Mint LP a no go – now what?

I've had some time to try out different tools and to my ears, VIP jig for the 10.5i arm sounds quite good. But it is bettered by Dertonarm's Uni-Pro using his template for the 10.5i arm. I did not like Baerwald at all which is what my Mint is based on.

The vinylengine site on JMW arms states 262mm spindle to pivot distance for 10.5i. That is not even close on my Aries 3.

I measured it myself and it matched Yip's number. The Tractor does sound great but I think the VPI jig has it's own sound which is good as well.

You can read my review of the Uni-pro in another thread. As for the sound, the thing I noticed right away with the VPI jig was that grand pianos came more alive and smooth to my ears. As a disclaimer, I am a professional musician and have also mastered and engineered some award winning jazz albums. I've been listening critically to serious music since I was 2 years old. So I trust my ears more than anything else.

The Mint which is based on Baerwald gave an edgier and grainier overall sound to much of the music I listen to. The Uni-pro using his template made specific to the 10.5i arm gave my lps a sound that reminded me of some of my sessions that were mastered onto analog tape when I was a kid. Not sure what Daniel base his template for the 10.5i to but it sounds great.

Finally, his uni-pro is so easy to use and I can see very easily the cantilever of my Grado Statement1 cartridge which was an impossibility with the Mint and the 10x loupe. And of course, as you know, with the VPI jig, accuracy is a bit wanting.

Just my 2 cents.