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Experience w/ Trans-Fi Auio Terminator Tone Arm?

How many of you have the Trans-Fi Auio Terminator Air Bearing linear Tone Arm? Or the older Trans-Fi Evolution Tonearm. What is your experience with this arm, how satisfied are you with this arm, and how does it compare with other tonearms you have tried?

I am seriously thinking of getting the Terminator for my VPI Super Scoutmaster with Rim Drive, but have no experience with linear tone arms. I have found just one person on Audiogon who has this arm and loves it. This fact is somewhat confusing to me, since if the arm is so great, as some people say it is, you would think more people on Audiogon would have it or at least tried it out.
Thanks,
jbcello
stefanoo
103 posts
 
it doesn't skip, but you should be careful as it is an airbearing tonearm.
since you minimized the air flow you might want to increase it a little bit just to allow the stylus to sit solid on the groove.
Also maybe your cartridge trackl light so it migh be more sensitive.
On mine I can adjust on the fly but I would recommendo to lift the cartridge up and make the adjustment and then put i back on again.
acman3
2,267 posts
 
Franz456, Sorry if I got the tube size wrong. It is aquarium tubing,whatever size that is. Congratulations on your new tonearm.

Wntrmute, VTA on the fly has to be done very smoothly,but adjustment knob is not very hard to turn on my table. Why don't you check with Vic? I do not always tighten the setscrew.

I guess I need to get a pressure Gage and play with air pressure to see how it effects the sound and tracking. I just plugged it in and started listening.
dgarretson
2,394 posts
 
Wntrmute2, It's great arm, but the on-the-fly VTA feature should be approached with caution. After each change in VTA the clamping screw should be retightened to ensure solid coupling between the air manifold and the core block. Recheck zenith after arriving at optimal VTA. Remember that with a short wand, any change in VTA will push/pull the stylus off tangency/zenith to a greater degree than with a conventional long wand. Notwithstanding these housekeeping issues, the variables of a linear tonearm are simple and deterministic compared to a pivot arm.
acman3
2,267 posts
 
Dgarretson, Great points! I had never thought about the arm getting out of tangency by raising or lowering arm. DUH.

Thanks
wntrmute2's avatar
wntrmute2
188 posts
 
Thanks for the help guys. I wonder if a specialty forum might be in order for guys like us somewhere? AK, AA, or Audio Circles. Any thoughts?
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