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Which arm best for SME30-2?

I have an SME 30-2 with SME V and a Koetsu Blue Onyx. The Triplanar and Graham Phantom B44 are possible alternetives. Does anyone have any experience in this respsect. i.e. Triplanar or Phantom on an SME 30? The rest of my system is: Asthetix Rhea Signature (yes the new one), CJ CT5 and a pair of LP140Ms driving Guaneri Hommage speakers set on solid (250Lb) Marble columns. CD is vis dcs Elgar DAC, Purcell upsampler and Theta Jade transport. All interconnects are by LFD - Black widow for Rhea and Elgar to CT5 and Silcer Scorpion for SME to Rhea and CT5 to LP140Ms. Speaker wire is home brew. 1mm fine Silver wire (99.9% pure) threaded into Teflon sleeving and bi-wired.
jskg
rgurney
279 posts
 
Thomas - I have no experience with the DaVinci arm but use a Koetsu Urusuhi on my Phantom. It works quite well, as most cartridges do with the Phantom.
jskg OP
16 posts
 
Thanks for the response guys. It is early days yet so I am wtching the discussion with great interest.
jskg OP
16 posts
 
Rgurney - "The SME table and arm have great 'synergy'. A personal preference in the end."

Thanks for this. I have often wondered because of all the diatribe about this or that arm being "better" than the SME V, and I've thought OK Maybee a Phantom is better than a V on a different turntable but what about when mounted on an SME 30? .
Once again thanks for the illumination.
jskg OP
16 posts
 
Pcosta "The Tri-planar is a very nice arm and did some very good thing while I had it. A trade off compared to the SME V."

Can you give little more info on the trade off? Ie the differences in sound.

Thanks
pcosta
202 posts
 
Jskg

It has been over three years since I have done the Tri-planar on the SME but I will try and describe what I heard.

Tri-planar had a touch better dynamics being more detailed on transients. People complain about bass bloat on the SME V, it does not exist on the SME 30 as you may well know, but it beat the Tri in that regard. I thought the SME had a better juicier midrange that I liked with my Miyabi 47, or XV-1.

When you get in to this league the differences are so small. SOme arms excell more with a certain cart over another arm etc.
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