VPI Scoutmaster or Nottingham Space Deck...?

The Ace-Space tonearm is superior to the JMW-9

It's hard to accept a general response like that with some type of supporting facts, could you please be more specific. thanks.

Hey Judy, while i respect your opinion as i do anyone, as audio is definately subjective, i have to disagree with your opinion on the anti skating, all tonearm manufacturers can do at best with anti skating is estimate the amount of force needed to offset the natural pull that the circular grooves create, it is NOT a measureable value, or i should say, it is measureable, but not a constant value, the force changes continuously, and i do believe Harry W's findings are true,that alot of anti skating mechanisms, add unnecessary vibration and noise. and to address your statement regarding the vpi tonearms used on other "high end" tables, that doesn't surprise me at all, the vpi arms are specifically designed and optimized for use on vpi tables, most other tonearm manufacturers don't design and build tables, so they're specialty is designing tonearms only. i don't know of too many tt manufacturers, that design tonearms that are considered among the best "add on" or "after market" arms. but hey, with that said, to each his own, i guess if everyone heard the same thing, they're would only be one choice when it came to equipment available.

Well, i understand the basis for your argument, is that it won't withstand a "torture test", which in reality, really proves nothing to me, the concept of anti skating, is to keep the tip of the stylus perfect riding in between the two side of an almost microscopic groove, so if too much or too little force is applied, can be very damaging, physically and sonically, i guess that is my point with the guesstimations of most anti skating devices, also, in line with my comment about the vpi arms, there is alot to say for the synergy between a table and an arm, which i feel is great achieved with the vpi setups, so a vpi arm on any particular table, may "leave alot to be desired" as you say, but to me, all the vpi tables i've heard, are pretty hard to beat sonically, imo. and i have heard a few different tables in action.