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Thread: Phonomac AT-1010 Tonearm review

  1. #41
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 6,772
    I'm James.

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    Sounds like a great tonearm for the Decca. What is the damping mechanism on this arm?
    Main system : VPI Scout 1.1 / JMW 9T / 2M Black / Croft 25R+ / Croft 7 / Heco Celan GT 702

    Second System : Goldring Lenco GL75 / AT95EX / Pioneer SX590 / Spendor SP2

  2. #42
    Join Date: Jan 2018

    Location: Cheadle

    Posts: 8
    I'm Al.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jimbo View Post
    Sounds like a great tonearm for the Decca. What is the damping mechanism on this arm?
    There's no damping as such other than the magnesium/rubber composite headshell and the adjustable force on the floating counterweight stub (fo damping as AT describe it)

    The fo adds pressure to the stub via a rubber pad. Fully tightened the stub is rigid. All the way lose it has some play and the stub has room to move. I guess it plays a small part in damping and I can't honestly say it's made a huge difference until I experiment. Many argue that a Decca needs damping at the headshell, bearing or pivot first and foremost. I've had and used both methods with all my Decca's. I've found that the London Decca's in pods or bodies are less fussy and work well in many arms. Tonearm mass, quality and design plays a bigger part in my experience. The Decca FFSS arms and carts have no conceivable damping and work very well together.
    My better half says we should plan for the next 5 years. I remind her that I never know what I'll be doing in the next 5 minutes.

  3. #43
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 6,772
    I'm James.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Synergist View Post
    There's no damping as such other than the magnesium/rubber composite headshell and the adjustable force on the floating counterweight stub (fo damping as AT describe it)

    The fo adds pressure to the stub via a rubber pad. Fully tightened the stub is rigid. All the way lose it has some play and the stub has room to move. I guess it plays a small part in damping and I can't honestly say it's made a huge difference until I experiment. Many argue that a Decca needs damping at the headshell, bearing or pivot first and foremost. I've had and used both methods with all my Decca's. I've found that the London Decca's in pods or bodies are less fussy and work well in many arms. Tonearm mass, quality and design plays a bigger part in my experience. The Decca FFSS arms and carts have no conceivable damping and work very well together.
    I think the Decca does indeed work better in a pod and generally likes some decent mass in the tonearm. My unipivot is internally damped and worked ok with my Decca Blue but not ideal. Compliance was a bit of a mismatch and I did get a bit of mistracking although this was probably down to not enough VTF.

    I have heard Oliver's Phonomac AT1010 on his SP10 , very impressive set up.
    Main system : VPI Scout 1.1 / JMW 9T / 2M Black / Croft 25R+ / Croft 7 / Heco Celan GT 702

    Second System : Goldring Lenco GL75 / AT95EX / Pioneer SX590 / Spendor SP2

  4. #44
    Join Date: Jan 2018

    Location: Cheadle

    Posts: 8
    I'm Al.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jimbo View Post
    I think the Decca does indeed work better in a pod and generally likes some decent mass in the tonearm. My unipivot is internally damped and worked ok with my Decca Blue but not ideal. Compliance was a bit of a mismatch and I did get a bit of mistracking although this was probably down to not enough VTF.

    I have heard Oliver's Phonomac AT1010 on his SP10 , very impressive set up.
    I forgot to add that my London Decca is also internally damped by John Wright when he rebuilt it. That removes most of the limitations of the original design and firms up the whole sound as a result, especially in a pod.

    I've had the Blue, Maroon and an Export Grey and all have been used in uni-pivots (I have the Decca Magnetic Uni-pivot) and silicone & oil damped arms. Just my experience but podding and damping at the cart end of things is better than damping later down the signal path. Why put unwanted resonances into the headshell/tonearm ? With a little thought and JW's modding they are all unique and hard to beat for realism and dynamics.

    So far in the stock AT arm it's a real treat to listen to, as is the Denon 103. Happy days.
    My better half says we should plan for the next 5 years. I remind her that I never know what I'll be doing in the next 5 minutes.

  5. #45
    Bigman80 Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by Synergist View Post
    I forgot to add that my London Decca is also internally damped by John Wright when he rebuilt it. That removes most of the limitations of the original design and firms up the whole sound as a result, especially in a pod.

    I've had the Blue, Maroon and an Export Grey and all have been used in uni-pivots (I have the Decca Magnetic Uni-pivot) and silicone & oil damped arms. Just my experience but podding and damping at the cart end of things is better than damping later down the signal path. Why put unwanted resonances into the headshell/tonearm ? With a little thought and JW's modding they are all unique and hard to beat for realism and dynamics.

    So far in the stock AT arm it's a real treat to listen to, as is the Denon 103. Happy days.
    😊

  6. #46
    Bigman80 Guest

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    Well, the inevitable has happened. Phonomac has now taken deposits for the sale of his last remaining AT-1010's!!!!

    If you want one, you're gonna have to find your own arm!!!!

  7. #47
    Bigman80 Guest

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    PHONOMAC visits with his new MK5 PMAT1010.

    Finally, I got the chance to have a listen to the finalised Mk5 version of the PMAT-1010. Previous versions included an upgrade to the bearing housing and upgraded bearings in the horizontal plane. It was Angus's plan to have the upgraded bearings in the Vertical plane too, but this was problematic due to machining tolerances. Having spent the best part of a year on developing a technique that allows the machining to work within 5 microns (? Will check that's right) tolerance, the Mk5 became a real possibility a few weeks ago. I heard the prototype and quite frankly, ordered the upgrade there and then.

    Fast forward to today and I got the chance to put one through its paces.

    We used Angus's new Orotofon Vienna+ which has recently arrived back from Killian Bakker (located in the Netherlands) who was tasked with repairing the Vienna. Unbeknownst to Angus, what was originally thought to be cantilever drift from lack of antiskate, was actually a broken tie wire inside the cartridge. Killian was approached due to his expertise with Ortofon Cartridges and duly accepted the challenge. A new set of guts was fitted along with a new Ruby cantilever and improved stylus. The FG-s. This created "the Ortofon Vienna+"

    Angus had been quite coy in his experience of what came back from Killian, insisting that I "wait to see what you think" and today, I know what I think. The "OV" was placed onto the MK4 arm to get a benchmark for how it performed. Instantly, on the opening track of "Making Movies - Dire straits" the visceral impact was evident. It was livelier than the Kb, it also sounded fuller and more powerful. I was shocked at how ALIVE it sounded. I made a comparison to the Decca Gold I'd had in terms of percussion impact and the pure speed that the drums were coming out of the speakers. In all honesty, I then compared it to a Keith Moon type of approach to reproduction. It sounded a bit wild and energetic. Almost losing its composure in a few place. I then popped the Kb in to the MK4 and everything recessed a little. The soundstage was smaller and everything was a little less......explosive. We chatted about what we heard and then decided to give the Mk5 a go.

    We set everything up and dropped the needle on the same track........this is when my world ended.

    The OV no longer felt like it was out of control, in fact, very much the opposite. The PMAT-1010 Mk5 had a very tight grip on everything and produced a fluid performance that almost felt flippant. The same kind of attitude that just commanded respect and ultimate confidence that everything was easy for this tonearm. I could bang on about transients etc but what's the point! All I need to say is ....this is the best tonearm I have ever heard. Anywhere. Next up we played "All dead - Queen" I chose this track due to its ridiculously good recording of a piano and the quite stunning harmonies throughout. The Piano was divine, the harmonics of the notes floated but as the keys got lower, the authority and depth of the note just made my hairs stand on end. It really was something else.

    The Mk5 can only be described as Majestic. For anyone to be considering a Medium mass tonearm and not be looking into one of these is just insane. Forget the name, forget the country of origin, forget any preconceived idea that you may have about Audio Technica, this arm is magic.

    The Kb went on to the Mk5 next and whoa boy am I looking forward to getting my Mk5!!

    This combination left me feeling like ive only been playing around at being serious about vinyl. Luckily, I have a Mk5 on order and I'll be getting an Ortofon Vienna asap.

    A combination that blew my world apart.

    ***I have not been asked to write this review or been offered any incentive to do so. I have no affiliation with the manufacturer and my views here are expressed due to my own experience with the aforementioned equipment only***
    Last edited by Bigman80; 21-05-2018 at 20:22.

  8. #48
    Join Date: Apr 2011

    Location: Northamptonshire

    Posts: 185
    I'm Angus.

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    Only one minor factual correction to make - the tolerance is 5 microns.

    Angus

  9. #49
    Bigman80 Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by phonomac View Post
    Only one minor factual correction to make - the tolerance is 5 microns.

    Angus
    Edited!!

  10. #50
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: The Black Country

    Posts: 6,089
    I'm Alan.

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    Gor blimey!
    Or other phrases of shock and awe.

    Having heard some of your journey with this arm and various carts I can only surmise that what you are hearing is sublime.

    Good on Angus for honing his skills

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