I have just now added a $150 VPI Dual Pivot Tonearm Adapter to the base of the 12" 3D arm. The net impact of this "upgrade" in my VPI vinyl system - with the Ortofon Quintet Black S - is it clearly sounds better. Yeah! All together, I'd say the net impact is around a +20/% or so improvement, with all the impacts/changes assessed together.
There is:
1) More clarity and crispness between instruments AND more clarity and crispness between all the instruments and vocals,
2) Deeper, clearer bass end AND more detail in the bass sounds. For example, I can now hear the strum "journey" of a bass guitar string and not just one broad or slightly smeared bass note.
3) A slightly less airy, floating top end. The range of the top end is shorter. To my ears the degree of this change is so much, much less than the improvements in 1) and 2) above.
Very happy I did this. :-)
There is:
1) More clarity and crispness between instruments AND more clarity and crispness between all the instruments and vocals,
2) Deeper, clearer bass end AND more detail in the bass sounds. For example, I can now hear the strum "journey" of a bass guitar string and not just one broad or slightly smeared bass note.
3) A slightly less airy, floating top end. The range of the top end is shorter. To my ears the degree of this change is so much, much less than the improvements in 1) and 2) above.
Very happy I did this. :-)