean, when you are not playing a record and the arm is at rest on its armrest support, at that time is the arm pointing straight out toward the front of the turntable or is it pointing slightly inward toward the spindle or slightly outward, away from the spindle? My opinion is that it doesn't make a real difference, especially since the angle is small.

Again, I am interested in your view. If you have a better idea of this matter, I'd appreciate it if you let us know.