Graham Phantom damping fluid level.

Sirspeedy, thanks for your insight, much appreciated. BTW, maintaining a tropical fish tank is no easier than what you're currently dealing with, believe me, LOL.

Sam, Are you saying you have a fluid level 2mm high on the square? I am looking to extract the tightest bass possible from the Koetsu RSP.
Sirspeedy, I hope to hear your thoughts when you have yours setup, fluid level and all.

Sirspeedy, what is your current fluid level? If you could say where it is in relationship to the machined square on the bearing cap that would help. Glad you are having fun with your new tonearm.

I always prove alignment with my own protrator (designed on my CAD system) and I am actually very impressed with the outcome of alignment using the Graham jig. As a machinist, I am a stickler for ultimate accuracy, hence all the questions I ask regarding fluid level.

If there is a downside to the Graham arm design, I would say the azimuth alignment/adjustment could be improved upon. I find it extremely difficult to install the armwand and repeat azimuth with any degree of accuracy. Bob obviously designed in the ability to adjust azimuth by moving the magnet up or down but I find it perplexing that the armwand has several degrees of play where it locates on the actual pins where the wand meets the base. If it was my design I would have implicated 2 pins to register the wand postively with the base for exact alignment to make swapping wands a "walk in the park" As it is now, I dread removing the armwand.

It's definitely a good idea to verify alignment with a good protractor but you mentioned that your armboard was drilled 0.100" out of spec. so how will you fix that?....if that is indeed the case.

There is a keyway to align the wand with the main body, however it has too much play, I.M.O. If the tolerance of the keyway fit was tightened up a little, there would be less rotational error. I just purchased a second armwand to use with another cartridge so I'll see if there is any difference in fit with that one.

I'm waiting to hear from Sirspeedy with an update on the ultimate damping fluid level, as well as any other users who have experimented with different levels.

Ducatirider, Do you own a Phantom tonearm?
I'm not aware of "magnetic azimuth damping". The magnaglide function has no connection with damping fluid level. Azimuth is adjustable via a moveable slide. Fluid level has nothing to do with VTA either.

Sirspeedy, speaking of azimuth....how do you verify "spot on" azimuth? BTW, I've been living with the fluid level just above the start of the squared off shank myself and it is much better.
Now if azimuth could be set accurately without the use of meters and test records, etc. I'd be ecstatic. What's your secret method? LOL..

I use the spacer with my Koetsu RSP and also used it with the Black. I like it better than without. I wonder if anyone else has noticed this. I feel that the lower the damping fluid level is on the squared off portion, the better low and mid frequencies sound, however the downside seems to be that upper frequencies are somewhat compromised. Don't get me wrong, everything sounds great but I'd like to hear a little cleaner upper frequency response.

Hi Dgad, thanks for your input. I have unlimited VTA adjustment on my table so it doesn't matter whether I use a spacer or not, I can have tail up or down regardless.
I will play a little more with VTA to see if that helps. I'm getting very nice bottom end response, much better than I was getting with higher fluid level. The fluid level makes a huge difference in my setup.
Perhaps I will machine a brass spacer to see what that does.
Dgad, Have you actually tried using that much added mass (brass spacer) with a Koetsu?

Tshulba, my S/N is 3155-purchased Nov. 2006