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VPI Classic and ZYX 4D

Hi guys,

I am finally setting the TT and I was hoping to give it a shoot today but apparently problems never end.
I mounted the pick up on the tonenarm leveled the tonearm and I was just about to regulate the reading weight when I realized that even puching the counterweight all the way in I barely reach 1.2gr.
I own a ZYX 4D with the SB@ option which accordingly to the manufaturer it weights 7.9gr which should be perfectly ok.
I think the Dynavector Diamond is 7.5gr or something like that.
I have never seen anybody having this issues...I tried to reasearch but nothing.
I contacted my dealer but he has no clue.
I tried to call VPI but they are unfortunately close till the 13th!!!!
So I don't know what else to do.

If anybody can give me some help I would really appreciate.

Thank you so much.

Best,
Stefano.
stefanoo
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Mark,

My apologies for the mis-attribution, and thanks to Stephanoo for stepping up. Clumsy me. :-(

BTW the sound at 2.3gr and more AS wasn't that horrible, I mean it was still great. I just thought that there was a little lack of air and I felt like there was less definition and soundstage less defined ...
Agreed. Pressing a vibrating object (cantilever) into an elastomer (cartridge suspension) attenuates the vibrations, and higher frequencies are attenuated the most. Excessive VTF and AS sound a bit like turning a treble tone control way downward.

From everything I've read, Mike at VPI has been providing great service for many years . Glad to here they still are. A higher mass arm should definitely suit your cartridge. Let us know!
stefanoo OP
103 posts
 
Arm should arrive this week accordingly to what Mike told me.
So as soon as it will get here i will post impression.
srwooten's avatar
srwooten
694 posts
 
Hello Stefanoo-
Did you get the stainless steel upgrade or the 3 grams of lead added to the tonearm? I too am waiting for a new arm (stainless steel 10.5i) to go with my Airy 3.
stefanoo OP
103 posts
 
I got the stainless steel armtube...the package is supposed to arive this morning....so as soon as I will get it I will post in more details.
k
Anyways, since the arm was there I asked Mike to wire it out with the Nordost wire.
stefanoo OP
103 posts
 
ok..the arm is back...

I had to screw the allen wrench that is by where the wire comes out and set it till the arm was free of moving then connected the lemo connector in and lets go.

The sound is terrific now.
There is so much difference from before that I don't understand where it comes from...just the wiring, the alignment, the proper tracking force...or the twisting...
All I know is that now it sounds really wonderful.

They told me they have set the tracking force up the upper range (which means I think around 2.5gr).
So just to reply to Dough, the sound at this tracking force is fabulous.
There is air, dynamic, there is a huge soundstage back and front.
Speakers completely disappear from the room.
It is really nice now.

The arm is stainless steel and the counterweight now sits a little bit past out the center point of the stub which is the ideal point I think, while before was right by the unipivot.

It is really nice.
I will go and have some more listening to try to compare some well known records.
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