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Thread: Tone arm upgrade considerations

  1. #1
    Join Date: Jan 2014

    Location: london se6

    Posts: 823
    I'm AndyElectroNumpty.

    Default Tone arm upgrade considerations

    Hi good folk of AOS

    I have been considering for a while a new tone arm for my NA interspace, currently I use an OL fettled Rega which sounds good to me, whilst this is more than ok I am wondering whether if I spend say 700-1000 britisher pounds on something it will be a big enough jump up to warrant the outlay. Given that I'm happy to buy secondhand I suspect it will be. So a couple of questions/considerations I have -


    Differences between unipivot and normal bearing arms, generally I read that unipivots are great on detail and mids etc but can be a bit bass light compared with normal arms, is this a good rule of thumb? Any other thing to consider with these types of arm?

    I really need a Rega (single central hole) fixing and geometry if possible for a drop in replacement on my TT.

    I'm not going to go down the Denon 103 or SPU route yet (if ever!) so don't really need detachable head shells etc. My current Cart is a ZYX Yatra which I am very happy with and has a lot of life left in it so not really going to change this for a couple of years. I run it on the Rega with a 5gm extra weight which it seems to like.

    Happy to buy second hand or consider things slightly left field, no air bearing stuff though, can't be arsed with that an probably out of my price range.

    Things I have looked at - OL arms , Audio note, Up the Rega range, Notts Analouge stuff. If you can make me think about others I'd be grateful!


    For a description of my system and how it sounds the good Mr Gong was kind enough to write a review after a brief visit here, the only think that has changed since has been the addition of a pair of Firebottle monos , and very good they are to, now using the Classik as a pre. They have certainly been a great addition , more grip , detail and scale apparent now, with out losing any of the attributes Mr Gong describes.


    https://theartofsound.net/forum/show...r-Andy-SMANGUS

    SO any ideas , considerations, suggestions are most welcome!

    Cheers Andy

  2. #2
    Bigman80 Guest

    Default

    Andy!!!!!

    Give Phonomac a shout. His PMAT-1010 is just superb. It's a heavily modified Audio Technica AT1010 and it's the best arm I have ever heard. I haven't heard a SME MkV though but that's out of budget.

    An arm from Angus can be had within your budget and I promise you, you'll never look back.

    He's just about to go to the MK6 version of his arm and I'm fetching mine on Saturday.

    Ask him nicely, he may loan you one to try, if he has one left. He's running out of arms!!!

    Trust me, it's the last arm you'll ever buy. Unless you land on some hefty money and go crackers

  3. #3
    Join Date: Jan 2014

    Location: london se6

    Posts: 823
    I'm AndyElectroNumpty.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bigman80 View Post
    and go crackers
    To late!! lol

    Thanks will think seriously about this, what's the geometry?

    Cheers Oli

  4. #4
    Bigman80 Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by smangus View Post
    To late!! lol

    Thanks will think seriously about this, what's the geometry?

    Cheers Oli
    No idea mate, it'll be on Vinyl engine. The arms effective length etc all stays the same, it's the insides he improves. No reason I can think of for it not to work on your TT.

  5. #5
    Join Date: Jan 2014

    Location: london se6

    Posts: 823
    I'm AndyElectroNumpty.

    Default

    Cool I'll look it up , only heard good about them.

  6. #6
    Join Date: Apr 2016

    Location: Gravesend and France

    Posts: 1,498
    I'm paul.

    Default

    Pivot to spindle on rega is 222mm effective length 237mm.
    Bakoon 13r Denon DP80 Stax UA-70 Shure Ultra 500 in a Martin Bastin body with jico stylus, project ds2 digital Rullit aero 8 field coils in tqwt speakers

    Office system, DIY CSS fullrange speakers with aurum cantus G2 ribbons yulong dac Sony STR6055 receiver Jvc QL-A51 direct drive turntable, Leema sub. JVC Z4S cart is in the house

    Garage system another Sony receiver, cassette deck


    System components are subject to change without warning and at the discretion of the owner.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Oct 2014

    Location: Surrey

    Posts: 549
    I'm Graham.

    Default

    Not heard the at1010 however i can highly recommend the audio note arm v2 as an excellent product. I started with an arm one and eventually upgraded to arm three. Very dynamic and upbeat presentation compared to the jelco 750 fitted previously. It also uses the single pillar rega mount so is a drop in replacement. Only real downside is that cart swapping is not as easy as n arm with a detachable headshell.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Jan 2014

    Location: london se6

    Posts: 823
    I'm AndyElectroNumpty.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by graham67 View Post
    Not heard the at1010 however i can highly recommend the audio note arm v2 as an excellent product. I started with an arm one and eventually upgraded to arm three. Very dynamic and upbeat presentation compared to the jelco 750 fitted previously. It also uses the single pillar rega mount so is a drop in replacement. Only real downside is that cart swapping is not as easy as n arm with a detachable headshell.
    Thanks I have been drooling over the ANs very nice design too.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norwich

    Posts: 1,064
    I'm Mike.

    Default

    As you've got a N.A. deck, have you considered a 12" arm like, e.g. their own Anna or Ace Anna (which I have on my Dais). Your Zyx is a pretty fast cart. and, i.m.o., would suit the (slightly unusual) unipivot bearings as opposed to gimballed arms. Mine is, I think, Rega fit as standard but you can check.

  10. #10
    Join Date: Jan 2014

    Location: london se6

    Posts: 823
    I'm AndyElectroNumpty.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Reed View Post
    As you've got a N.A. deck, have you considered a 12" arm like, e.g. their own Anna or Ace Anna (which I have on my Dais). Your Zyx is a pretty fast cart. and, i.m.o., would suit the (slightly unusual) unipivot bearings as opposed to gimballed arms. Mine is, I think, Rega fit as standard but you can check.
    Hi thanks haven't thought of a 12"er , didn't think the budget would stretch so far , will look at the NA arms though.

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