the perfect tonearm

The Opera tonearm sold by Grant Fidelity has gotten nice reviews. Was at the top of my list until I bought an Amadeus (tonearm built in. Go golf ball!).

Any tonearm can only be considered "best" is it meets your needs; be that compatibility with your preferred cartridge or deck, method of mounting, or price.

For the cartridges and decks I prefer, I would have to say that the new Ortofon TA-110 ($1,599) and TA-210 ($1,899) tonearms are exceptional performers at their respective price points.

The new Funk F-XR II.

"The GCPH should have enough gain for a mid-output MC, I think. And can you say why you think the NAD amp is causing hum in that system? Phono hum is caused by a long list of grounding issues that usually occur upstream from the input of a linestage."

Agree. I have a GCPH and discovered you often need a ground wire between it and the tonearm. Also, do not put the spade around the GCPH ground post, put one arm of the spade THROUGH the hole (or use bare wire through the hole) in the GCPH ground post and tighten the nut by hand.

Y'all be cool,
Robert

Regarding Orsonic AV-101B/S being 16 gr, would that be one of the heaviest headshell? Any heavier one (except Ortofon SPU)?

The Perfect tonearm is the Graham Phantom Supreme for so many reasons....

The 'deceptive' part is the IS in the sentence form 'x is P'(aka the subject -predicate).But we want a tonearm which satisfy many conditions and this assume a list of properties not just one. Besides 'the best' imply comparison between how many tonearms?: 3, 4, or...
What we get is actually: John thinks, believes, is convinced that,etc. that the tonearm A is better than the other he ever owned. Assuming that most of us owned, say,
3 tonearms this 'best quality' become a very hazy qualification.

Dear Ihcho: The SAEC UXL3, Victor L1000 and Audio Technica LH-18, all these weight: 18grs.

R.

you can buy a new SME V now for around 2600 or 2700. Why settle for less?

Atmasphere wrote:

Tri Mai of Triplanar has nothing but complements for the Phantom, and there have been quite a few threads here on the 'gon regarding its qualities. IME it is a transformation over the 2.2!

I would call the Phantom, the logical evolution of the v2.x series - not so much a transformation, as an improved 2.2 - an arm which weaves a very similar sonic presentationto the 2.x series.

In other words, if you liked the 2.2, you will love the Phantom.

I will say that if you audition the Phantom and the Tri-Planar, and will most certainly prefer one over the other.

I can typically work with a customer and predict to a high degree of certainty which will be the case.

Both are fine tonearms, but the designers have a different vision of what an analog presentation should be, and this vision has been consistent through the evolution of both products.

Disclaimer - I know Tr-Mai (Tri-Planar) and sell his tonarms. I don't know Bob Graham very well, but have a high degree of respect for him.

Note - I don't have much time for forums these days, so any pressing questions are best directed to me via e-mail.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier

The SAEC UXL3, Victor L1000 and Audio Technica LH-18, all these weight: 18grs.

Thanks.
I would eventually need an SPU cartridge to work with RMG 309, but I am trying to find a (cheaper) way to use Denon 103r which is 8.5g. With 18g headshell, I would need add another 5.5g weight to make it total 32g. I will see how it goes.

And, I would say that Ortofon RMG 309 dynamic tonearm is one of perfect tonearms.