TW-Acustic Raven 10.5 or DaVinci Grandezza??


Seems like a crazy question!
I am getting a Raven one but will have a choice of the Raven 10.5 or DaVinci Grandezza for just $2000 more! Which should I go for? Well I am not sure if Raven one is a good match to this super arm but the 10.5 have got great reviews. Please give soem advice.
luna
Dear DT, Adjusting azimuth is not the best way to deal with channel imbalance that you describe in your example. Azimuth has very little effect on channel balance. Azimuth affects crosstalk, of the L channel signal into the R channel and vice-versa. This is not the same as channel balance. To prove this to myself, I once did the experiment with my Triplanar. Extreme azimuth change, from one side to the other, effected at most a 1db change in channel balance (going from extreme right bias to extreme left bias), and in doing so resulted in azimuth that was entirely unacceptable in any other way. (Stylus way over on its side, so signal was distorted and stylus wear would be an issue, and crosstalk was way off.)
Dear Lewm, I know it is crosstalk - nevertheless, give my proposition a thought and muse about what is the motivation in most set-ups to start "adjusting" azimuth ?
In other words - I for one haven't seen a mispositioned (i.e. anything else than dead 90° vertical) stylus in the last 12 years on ANY new cartridge.
So .... why do we adjust azimuth then ?
Dertonarm, you are stretching miles to defend the undefendable and might end up in the woods. We are not living in a perfect audio world. Azimuth adjustment available on the arm should be a better solution (although not cost effective for 5K arm) in the unfortunate event when needed than using tiny washers between head shell and cartridge (which is very cost effective for 11K arm).

BTW, your preset opinion against the German arm on the Subject is well documented in another discussion even before its availability and the availability of Uni-Pro as well.

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1263686265&openfrom&1&4&&st50

Guess what's really count counts, that's why Uni-Pro has a template for the relative new German arm in the subject. My doubts are whether the template provided by Uni-Pro can be trusted.
10-26-11: Dertonarm
Rockitman, all you need is an oscillating pad and a µV meter - that's it.
The technical straight way to determine coil output independent from stylus position/mounting position.
This way you get the raw coil response - totally independent of any position of the polished area to a groove.

So you mean an Oscilloscope ? And if so, is it simply a matter of connecting the Oscilloscope ground clip to the ground on the left channel and the hot clip (+) to the positive (hot) on the left channel and measuring the voltage, then doing the same for the right channel and then comparing the two to see if the voltages match ? I don't have much Oscilloscope use experience. Just trying to undertsand how I would go about measuring the voltages.
Kdl, I am not "defending the undefendable", but trying (apparently futile with some ..but no problem with that either ) to show, that azimuth adjustment is a bit more tricky and demanding than most think.
And it often leads in the wrong direction.
Give me a reason why we should accept cartridges with a mispositioned stylus.
And don't tell me we have to because it is a fact of life.
It is not a fact - it is the exception and showing ill product quality - and there is no reason to accept a lousy manufactured product.
At least - not for me.
Period.
You won't find a NIB Lyra cartridge with a mispositioned stylus - and you won't find a NOS FR-7 series cartridge of 30+ years with a mispositioned stylus.

TW 10.5 ...;-) ... within Germany the history of that "german tonearm" is much better known than in the USA.

Read careful what you are quoting.
I took position against the "pre-introduction hype and laurels" - for good reason.
I am not particular crazy about that tonearm - because I see and hear no reason to do so.
The tonearm is o.k. and not cheap - no more, no less.
Period.
Sorry to have hurt the feelings of part of the fan-group.

You may have your doubts - as everyone who has no 1st-hand information.
You may ask a few TW 10.5 users (about 4 in the US do have an UNI-template for their TW 10.5 - I do everything on customer's request ...) - they will confirm that their 10.5 sounds in no way worse with "my" template.

All the TW fan group - and a few others will have a great time this late winter when my tonearm is introduced.
But relax - the price will put it out of reach for most, 70% of the limited edition is already sold prior to launch and it requests some really serious turntables to be mounted.

You'll have fun.