Tri-Planar & Customer Service Excellence


Hi All, in July, 2017, I purchased a turntable package consisting of a used VPI Aries I, a Tri-Planar MK VII UII tone arm and a Lyra Skala cartridge as an entry point to the world of vinyl. The seller was a very reputable local dealer who had taken the table in trade. Everything was in perfect, like new condition. 

Once home, I leveled the table and adjusted the VTF and contacted Tri Mai to purchase some silicone damping fluid. After explaining the table’s history to Tri he asked me to measure the distance from the spindle to the tonearm’s pivot point. To my disappointment, it was off by a considerable amount. Tri gave me some suggestions on how I might adjust the tone arm’s positioning on the arm board to reduce the geometry error caused by the arm’s positioning problem. 

Over the following month, I became familiar with the table’s sound and its operational peculiarities such as periodic inner groove mistracking. Overall, I wasn’t totally pleased with the table’s performance. In subsequent discussions with Tri we discussed how he could readjust the arm on his workshop jig to correct the geometry issue without my needing a new arm board and remounting. I also learned that my arm is now called the “MK VII UII Classic” and that since 2015 there has been available, an additional uprated version, the “MK VII U2 SE”. The SE version uses a new damped carbon fiber arm wand and new silver wiring along with other upgrades. 

I sent my arm to Tri for the SE update. His turnaround time of two weeks was very prompt and his communications were very prompt and complete. His pricing for the upgrade was also very fair. What I received from Tri was essentially a new arm. Everything had been totally disassembled, cleaned, polished and reassembled to current specs. It arrived in a new box with the latest mounting jig, a very easy to use cartridge alignment/overhang gauge, new tools, new anti skate weights, new tools and revised mounting and set up instructions. 

Unfortunately, during my remounting of the arm, I overtigtened the azimuth adjustor so that it became solidly stuck. Tri advised me as to how I might free it or, I could simply return it to him, and he’d fix WHATEVER problems I’d caused for FREE. His concern was that I be totally happy. When is the last time you’ve enjoyed such a completely delightful customer service experience?  

I returned the arm to him and a week later I received the “repaired” arm. With Tri’s guidance I then mounted and adjusted the arm. This time, everything went perfectly. 

Tri has advised me that the arm’s new silver cabling takes a long time to break in. Nonethless, the sonic improvements of the SE arm and the correct geometry are a revelation. Further, the arm now tracks record grooves as if it were on rails. I am totally pleased with the results of Tri’s work and I am especially appreciative of his outstanding customer service attitude. He’s the consummate gentleman and a pleasure to do business with. I place a very high value on business ethics, dependability as well as product performance. In this regard, Tri and Tri-Planar are #1 in my estimation. 

Happy holidays to all. 
Mike












mfoley3
By the way. The alligator clips that I had were small pure copper that I obtained in Juneau, Alaska. Would include them, but misplaced/ lost them at some point.
Mike, PM me your email and we can do this. When you click on feedback, there is a box Send Message. Click on it and you can send me your email privately.

It is a very cold Saturday in Chicago. Will not go to dealer until Tursday to get it.
Hi Norbert, after much wasted effort, I finally figured out how to send you a message. I’ve just send you my email address.  

Tuesday shipping is fine. I’m in Florida, it’s been cold here, but nothing like Chicago!

Mike. 
lewm: As to upgrading the arm to a VII from the IV, this was done back in 2009 so there are likely new offerings. Tri rebuilt the arm with new tighter-tolerance bearings, changed the wiring harness to Discovery cable if I recollect, and added the finer adjusting counterweights, etc. I think he also updated the headshell. He also checked everything out. Think it was about < 1 month turnaround although that might not be today’s timing. You can see a pic on my system (I kept the older brass counterweights although newer ones were provided with the rebuild). Total price back then was $1.3K. hope this helps.

https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/771#&gid=1&pid=2
Somebody asked me about a cable cooker.  I happen to have one only because I think someone gave it to me.  But there are simple schematics for building such a device on line, and I use my home-made one most often, which is to say not very often.