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VPI Prime 3D arm making noise

So I’ve been fighting sibilace with my new Soundsmith Carmen mk2. Today while examining my tonearm I was holding the arm with my left hand rotating it and I heard a creaking sound! I put my ear to the pivot housing and gently rotated the arm between my thumb and forefinger and sure as day a creaking sound could be heard. It’s as if the tonarm shaft, where it meets the pivot body, is some kind of friction fit and these pieces are moving independently of one another and making this noise. Understand that the counterweight is still on the arm so there is a bending force being applied to the arm while I rotate it. Thing is, I thought the whole arm was printed. Is this not correct? I’ve contacted Music Direct and left a message. Hope to hear from them tomorrow.
last_lemming
8 responses Add your response
dill
2,525 posts
 
You might post your question to the VPI forum.

http://www.vpiforum.com/viewforum.php?f=12

wlutke
725 posts
 
The counterweight on the 3D arm has an inner sleeve, probably to prevent damage from the set screw.  There are a few posts at VPI forums about the counterweight being not snug enough on the shaft because of it, so the CW could be what's creaking. 

stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,468 posts
 
VPI 3D arms can warp, crack (it happened to me).  Your post doesn't sound like you are trying to rotate the rear weight....  If this is as you describe, contact Marc at VPIindustries.
moonglum
619 posts
 
I recall being "corrected" by HW regarding the 3D. He pointed out that the arm uses copper rods as stiffeners at critical points in the tonearm's construction (not malleable copper but the *other* high tensile variety - same stuff as used in plumbing) so the possibility of cracking, warping etc is greatly reduced, if not eliminated altogether. ;)
moonglum
619 posts
 
Just a thought :  are you sure it is not the wiring that's creaking?
last_lemming OP
638 posts
 
I can't be sure if it's the wiring but it feels more substantial than that
autospec
474 posts
 
I had one of the 3D arms and the work-man ship was the worst I have ever seen.......I couldn't stand to look at it so I put a Rega 1000 tonearm on my VPI turntable and its fixed a lot of problems......autospec
nmmusicman
276 posts
 
Had a very similar thing happen with my original Scout/9" tonearm. Turned out to be that the male pivot bearing tip was bent and as such was not sitting in the female bearing like it should. Tried to straighten it but was not successful. Ended up buying a new male bearing and a new female bearing for the tonearm and that fixed the problem. (The tip should be sharp to the touch)

Found it by using a bright light and a 10x loop, could clearly see it was bent at the tip. Probably caused by me not be careful with repeated mountings of the tonearm to the male bearing. 

Cheers
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