Gimbal vs unipivot tonearms

      I've been using a Magnepan Unitrac I, since 1981.

      A very low effective mass unipivot, that I've always used with fairly high-compliance carts.  (ie: two Denon 103d's, Dynavector 17D3, Soundsmith Aida)

       It's my opinion: Physics would dictate, with a lower compliance cart, the stiffer suspension would tend to cause vibration migration, up the lightweight arm tube and resultant chatter in the unipivot.

                                           The thought makes my teeth hurt.

        Can't help but wonder, how many may have tried that and blamed the design?

@mijostyn-    I've never had a problem getting excellent Bass with my chosen carts.

       Always have tried to match them correctly (compliance/effective mass, within reason), which, I realize, some think is bunk.

        In my mind: a high compliance cart, in some of the newer, higher mass arms, would create other problems.    ie: exaggerated cone motion, when trying to ride record warp, possibly: early compliance collapse and excessive stylus wear?

        Anyway: I've always been a Pipe Organ-phile, Bass lover and got acquainted with the sound of, "live", way before ever owning a system (Elementary School music classes, etc).      Well- there was the turntable and Elvis 45's, at around the age of 12, but...

       Two of my all-time favorite vinyls are the Crystal Clear, Direct to Disc, of Virgil Fox (The Fox Touch, Vol I) and MFSL, Dark Side of the Moon.

        Toccata and Fugue in D minor and the heartbeats (not to mention the rest of that disc), both are mesmerizing, when reproduced correctly.

                             Thanks for the suggestion, though!

      When you guys run near-field response tests, that come back flat down to 20Hz, from stylus to woofers, get back to me.

              https://www.analogueseduction.net/test-records-turntable-set-up/elipsonlp.html      (see: B4 - B9)
 
      My TL woofer system, crossed in at 80Hz (10th Order, Butterworth), was designed for output down to 16Hz, by Roger Sanders, back in 1980.      Article: published in Speaker Builder magazine that year, along with two on building your own electrostatics.

       If interested: .https://cc-webshop.com/collections/speaker-builder-magazine/products/speaker-builder-the-lost-years-...

      My TacT RCS 2.2X's room correction program cuts things off, sadly, at 20Hz.     My Dahlquist DQ-LP1 (what I was using, back when I built the woofers, didn't and I had a much larger room, as well.    I know their and the rest of my system's, capabilities quite well and have been VERY happy (except for current room limitations).

       If I were going to change anything; it would be to a swarm woofer system, to overcome the present room.

        Glad you guys are enjoying your arm/cart combos.  

        I certainly have enjoyed mine, over the past forty years!

                                               Happy listening!

         ps: Obvously, there's MUCH more to the faithful reproduction of Bass, via an arm/cart and system, than just a frequency response curve.  

         If it doesn't sound/feel/convey REAL (ie: clean/clear pitch, the tightness of the drum skins, definition between rhythm section instruments, ambience recovery, not to mention: the flutter of a slow Leslie horn or your pant legs and heart, during those pipe organ pedal notes), it ain't worth squat!

                                                    Enjoy the journey!

@rauliruegas, et al:  I wish I could be surprised, by the marked propensity of so many on the 'GoN to assume and advise others; there has to something wrong with their system, without ever being within 100 Kilometers of same.
       
       Let alone: ever having listened to or tested the other's system.

      "I never can put my hands in a NOS Unitrac and the only time I was nearer to I losted on ebay auction, my lost because I wanted to test it."

       To be clear: are you admitting never having actually tested or auditioned the Unitrac I; with or without any of my previously mentioned cart choices?

        "Btw,my room/system is fine tunned through nearfield real MUSIC tracks LPs tests."

         AS IF: the cited test LP assuredly must be the only way I have fine-tuned MY room/system?    

          Never mind: over five decades of familiarity with the sound of the REAL thing, in a plethora of acoustic environments (good and bad/unplugged and reinforced), when on stage, in a sound booth, an audience and in live venues of my own design and/or recommendations?  

           NOT that I think I have it all together.   Something Feynman often mentioned, during his lectures, when fondly reminiscing about his father, "Never stop learning", (one of his rules of life) has always resonated within me.

                        However: I was NOT born yesterday!

           "...if you don't like it always can return to the Unitrac."

           I'm kinda one of those, "If it ain't broke: DON'T FIX IT" types.

           At the age of 74: I'm not inclined to kid myself about (what's left of) my aural acuity.    Yet my system still manages to amaze my few musician friends extant, as well as those new, I allow to visit my swirling vortex of entropy (read: pathetic, embarrassing abode).  

                   "...enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS"
 
                                  Trust me: I do TRY!

                      Happy listening and enjoy the journey!

@rauliruegas:     "You are rigth but the unipívot behavior is way similar in between this kind of design."

         I would never deny that fact, BUT: nor would I ever categorically state that the design could not function very well, if not excellently, if properly incorporated with an appropriate cart, base/suspension, etc.

          You mention having tried to purchase the Unitrac I, on eBay.    Obviously, then: you're familiar with what they can bring, even if just for parts.   Especially: in Japan

           Some out there appear to share my opinions, regarding the arm.

            "...you are happy and this is what it counts: rigth?"

            Whether when I had my business, the contract work afterward, or running sound for a band; the customer/musicians always got the sound signature that pleased THEM, whether I thought it sucked, or not.

            My philosophy, there: "The customer always thinks they're right!"

             Happily: the vast majority were open to learning and, subsequently, very pleased.

@mijostyn-   If you're still using the TacT; have you upgraded the power supply?   If not: get the highest (Watts) output supply that Mean Well now offers (I haven't kept up with their offerings, of late), replace the regulator with something better, like either Bellesons or NewClassDs and every electrolytic, with Sanyo OsCons.  

                                         The stock/OEM board:

                     https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/MEAN-WELL/PT-65B?qs=pqZ7J9Gt%2FmrUvp2%252BT2RNJA%3D%3D

     If you're using analog I/O boards; replace every one of the crappy, surface-mount, electrolytics, with Elna Silmic IIs and the regulators with the same as mentioned above.

     The Elnas are considerably bigger than the surface mounts, so: you have to be creative, with SOME of the larger values' positioning, on the boards.

      Parts Connexion has everything needed, to perform the above.  

Getting the leads soldered to the tiny pads, left when removing the old caps, and you want them short as possible, as I did, is quite the chore.

  Should you choose to undertake an upgrade, if your haven't already, I'd happily walk you through it.

   This isn't just a, "trust me" issue!      YOU WILL be amazed at the transformation, such an, "upgrade" (in this case: a VERY apropos term) makes.

    " The Tact does not allow you to see the system's frequency response after correction."

     I have a Behringer DEQ2496, left over from a pro installation and in a closet, that I use SOLELY (if you get my drift), for it's 1/3 octave Spectrum Analyzer.    That works quite well, in conjunction with the afore mentioned test LP.

                                    I use my ears from there.

                                          Happy listening!

@rauliruegas -        I understand, perfectly!

      "Curiosity" has killed this old cat's wallet, many times over, in as many scenarios.

                                 "Not any more"...INDEED!

@mijostyn- "What makes you believe the Tact does not go below 20 Hz?"

    I MEANT* to say: I cut off at 20Hz, in the program.   

    Lower would be a waste of of amplifier power, in my current room, given the dimensions and my phono pre has a subsonic filter, that can't (easily) be defeated.    It's 6dB/oct, so: affects freqs, somewhat higher than a steeper slope would.    

     Kinda between a rock and a hard place, though: if I ever have a larger space, I'm certain to address the issue.

                             *A consequence of Old-Timer's Disease and a brain-fart!

  



    

@mijostyn- If you still have that TacT, DAC output board: chances are 99 out of 100; it was one of the surface mount caps, that went South.  It's
that exact failure, those in the know about Tact, check first.

      It was when one of mine did the same thing, that I decided to do the Full Monty and replaced all of those little punks, wherever I found them.

      That's been quite a few years and zero problems, since!

       I'd bet: were you test the caps on that board, find the culprit and replace it: it would come back to life.   Not that reading surface mounts on the board, is any kind of picnic, but...

        How I WISH this digital stuff were built point to point!   However: I suppose that would take cabinetry, the size of a small refrigerator and the same amount of cooling.

        OH: I'd also put money on you forgetting about that $10K Amethyst, were you to try the upgrade.

         If you're still using the Tact for anything: you could try a higher wattage Means Well very cheaply, to see if you notice any improvement, in it's dynamics and headroom*.       Everything just plugs in and you trim the voltages.

                      *Ever over-drive yours (digital clipping)?

@mijostyn- "By all means get yourself a bigger room:-)"

       Actually: the property values have skyrocketed, in my neighborhood, as have the property TAXES, of course and I have a buddy in the realtor biz, who's going to list mine.

        How I wish country churches and old Amish barns hadn't become so popular to renovate into homes, in the last couple decades.

                            Anyway: I AM working on that!