Stringreen, how is the 3D tonearm doing?

I bought my Aries 3 in Feb '15 with the 3D arm and had to purchase the SS CI separately.  My 3D arm (a replacement from the original due to a bend in the arm) is the newest rendition and it does not have a fine adjustment on it.

Hiendmuse,
I don't see a set screw on the 3D.

Stringgreen,
Do you have the "new" weight for the 3D?
Mine came with the SoundSmith device but was still tough to get right.
How does the "new" counterweight work?
Thanks,
MaxH

Is there a fine adjustment tracking weight screw inside the back end of the 3D arm as there is on the 10.5i arm?

Hiendmuse.... there is a new and improved counterweight that is VERY easy to set up your arm. If you are comfortable with the way your arm is now, it is a non-issue, however, anyone getting a new VPI unipivot arm should absolutely request the new counterweight.

From a previous Stringreen post, I understand that VPI has developed a new counter weight that has an integrated fine VTF adjustment and some other features that makes the 3D arm set up a breeze.

As for the Classic series arms, don't forget that there is a fine VTF adjustment that is accessed by an allen key adjustment at the stub of the tonearm.

The SS CI Device is great for fine tuning once the weight & balance are roughed in. Getting to the roughed in point is difficult. Without the SS CI, set up would be impossible for me.

Thank you Maxh for your informative response. I hear that the 3D comes with SoundSmith's Counter Intuitive device to help setup VTF and azimuth more easily and efficiently. Did you use this? Setup on my 10.5i arm was a very painstaking effort to get it right as it took me several hours to install cartridge and get everything adjusted as perfectly as I could get it. The arm is rock steady when playing with absolutely no wobble. I heard about the press fitting on the counterweight for the 3D arm and having no set screw.

I've always found uni-pivot arms to be finicky to set up but this one is really difficult.
The counterweight does not lock in place with a set screw or rotate in and out around a threaded rod. It relies on the friction created by two O-rings inside the weight.
Here's the rub; for this to work the friction must impede the weight from sliding. Sliding the weight is requires to set tracking force. More than gentle pressure is requires to slide the counterweight. The result is a sticky situation.
All this done while balancing the arm on the head of a pin.

The black 3D arm looks cool & sounds good on the Aries 3. I just wish there was a better way to set up the arm.

Can't you see the smile from there??