So it seems that the consensus is that the 3D arm is junk without anyone here having auditioned the new VPI product. |
Stringreen
One more point ....the upgraded JMW arms are wired with Nordost wire....I was told that the 3D arm is wired with a very new Discovery cable which is very much better than the Valhalla. Isn't/wasn't Valhalla Nordost's top of the line wire retailing for thousands of dollars as a speaker or interconnecting cable? How "very much better" can this Discovery cable be? This is getting ridiculous. |
Halcro and Don, you are right on target. 3-D printing captures the imagination of non-technical folks, confusing a new process that has no practical advantages for production items with the false concept that the final product made from the process might be better.
In marketing, buzz is always more important than reality, and in high-end audio it has gotten worse and worse. |
There are now 3 or 4 threads talking about VPI products. Good or bad impressions aside, I'm sure Harry is enjoying the active interest and discussion this is generating.
I personally don't know why there is so much hatred for VPI. I would personally think Wilson, ARC, VAC and others would generate more of that, since their "upgrade" policies have more or less swamped anything VPI has done, and at prices that are much further away from reality. Maybe it's just that Harry's prices are closer to what is affordable to a broader audiophile audience than theirs are, so we feel the itch to try it more but wonder if its just a change or an improvement.
From what I heard, the new ceramic platter is an improvement, at at little cost over his other platters. The 3D arm wand is also an improvement, and IMO will bring the JMW arms (which were always the weakest link for VPI) into competition with other top of the line arms on the market (whatever the marketing hype or manufacturing process). |
Oh Don, not sure where you got your info but when I heard the 3D vs. Classic 3 arm, Harry had the same cartridge in both arms. |
Actually Don, Harry hasn't dumped the rim drive. Wait and see. |
Don...why are you so angry?? Why are you writing at all?? You don't know what resonance is?? You don't know that a dropped counterweight lowers the center of gravity and makes the arm more stable? You probably don't know that the new Discovery cable is NEW and better sounding than Valhalla. You just don't know. |
"3D Arm"? What does this mean? I thought all arms were 3D.......or is that just me? Made without joints in one piece......? Oh please....give me a break. There are umpteen ways to create a 'one-piece arm without joints'. Welding, brazing, casting, machining...and in the case of wood....turning. With plastics, there are even a few more. Continuum has had one piece hollow plastic resin arms (with no separate headshells) for over a decade. Why is epoxy superior to aluminum or steel for an arm? Good question.....but I can guess that Harry wouldn't know...or care? This 3D printing for a tonearm is a cynical grab for the technologically challenged audiophile impressed by gimmicks and 'buzz-words'. 3D printing does have....and will have many valuable uses for the world in general. I doubt that advances in tonearm design will be one of them? |
Stringreen you are a shill for VPI!
What is the meaning of "resonance signature" , but another BS buzzword?
Discovery wire "is" superior, to Nordost, and was used in the original JMW arm and the original VPI interconnect.
Harry switched to Nordost for recognition, not a sonic improvement, he is after "sales over sonics" the last decade.
The TNT !!!, JMW 10, SDS back in 2000 was the pinnacle of VPI IMO. However they only made 100 in that year.
The "dropped counterweight" on newer VPI arms is a PITA to adjust, and offers no improvement. Nobody else uses a dropped counterweight.
The new direct drive will be only be for the rich wanting status.
The upper High End "sonics" of most all big buck audio, is consistently demonstrated as "good but uninspired" sound, to those with experience and common sense. It can be beat with much less $$$. |
Don....the difference between the 3D arm and others (aside from the increase in stability due to the brass fitments, is that the resonance signature is extremely low...(vanishingly low as was explained to me). All other arms of metal, wood, etc. have their resonances damped which really just moves the resonance signature to a different frequency. The 3D material self damps providing much less microscopical movements of the tube which affects the stylus in the groove. What Harry tried to demonstrate was that an inexpensive cartridge on a 3D arm can play in the neighborhood with a very expensive cartridge in a regular JMW arm (which is no slouch itself). I will get my 3D arm in a couple of weeks and will report what my take is on it. Harry said I will be so moved by the increase in performance "it will make me cry". One more point ....the upgraded JMW arms are wired with Nordost wire....I was told that the 3D arm is wired with a very new Discovery cable which is very much better than the Valhalla. |
Wait until the reviews are in on this one.
Harry tries,and then dumps lots of "innovations ".
Rim drive, plastic platters, super platters, no anti-skate then anti-skate, etc.
Why is epoxy superior to aluminum or steel for an arm?
No damping is a mistake IMO. What is the effective mass? Too many???
His "only" demo did not compare the 3D to the JMW arm, "with the same cartridge", and as such was worthless!
Buyer beware! |
I believe I saw a picture of the brass side weights, maybe on VPI Facebook, the side weights looked very beefy, larger that the current JWM arms. |
Brass is good .... the 3D arm now comes with brass counterweight and side weights...also, there is a new base for it ..since damping is not needed and indeed not recommended, there is no cup for the damping fluid. |
Yes, HW suggests using Peter Ledermann's EZ Mount cartridge hardware (start with the brass) so as to avoid cracking the headshell. Or, don't overtighten the headshell screws :) |
So one piece tonearm, made out of composite material, a traditional VPI uni-pivot. I would think the race, or female portion of the pivot, which is in the arm would have to be the traditional stainless steel, not composite. I am speculating here, but I should think if you turn the tonearm over there would be a stainless still receiver for the pointed uni-pivot on the base of the VPI arm. I can't wait to hear some reviews about that arm. I tend to tighten things quite a bit, I should think with a composite head, consideration should be made not to tighten the cartridge screws too much as to not damage the head. |
Go to the ny times on the web, type in "3 D printer" in the search bar and it is the first url article (under a few url advertisements). |
I couldn't find the NY Times article. What is the title? |
See article in NY Times today about 3D printers. V interesting. |
