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Post by dsjr on Apr 22, 2024 13:10:22 GMT
... But the price is ridiculous in my opinion - Same for the mega-priced add-ons they sell, capitalising on FUD in unsure audiophiles...
Here's me hoping it would be under two grand...
Makes an RB330 family even more of a bargain today as the current one 'feels' nice, any resonances the 250 and 300 had have been all but eliminated now, the three point fixing may be kinder to different mounting plates or boards and they have some of the best and most durable bearings in the business!!! The one on the P8 I set up at easter was superb and better than I remember the RB300's of old - and these weren't bad at all...
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Post by André on Apr 22, 2024 13:42:33 GMT
Or just buy an old XENON which was a two piece titanium tube unlike the HR100 one piece but sounded just as good to my ears
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Post by Westie on Apr 22, 2024 16:52:15 GMT
Jesus Christ, that’s ridiculous. You can buy a decent used car for that!
I’ve had a few Alphason arms and found them variable depending on the deck and cartridge. When right, they sound good, but can also be a bite lifeless and lacking in drive. Would I have another? Probably not, unless cheap.
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Post by Westie on Apr 22, 2024 17:34:04 GMT
To be perfectly honest, if I had to buy a new arm today, I really don’t know what I’d buy. Dave might want to cover his ears for the first bit lol.
1. I’d have to consider an Origin Live Silver or Zephyr. I’ve always liked their arms but the latest generation sound even better. The only thing that puts me off is that these are way down the range. However everything above this is dual-pivot. I’ve had an OL dual pivot arm already and they are just too fragile and unreliable for me.
2. Andre has recommended the Manticore Musician/Magician/Logic Datum. I’d certainly give one a spin, especially if it was chrome plated.
3. Roksan Artemiz. I love these but they do tend to jump their bearings. I’d still be tempted though,
4. SME 309: Maybe? I do like the looks. Detachable headshell too.
5. Naim Aro: More likely a Tiger Paw Javelin, as it has a lift/lower device.
6. Helius Orion: Nope. Too many build, finish and reliability issues.
7. Roksan Nima: Possible although I don’t know how good these really are. I’ve had two but never really listened closely.
8. Jelco SA750D: Again, a maybe, but I expect them to be overrated. I bought one and could never be arsed to fit it because of the damping hassles.
9. Zeta or Mission Mechanic? Only if they were very today and be.ow market value.
10. Moerch unipivot: Again, if one came my way cheap, but they seem to be rising.
To be honest, the arm I have makes me happy, so unless it develops an issue, or something stupidly cheap appears that gets my interest, I doubt I’ll be meddling.
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Post by André on Apr 22, 2024 17:58:12 GMT
DATUM 2/DATUM S tho different to standard DATUM
If i was buying a present production arm now it would be the AUDIONOTE 'ONE', 'TWO' or 'THREE'
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Post by dsjr on Apr 23, 2024 9:31:54 GMT
To be perfectly honest, if I had to buy a new arm today, I really don’t know what I’d buy. Dave might want to cover his ears for the first bit lol. 1. I’d have to consider an Origin Live Silver or Zephyr. I’ve always liked their arms but the latest generation sound even better. The only thing that puts me off is that these are way down the range. However everything above this is dual-pivot. I’ve had an OL dual pivot arm already and they are just too fragile and unreliable for me. 2. Andre has recommended the Manticore Musician/Magician/Logic Datum. I’d certainly give one a spin, especially if it was chrome plated. 3. Roksan Artemiz. I love these but they do tend to jump their bearings. I’d still be tempted though, 4. SME 309: Maybe? I do like the looks. Detachable headshell too. 5. Naim Aro: More likely a Tiger Paw Javelin, as it has a lift/lower device. 6. Helius Orion: Nope. Too many build, finish and reliability issues. 7. Roksan Nima: Possible although I don’t know how good these really are. I’ve had two but never really listened closely. 8. Jelco SA750D: Again, a maybe, but I expect them to be overrated. I bought one and could never be arsed to fit it because of the damping hassles. 9. Zeta or Mission Mechanic? Only if they were very today and be.ow market value. 10. Moerch unipivot: Again, if one came my way cheap, but they seem to be rising. To be honest, the arm I have makes me happy, so unless it develops an issue, or something stupidly cheap appears that gets my interest, I doubt I’ll be meddling. I personally have to look at engineering. The SME 309 is really good, took a Troika better than an Ittok ever did (it was cheaper then and a special three-hole headshell was available for it) and it only lacks the frippery the IV and V added - I'm certain the detachable headshell actually worked in its favour. I just cannot view earlier OL arms as high fidelity products as they, according to HFR tests, added a deliberate 'zing' to the midrange which is artificial. Earlier ones corroded too I'm told by a dealer pal who had several in for cartridge changes... The Javelin was a lovely thing to set up and use without the terminal/horrible 'wobble' of the ARO. I thought it 'sounded' more neutral too (the ARO had a designed-in character of which the audio exit cables seemed to play a part for some reason). The ARO was of an arrogant era when amateur 'designers' stuck their finger up at everyone else and charged a fortune foir the privilege - the Javelin simply didn't have this 'attitude' and designer/builder Roger was a great chap as well, but he lost interest for some reason and that's so sad - if someone else took the design over, it'd be a four grand product, you know that... The others are nostly tat these days, no doubt with damnaged bearings due to ham fisted third parties not understanding how to care for them and some weren't very good to start with. I used to like the Linn LVV when new, but the things were too frail and forty years on, not sure I'd give one house room. My Basik Plus is risky enough. Again, no care for the £414 RB330 which beats almost all of them in engineering terms? The bearings are amazing these days with beautiful see-saw vertical motion I don't remember as well from the ancestor 300 let alone the brass lock-tited RB250, the finish is better than before and like I said above, the tripod fixing may well be better for a wider variety of arm boards or plates. The exit cable looks posher too! |
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Post by Westie on Apr 23, 2024 9:51:20 GMT
That’s a very valid point about used arms, Dave. People often don’t have a clue, and you really have no idea what you’re buying if the arm is anything less than bulletproof. My only experience of the SME arms is hearing a IV on a Xerxes (ruined by ES14s close to a stud wall with their bungs removed) and a 345 on an Oracle (sounded really lovely: fast, fluid and powerful).
Money no object, it would likely be a Javelin or a 309, I guess. Would I enjoy my music any more than I do now? Probably not.
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Post by André on Apr 23, 2024 9:54:02 GMT
That’s a very valid point about used arms, Dave. People often don’t have a clue, and you really have no idea what you’re buying if the arm is anything less than bulletproof. My only experience of the SME arms is hearing a IV on a Xerxes (ruined by ES14s close to a stud wall with their bungs removed) and a 345 on an Oracle (sounded really lovely: fast, fluid and powerful). Money no object, it would likely be a Javelin or a 309, I guess. Would I enjoy my music any more than I do now? Probably not. Stick to uni-pivots no bearing dont cease up lol or SME 3009/10/12, Knife edge |
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Post by dsjr on Apr 23, 2024 20:24:47 GMT
Well, I'm happy with what a current RB330 does - it's something special if boring as hell looking  SME's are only used items now, unless you buy one of their madly priced decks and because of that (the V was an obscene £1250 forty years ago FFS), th eused prices are nuts franjky - in my opinion. My GL69mk2 has knife edge bearings (harder ones than the rubber originals) - Oil get me cote - cough....... |
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SME's are only used items now, unless you buy one of their madly priced decks and because of that (the V was an obscene £1250 forty years ago FFS), th eused prices are nuts franjky - in my opinion.