Air bearing tangential tonearm

[Magna Audio]

I have decided to sell my DIY parallel air bearing tone arm.
Would best suit someone who can twiddle a screwdriver and whirl a small spanner for fitting / setting up.

I will include instructions for fitting and setup.

I had this fitted on a Rega P3, Pioneer PL-71 and Technics SL-1210. Results on all three where very good. I used it with a AT 33PTG and Sumiko BPS EvoIII.

Included are the air pump built into a silencer box, smoothing reservoir (5l tank) and plenty of air hose (about 8m). The box is lined with sound proofing carpet tile material & foam & cuts noise so you really struggle to hear the air pump at all.

There are two Carbon fibre wands (arm) with quick connect plugs for easy cart swapping.
Two different counter weights. Once VTF is set up the wand swap can be made in less than a minute!

The arm wand length is adjustable so can fit decks from Rega (quite far back) to PL-71 (quite a bit nearer) and any in between.
An adapter to suit Rega type arm boards is included but I can make up any size or height if required.

The arm has adjustable VTA, VTF by means of moving the counterweight and horizontal arm balance, of course.

Tonearm wire is Litz and leads to interconnect sockets are OFC copper. All you need is an interconnect of your choice.

I made this very carefully and it performs just as well as a similar well known commercial tonearm that looks remarkably similar that I tried on my decks.

Here are some pics.

Mounted on PL-71 deck
http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/2247/2896592470071997495S600x600Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2896592470071997495qnMQcb)

http://inlinethumb25.webshots.com/43800/2376760900071997495S600x600Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2376760900071997495ldYKlo)

Headshell crafted from billet aluminium
http://inlinethumb27.webshots.com/44826/2920500400071997495S600x600Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2920500400071997495LHIdxD)

AT 33 PTG in action on Technics SL-1210 deck
http://inlinethumb23.webshots.com/34646/2240479700071997495S600x600Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2240479700071997495bPFnEn)

Air pump and sound proofing box
http://inlinethumb42.webshots.com/8041/2266499690071997495S600x600Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2266499690071997495RIYOqJ)

http://inlinethumb13.webshots.com/8716/2830689410071997495S600x600Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2830689410071997495qYaJIw)

Box, smoothing tank and air hose
http://inlinethumb22.webshots.com/1621/2734222950071997495S600x600Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2734222950071997495DuGgCJ)

What you get (minus the stationary pot holding the arm up and other stuff in the back ground of the 2nd pic)
http://inlinethumb57.webshots.com/47864/2735837550071997495S600x600Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2735837550071997495IFFbQV)

http://inlinethumb36.webshots.com/38563/2346886690071997495S600x600Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2346886690071997495caMrdK)

So grab yourself an excellent sounding arm for a fraction of the price of the commercial item.

I am open to sensible offers considering the materials and effort that went into it.
Please Private Mail me.

[k9vap]

I don’t usually post on these forums, but this has been brought to my attention.
I am from Trans-fi, maker of the Terminator.
I really have no problem with other enthusiasts copying my work for their own personal use, but to blantantly offer a product for resale with the quote.......
“So grab yourself an excellent sounding arm for a fraction of the price of the commercial item.”
...........is an underhand insult. Its not as if I am a mainstream manufacturer. This is a small venture where I make the tonearms in my garage to order at a cost that pays for the machining & leaves me with a small worthwhile profit. I have purposely kept the cost low & not involved middlemen as I am primarily an enthusiast.....not a businessman.
To add insult to injury, just before you built this copy you corresponded with me (as I do with many clients) on the pretext of wishing to buy a Terminator for you system. I sent you a sample to try, free of charge, in good faith. You duly sent it back saying it wasn’t for you. The next thing I know, your thread appears about the great tonearm you made.
As a result of your actions, I no longer offer Terminator on a trial basis. At least most other people that copy Terminator do it from pictures. You actually had the nerve to take advantage of my good nature & abuse it.
Anyone that grabs a bargain with this will also grab a slice of deceit.

[John]

Steve can you explain yourself I remember a few years visiting you and raving about the Terminator arm, not long after that I saw the thread Vic is refering too. Right now I feel you put my friendship with someone I respect highly; at risk

[Clive]

This does not look good...selling the arm is not a decent thing to do Steve.

[Marco]

Hi Steve,

I'm not liking the look of this one bit. I think a detailed and sincere explanation is in order!!

Dave Cawley was banned from AoS for trying to rip off Mike New's bearing, so I sincerely hope you're not trying to do the same with Vic's tonearm design................ This is something we take a very dim view of.

Vic, a very warm welcome to AoS. I'm sorry that your decision to participate in our community has not been under happier circumstances.

Rest assured that you will receive our full support in order to get this matter resolved to your satisfaction.

Marco.

[Magna Audio]

Sorry if I have transgressed here not my intention - this was a DIY one off - not offered commercially and is clearly 2nd hand. Not done for profit.
I just wanted someone else to take it on and have fun with it.

Remove this thread if it offends

[Mike g]

From having a look at another forum this seems now to be provisionally sold...

[Magna Audio]

yes and I edited the text suitably to remove offending parts but can't do that on AOS.

[John]

I think sorry would be reasonable thing to say to Vic

[Marco]

Indeed; I would insist on that, and written here on this thread.

DIY build or not, the Terminator tonearm should not have been copied in the first place without Vic's permission, which it appears was never given. To do otherwise is simply unethical. *That* is the main issue here.

When pictures were first posted of this tonearm some time ago, I had no idea of the background that existed. Clearly Vic wasn't consulted before the copy of his design was made, which explains why he's reacted the way he has.

I've got to say Steve, I'm disappointed in you, and this episode has left a rather bad taste in the mouth :(

Marco.

[Magna Audio]

Sorry for the slow response - been travelling.

I do apologize for the comments I made that are logically construed to refer to Vics product - although I do not state that anywhere. They were clumsy, not well thought through and I retract them.

With regards to a copy - it is not. It simply resembles Vics, as one car may resemble well another.
I do not consider Vic's words about my acting in a divisive or deceitful manner fair - he is jumping to conclusions and they are not based on fact.

There is no patent that I am aware of for the air bearing idea. There are many different ways of doing it.
If Vic has a patent I would like to hear about it - nothing about this on his shop sites.

As for the actual construction method, it is entirely my own solution to supporting the airbearing and does probably not resemble Vic's at all, as I do not know how the parts in Vic's are held together. I did what I could using the materials, tools and know how available to any DIY'er.

It is true that I trialed one of Vic's arms - A prototype if I remember correctly.
I tried it and sent it back as agreed. I made no disassembly or measurements at the time.
I then decided to make a one off for my own satisfaction - could I make one and I was able to do so observing all one needs by looking at the material, pictures and diagrams readily available on the internet (Ladegaard for one) The construction of the air bearing is detail excellent.
The other solutions & construction are probably unique to my arm and would not be suitable for even low volume production.

I decided to pass the arm on and clearly state it would suit a DIY'er. I was not using it and had not done so for a good while. I agree that I worded things in a clumsy manner and apologize for that.

So I think understandable overreaction from some here if you are not aware of the facts and my intentions.

I reiterate I am not currently a commercial competitor or have any plans to be.
I certainly have not made any money on the project either. The reward comes from the solution and building.

Lessons learned - be more diplomatic and careful with wording.

[Marco]

Hi Steve,

No problem. I think you've summed up this unfortunate episode:


Lessons learned - be more diplomatic and careful with wording.


All you needed to have done was ask Vic's permission before copying his design for your own use, and outlined the background (as described above) in your advert. It was simply a matter of courtesy.

I'm sure that Vic will now view the situation in a more positive light, and we can now draw this matter to a close.

However, as a gesture of good will, why not offer Vic a percentage of the profits made from any sale? I'm sure that would also encourage more people to buy your tonearm, who may have been put off before.... :cool:

Marco.

P.S PM received - thanks :)

[k9vap]

Thanks Marco, but I'm not interested in a percentage.

As far as I am concerned, I happily sent Steve a prototype to try. I never dreamed he was going to copy it.
And it is a copy in every detail, apart from the mounting mechanism.

The shape of the headshell, carbon wand, offset counterweight, blade-bearing are identical.....down to the detail of the cross slots to allow the wand to be removed with the wiring harness intact.

The slider & offset straps are identical.

The lift mechanism is identical.

These are developements I made to Terminator over an extended period of time thru trial & error.....developements which were on the prototype which Steve had ample time to study.

There are plenty of clones around, but no one has had the cheek to ask me for a prototype to try with the intent of buying, and then return on the pretext they didnt like it, only to follow it up a few weeks later with a whole thread dedicated to the new air-bearing arm they came up with!

I would not have raised the issue at all had Steve been more diplomatic in the way the add was worded.

...........so, we have all learned a lesson.....Steve in diplomacy and me in lending prospective clients prototypes!

[Marco]

Hi Vic,

No worries, mate - I understand. It's sad that your trust has been broken in this way :(

However, please do visit us when you can and participate in discussions involving the Salvation and Terminator. On AoS you have many admirers of your designs, not to mention friends and clients, such as John C and Clive.

Perhaps one day you could introduce me to your products and share a few beers? :cool:

Marco.