A unipivot made from scrap

[ed]

it's shite!...snigger

bah humbug!

[Paul Barker]

There would probably have to be some modification to the chassis plate to allow the mounting boss to be dropped through and to allow access to the setscrews to lock the height adjustment, so some thinking to do. The hole the 75 arm boss fits in isnt very big

After some more listening, the grado is getting on my wick, tracking isnt up to par. That slight fluff-on-the-needle sound didnt take long to annoy me, perhaps ive been spoiled by the other carts. Shame, its otherwise nice.
I need to sort out another stylus for the 760. Probably an ml stylus to make a 740ml.

Can you mount it on the 301 for me to audition and I might order one? Might make most sense if I bring my slatedeck plinth even if you have to make an armboard for it.

[Nick]

d like to know wether people who have now heard it have an opinion on this, and wether people think its good enough to sit in the market for an arm?

TBH, to have such a view that was of any meaning, I would need to hear it on a deck in a system I have experience of, and base that on what you would expect the final selling price was. What mounting does it need and what arm to spindle and height requirement does it have?

[ed]

d like to know wether people who have now heard it have an opinion on this, and wether people think its good enough to sit in the market for an arm?

TBH, to have such a view that was of any meaning, I would need to hear it on a deck in a system I have experience of, and base that on what you would expect the final selling price was. What mounting does it need and what arm to spindle and height requirement does it have?

doesn't that criteria apply to most arms sold from whichever/whatever vendor...I'm sure the mounting and other objective detail are given in the sales blurb....but I wonder how many 'normal' punters apply your stringent vetting needs...

I know I'm well out of the vinyl arena but I remember parting with my dosh nearly 40 years ago on an ittok that I hadn't heard in a system I was familiar with. Further, I knew a lot of folks that did the same. Have ideas behind buying hifi really changed in the intervening years!

TBH I think you're being a tad negative in response to Ant's question.

[Nick]

d like to know wether people who have now heard it have an opinion on this, and wether people think its good enough to sit in the market for an arm?

TBH, to have such a view that was of any meaning, I would need to hear it on a deck in a system I have experience of, and base that on what you would expect the final selling price was. What mounting does it need and what arm to spindle and height requirement does it have?

doesn't that criteria apply to most arms sold from whichever/whatever vendor...I'm sure the mounting and other objective detail are given in the sales blurb....but I wonder how many 'normal' punters apply your stringent vetting needs...

I know I'm well out of the vinyl arena but I remember parting with my dosh nearly 40 years ago on an ittok that I hadn't heard in a system I was familiar with. Further, I knew a lot of folks that did the same. Have ideas behind buying hifi really changed in the intervening years!

TBH I think you're being a tad negative in response to Ant's question.

That may be true Ed, but "most arms sold from whichever/whatever vendor." will already have users that can express an opinion and describe their experience and indicate what cartridge the arm will work with. Ant at this point has none of that.

As to what normal punters do, I cant say, but I don;t think my questions are unexpected, and as I say it will depend to some extemt what the price is, that sets the competition its against.

And you may be right, I perhaps am being negative, but Ant asked "people who have now heard it have an opinion on this," I have heard it at Owston, but not in any situation where I could have any meaningful opinion, and I explained what I would need to feel my option was meaningful.

Would "it was great Ant, the best I have heard, you should invest £100,000 in manufacturing facilities as I think you will sell hundreds at $20k a time" have been more helpful?

[Nick]

And, I am sure the mounting details are in the sales blurb, but AFAIK, there are as yet none. I asked because I wanted to know if I had access to any deck it could be mounted on to allow me to give a real opinion. I thought that would be helpful, but what do I know.

[ed]

all good points, and well made.
I was attempting a bit of Yin to your Yang...
we move on..good luck Ant.

[Ant]

The mounting geometry is rega based so 222mm s/p distance, it requires a 22mm hole in the arm board with clearance underneath it for the corresponding m22 collar nut

Effective mass comes in at 10g with an average cart weight which i found to be just over 8g taking a random sample of 20 sets of cart specs off the analogue seduction site so these are current production carts. Obviously abit less with a lighter cart, abit more with a heavier cart.

Minimum platter height i tried to get was 25mm.

The projected cost is somewhere around 4-500 quid but that can be tweaked as it isnt all that expensive in terms of materials, but it takes a long time to build it from scratch, i was aiming for £399.

A better lathe with access to higher speeds for aluminium and brass would probably speed this up as trying to get an acceptable surface finish when the available speed is too slow is quite difficult.

Ive got 2 of them, one doesnt have the arm lift and has a different counterweight and stub, but i cant tell much difference between the two if any. The latest version has a carbon fibre stub with a brass insert weight in it and a brass counterweight, the earlier one has an aluminium stub and steel weight

[Greg]

And, I am sure the mounting details are in the sales blurb, but AFAIK, there are as yet none. I asked because I wanted to know if I had access to any deck it could be mounted on to allow me to give a real opinion. I thought that would be helpful, but what do I know.

Yep, I had exactly the same thoughts when I read Ant’s request. Furnished with the required geometry info, I would know if I could offer Ant a personal opinioned assessment based on my TT and cartridge.

EDIT. Posted at same time as Ant.

[JohnG]

A Bespoke Built Tonearm at the price that Ant is suggesting will be a very nice purchase for anybody with a interest in Vinyl.
I am sure he will find a customer base, that will be loyal to the product and return to Ant for any future upgrades that evolve for the design.
There are a growing number of younger generation taking on Vinyl as their luxury medium and this sector of enthusiasts will surely have a selection of individuals being investigative about the availability of supporting ancillaries to be used on their vinyl systems.

I am a person who likes to receive a demonstration of a device, to gauge the impression it is able to make, with this in mind, and as I have followed this thread,
I was keen to receive a demonstration of this Tonearm and the 15" Speakers at Owston, but a knee injury resulted in my not attending.

[Ant]

Well there are two of them, if anybody wants to try them they are welcome to

[Nick]

The projected cost is somewhere around 4-500 quid but that can be tweaked

If you do intend to sell them, you need to get that right, Too much and you will find it hard to sell, too little and you will resent each sale. Having a quick look this seems to be the closest comparison:

https://www.audioaffair.co.uk/thorens-t ... ot-tonearm

[gninnam]

I bought a home brew 12 inch unipivot that was not built to same level from what I have seen the ones you have created.
I paid £160 which I thought was reasonable, so for yours, around the £399 to £449 would be about right so long as the finish is to die for.
Good luck.

[Greg]

Well there are two of them, if anybody wants to try them they are welcome to

I’ll happily give it a trial. I already have a Rega armboard so it will bolt straight onto my Denon DP-80. I use a Hana ML cartridge into Nick’s MCj3 hybrid phonostage. I could arrange a session here in the New Year for four other local members who are familiar with my system and its current Audiomods Series 6 (10.5 inch) arm. Collectively I’d expect we would provide some useful feedback.

[Ant]

I bought a home brew 12 inch unipivot that was not built to same level from what I have seen the ones you have created.
I paid £160 which I thought was reasonable, so for yours, around the £399 to £449 would be about right so long as the finish is to die for.
Good luck.

The finish is not to die for