Goldmund Reference Turntable ?

The T3F Arm is always in movement, from the right side-to the middle-to the left side. The result is a smeared soundstage. T and inferior dynamic range. To find the right cartridge is a real task because the side force will destroy the cantilever. The carts are not made for this kind of "influence".
The table itself is better. Service for the T3F is stopped from Goldmund. They don't produce any parts for the T3F.

The Goldmund Reference TT is a great performer and very well manufactured (one of the few high priced audio tables where you actually SEE that the money you paid for it was at least partly re-invested in design and material) - the T-3(F) tonearm has several problems, some of them being design-inherent.
Go for the table - look for a different tonearm (unless you want to experience long and enduring pain ...... ).
Cheers,
D.

Hello Kevin.

Perhaps if you’ll allow I can shed a little light on this?

During the 1980s I used to sell these in the UK. Terrific sounding deck with an arm that was a NIGHTMARE to set up. This was the T3F arm. Usually with one of the very high end Koetsu cartridges. Yes, the sound was magnificent but the anxiety in the minds of the customers and myself forced me to give up the brand. The massive profit could not compensate for the time and trouble involved. Customers who previously had not exhibited sign of neurosis did very shortly after owing one of these combinations.

All of my sales, without exception, had the T3F leap from the arm-rest like a very hungry greyhound, racing towards the platter – and below it – and about 3mm away would rise like an F-14 with terrain-following capability and drop neatly into the run-in groove. It was very far from amusing for everyone concerned. Neither I nor the importer nor indeed the importer’s hapless technicians every ridded the system of this unintentionally jaw-dropping performance.

My friend Mr. Aikman (founder of SME) had one of these. He had (prior to getting involved in building decks) literally 14 decks in his home system. That system was ARC preamps and Krell KMA-100 mono amps into 2 pairs of Quad ESL 63s. Anyway . . .

He told me the following. First, the deck itself was, when used with his SME V (he had all the engineering know-how and finesses readily to hand to achive this) the most musically credible he had ever heard to date. Secondly, that he was just too much of an English gentleman to comment on the T3F arm!

Incidentally, the closest rival, he felt, performance-wise to the Goldmund with the early SME V was – wait for it – the original Pink Triangle with a SME V. He then chatted amiably about embryonic ideas of offering to build the Pink Triangle for them. He was that impressed.

If it were me, knowing what I know, I’d buy the deck and get a master engineer to interface a Breuer 8-Dynamic with a vintage {genuine} Koetsu Rosewood with it.

Hope this helps

Kind regards

Howard Popeck / Stereonow

http://not-boring-honestly.blogspot.com/

Don't know how relevant this is but, I recently aquired a Studietto with the T5 arm. Yes, it is a fussy little ***** but once dialed in WITH the proper belt (neoprene) it has worked flawlessly. One thing I do with it is if I unplug the tonearm I always cycle the cuing a couple of times before I try to play anything. This thing cost me a modded Ariston RD80 and a pair of recent Maggie 1.6 but I think I got the better deal. It's astonishing how deep this thing digs and how instruments have so much detail. If I could not setup the T5 I would put a tangential arm on it. I envy you with your purchase and I'm sure you will figure it all out.

Hi Howard,
Wonderful memories. An acquaintance of mine also had a Goldmund Reference with the T3F in the late 80s - the arm was really a nightmare.
Curious you refer the Pink Triangle. Although I now have a Forsell Air Force One, I still keep a Pink Triangle PT TOO with a Sumiko MDC800 ranged in a drawer, just for the souvenir of its magic sound. Built quality was terrible but it sounded great, detailed and with a very articulated midrange. Unhappily speed stability was very poor.
Did you have the privilege of listening to music in the SME room?