Tonearm for Teres turntable - approx $1000 - ??

I can't think of any sub-$2K arm I'd clearly prefer to a DP-6, but my actual experience is fairly limited. The few arms I *know* I'd prefer all list for $3K and up. Maybe that makes the DP-6 a serious contender for best-in-class?

The DP-6's clumsy VTA adjustment can be addressed by ordering Chris's $200 VTA adaptor. It works pretty well provided your table is sited with convenient access beneath the armboard. (Ours isn't, so we need an arm with the VTA dial on top. AFAIK there are no sub-$2K arms with that feature.)

His point about the tactile nature of tonearms was nicely put. If you can fall in love with your tonearm and look forward to working with it, you'll play more music and enjoy it more. From that perspective a DP-6 may be the most attractive arm on the planet, except for maybe a Schroeder at 2-4x the cost.

In addition, a Moerch is so graceful, beautiful and obviously costly that few casual visitors would dare to touch it. That's a good thing for the health of your cartridges. My Tri-Planar has the same effect for different reasons. It has a certain robotic, Terminator-like "aesthetic". Most visitors seem to fear it'll chop off their finger if they get too close!

Doug

I do indeed plan to get Chris's VTA adjustor. As the turntable will be sitting on top of my equipment rack, there should be no problem with access to it.

I have definitely decided on the Moerch DP6. Another decision reached! As soon as Chris gets back from vacation I'll be talking to him and pouring all of my hard earned cash into his coffers!

My Tri-Planar has the same effect for different reasons. It has a certain robotic, Terminator-like "aesthetic". Most visitors seem to fear it'll chop off their finger if they get too close!

LOL, Doug!

Holly/OakIris

Oakiris, Good decision! I think you'll be quite pleased by the DP-6. I need to look into the VTA adaptor myself.

Dave

Holly,

I'm jealous. I nearly snagged a used DP-6 for our new Teres back in 2003, but somebody else grabbed it first. We got an OL Silver instead, since we couldn't stomach the price for a new DP-6. $2,000 for a tonearm?! (Oh, to be so naive again.)

Check out this site, a Danish Moerch dealer. Lots of good info and internal links. If you scroll down you can read the owners manual and even see a (euro) price list.

http://www.audiovision.dk/Moerch/moerch2.htm

For a ZYX with no integral headshell weight you'll want either a 9" blue, 9" Precision blue or 12" red armtube. I think I'd opt for the Precision myself. Cartridge/headshell coupling is critical, and that vestigial standard headshell just seems a bit dodgy. I think the designer won a battle with the engineer. Of course I'm known to favor geeky looking tonearms...

AFAIK the point of a longer armtube is to reduce tracing angle errors. That's fine in theory, but the ZYX's trace so well I'm not sure you'd benefit much. I've heard plenty of inner groove distortion on 9-10" arms with other cartridges, but never with any of my three ZYX's. Maybe Salectric can describe other advantages of the long arm.

C123666 suggested asking your seller about a continuous run of wire from the armtube connection to the phono plugs. Good idea. That would be better than a junction box + phono cable. It could even save you money.

This is going to be one nice sounding (and looking) rig. Friends and relatives will be amazed.

By the way, does the Moerch DP6 come with a phono cable or do you have to buy one for it? And, if you do need to buy one, what is recommended? (I don't even know if the Moerch has a DIN connector or RCAs or... at the tonearm end. :-o)
I can't afford more than about $150 for the cable, so please be gentle!

Holly/OakIris