VPI 10.5 vs Graham 2.2


OK guys & ladies....which one is best? I have the Helikon and Benz m2 cartridge. Which is the best cartridge for either arm?? I have read many different comments about both arms. I have the VPI but I am experiencing some ( I believe ) anti-skateing problems.....help! I am a non-tech person..so keep that in mind. Thanks all and Happy Thanksgiving!!
rwd

Showing 3 responses by sidssp

Rick,

I guess you did the test on the HFNRR test record. Can you tell me on which track did you experience anti-skateing problems?

I saw that Wally tools (http://www.simplyblack.net/) is making an anti-skateing device for JMW arm. I am wondering if anyone has tried it?
You skiped on track 6! That isn't right. I can paly through 6 without any problem. How many turns did you twist the wire?
Rick,

The JMW is a very good arm, much better than any arm I have used before. Vinyl play back technologies have really advanced in recent years. The behavior of the Helikon that we experienced, especially the track skipping on 8, seems to indicate that the Helikon may have reached its tracking limit. I am not sure how much improvement a new arm will bring. The Graham is a super arm, no doubt, but it might not be able to give Helikon the ultimate tracking that you are looking for.

Having said that, I want to make a point for the readers who are on the fence thinking about getting into vinyl. You might be wondering what the hack these guys are doing. How come a $6000 TT setup can’t even track a test LP? How much money do I need to spend to get a decent system? I want to tell you that those test tracks were recorded at pretty high levels. Very few vinyls were recorded that loud. I have a few hundred records in my collections, so far I have played about 100, most of them were from the 70’s, some were new recordings and remasters I recently bought, and none of them showed any tracking problem.

It might be psychologically satisfying to know that my Helikon could sail through all the test tracks with easy, but I am not going to worry about it until the upgrade bug bites. For now, I just want to kick back and enjoy the music. I still have a lot of LPs to clean; they have been locked up in the basement for over a decade.