Top 5 Tonearms Newer or Vintage Under 2500 That Will Beat anything above/below 2.5k?

Dear @vinny55 : As I said and can re-read my posts to you I never insult you as you again ( 3-4 times. ) followed insult me as in your last post.

It’s not neccesary to insult some one else especially when that person did not insult you in anyway.

What I posted in your threads is that " makes no sense " what you posted what you ask.

Not only in this thread statements but in other thread ( all makes no sense. ) where you ask to rank 16 different cartridges and that audiophiles as us tell along than cartridge ranking the best tonearm for each one cartridge.
Well that makes sense to you but not to me and even in all your threads other gentlemans posted the same: " makes no sense ".

We all live in a free world where you have the rigth to post whatever you want and everyone of us have the rigth to post too with out insulting.

You don’t have the rigth to insult me but you did it and follow do it.

Your audio arguments to give an answer to the " non makes sense " posts were too with no sense.
So you have not audiophile arguments to post why makes sense all your threads's statements and if you have it just show it but stop to insult me.

R.

re:VTA

fleshler
where it appears more critical to adjust is for differences in the LP cutting angles.

the angles that get cut into LPs  "the included angle" vary. The European cutting standard does not match the American one. What does this say about the same album title, one an American pressing, the other Dutch?
Every time the cutting stylus is changed (every 10 hours or so) the replacement stylus is never put in at exactly the same angle. Is the conspiracy growing? Ask the folks that cut the records. I have.

It is my opinion therefore that since the cutting angles vary, even with records of same thickness, that unless someone can tell me here on this thread, that they are able to visually see the angle of the cut in the record (the included angle), then VTA adjustment for those so inclined, should be done by ear, since the variables that exist outside that actual record - different rooms, gear and the way we hear, all factor in to what we will hear. Just remember your tonearm, due to physics will change VTF when you adjust for VTA. Differences heard may be due to this. VTF needs to be reset. Only one tonearm keeps VTF the same due to a patented system.

If someone is not VTA anal, and just wants to enjoy the music, use a stylus profile that is not as affected by VTA changes, like a Conical. Ask the cart manufacturer or retipper. You will hear less detail, however you can adjust for tonality once, be done with it and enjoy your music.

Now about those folks that use USB Digital microscopes to set VTA.....

Please excuse my lack of knowledge concerning the SME V. I haven’t seen one for decades and forgot that it has a VTA adjustment ability. However, it is there and easier than the SME IV per other Audiogon forums but not on the fly. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/vta-on-sme-v


nsgarch2,517 posts04-12-2006 2:16pmYou can’t adjust VTA "on the fly" with an SME V. It’s main failing IMO (and I own one).

The arm post is held in place vertically by the clamping action of two captive bolts that go thru the adjustable "sled" base (a really great mechanism that makes adjusting stylus overhang a snap).

There is a removable adjustment screw that you can insert to help you make small changes in the arm height, after loosening the clamping bolts, but you cannot do this while playing a record.

If you want to adjust VTA (really SRA) while playing a record, you should consider a Triplanar, or a Graham 2.2 or Phantom (the Grahams are unipivot design, the SME and Triplanar are bearing pivots)

Now, back to my comment that set it and forget it. I’m using a Benz Ruby 3 which is not a hypereliptical but certainly not a conical stylus shape. It apparently is not as critical in set-up as the former but renders great detail using the SME IV. It took several hours and shimming up and down the post to postition the VTA so that the tonal balance was found to my satisfaction. I’ve kept it there for 12 years. The VTF and VTA were found which sounded best for most LPs. Note that I 100% agree that records can vary in VTA per cutting stylus changes as well as record thickness. It makes playing records more challenging than CDs or streaming. I have probably 7,000 LPs which are not and will never be released in any format again, half of which the master tapes do not exist.

@nandric : I wasn`t looking for a prize. : )

@fleschler : VTA adjustment on the SME V is actually easier than you think. You described the process quite correctly, but the adjustment screw does not have to be removed until you have the VTA just right. The adjustment screw is positioned in such a way that it doesn´t impede normal use of the arm.

In addition to the SME V´s clamping bolts, the arm post is held in place by two spring- loaded clamps. This means that even with loosened clamping bolts, the arm post will stay in place.