Wanted an(other) arm

[Ant]

I'm in need of another arm for the next project....
Having found the dual eds1000 motor, I've started on a plinth for it but all the arms I have are in use, the at 1100 is on the jbe, the gst1 is on the lenco and the MA ware is being held in reserve for the rd40 when the travel restrictions are relaxed.

I've a budget of up to about £400, maybe abit more for the right arm, I'd like to avoid regas. I did consider an audiomods series 6, but then remembered that I would be killed if I spent that much....
Anyone got owt they would let go?

Cheers ant

[shane]

I haven’t got anything spare myself, but isn’t it time you tried one of these? I’d be interested to hear your opinions:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114224881477

[Ant]

I looked at that one but I've already got 2 low mass arms, (the mayware and the AT1100) the gst-1 is what I would consider medium/high (ish) mass, about 16g effective mass
Ideally I want something in between, 10 to 15g

I'll get round to a 774 one day

[Ray P]

I haven’t got anything spare myself, but isn’t it time you tried one of these? I’d be interested to hear your opinions:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114224881477

As a former owner of one I second Shane's recommendation and can vouch for just how good an arm it is. I used mine with an Elite MCP555 IIRC

[JamesD]

I have an original Mission 774 arm (no I'm not selling it!) and it is the best arm of its type in that it adds very little sound of its own letting the cartridge speak - so a vote for it

Add weight to the headshell via a stiff spacer and it handles a 103 so don't let the low mass fool you. The bearing end is more than up to handling the energy that a 103 puts into the arm - it just needs more mass at the head end for the 103 to work against...

I bought mine with an elite MCP555 too

ciao

James

[shane]

I glued my 103 into one of these. It tightens up the body, provides a rigid platform for the cartridge and adds about 3G of mass right where you want it, without having to take your life in your hands cutting the body off.
Made a real and tangible difference to the textures of instruments, and tightened up the bass beautifully. On the TT2 it’s definitely the best I’ve ever had for vinyl.
Being mean, I was a bit reluctant to spend 40 quid on a little lump of alloy, but it’s nicely machined and the difference it made is not small.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274331916928

[shane]

Incidentally, I’ve never bothered with the silicon damping fluid. In my experience the stuff gets everywhere. I may be missing a trick here, but it sounds pretty damn good without it!

[Ali Tait]

I have an original Mission 774 arm (no I'm not selling it!) and it is the best arm of its type in that it adds very little sound of its own letting the cartridge speak - so a vote for it

Add weight to the headshell via a stiff spacer and it handles a 103 so don't let the low mass fool you. The bearing end is more than up to handling the energy that a 103 puts into the arm - it just needs more mass at the head end for the 103 to work against...

I bought mine with an elite MCP555 too

ciao

James

And another vote from me, these are very good arms. Also second James’ comments about the 103, works very well with a headshell weight.

Also, if you can get one with the three paddles for the silicon trough, it’ll work with pretty much any cart.

[Ali Tait]

That’s a great price it’s at too, they are normally around the 300 mark.

[gninnam]

I have an Audio Note Arm One V2 that is just sitting in its box but wanting nearer £500 ?

[JamesD]

Shane,

Thanks for the report on the 103 case. useful tip!

ciao

James

[vinylnvalves]

I have had my eye on the 774 too as I am currently toying with the idea of building an arm and intrigued by the design, and wanted one in my hands to understand it better. Fidelity Research arms seem to be the rage on the Lenco forums. I was looking at this one, needs some work.....https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fidelity-Res ... %7Ciid%3A1

[Ant]

Well I ignored everyone, possibly like a wally, and bought this instead

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392788711598

[shane]

Different!

[Ant]

I ignored all the bumf about the sound quality on the listing, I'll make that determination myself, and I have a relatively good idea of what it'll sound like having used one of vics transfi arms. I also like the fact that the builder has been able to lighten it sufficiently compared with vics terminator arm, that it will go on a suspended deck. and the fact that it is pretty affordable.
I fully expect to have the same massive faff to set it up as I had with the transfi arm, and that I'll need to make a box for the air pump, but with vics arm, despite the enormous ballache to get it dialled in, it was an ear opener to not have any tracking error
I got the pump that the builder recommended, an eheim 400, which added 30 quid, but a total of 425 quid isn't bad money.
I looked at plenty of other fairly crap arms that were more money, prices seem to have gone abit crazy over the last couple of months. One of the drafter prices was 300 quid for a linn basik lvx?........ Who is going to pay that?