What separate tonearm are you using?

[Logic6]

I don't have a separate one yet. What commercial or diy tonearm do you have?
Comments please.

 

[thedelihaus]

Technics EPA-100
Technics EPA-250
ADC LMF-2
Pioneer PA-1000/Series 20
SME 3009 S2 Imp.
Sony PUA-7
Knackered Infinity Black Widow

Former-

Audioquest PT-6
Sumiko MMT/Premier
Sumiko FT-3
Audio Technica ATP-12T

Others I dig-
SME 309/310/IV/V
Graham 1.5/2.2
Moerch
Alphason HR-100S
Micro Seiki MA-505 series
Rega RB-250/300/600/700/900/1000
Jelco 750
SME 3012
Signet XK35/XK50
Audio Technica AT-1100

Plenty more.

What kind of comments are you looking for?

What table will this go on?

What kind of cartridge will you use?

 

[Pio1980]

I've had;
SME 3009 MkII
Infinity Black Widow
Infinity Black Widow Graphite (still have it, sorta)
Magnapan Unitrack.

I have;
Souther SLA-3 modified
Sony PUA-7 on a PS-X70 (Integrated actually, arm was available separately)
Rest of the TTs are integrated tho' technically the Technics arm for the 1200 MkII and derivatives was available separately, like the Sony.

 

[vtomike]

Linn Basik on my Thorens TD-160. Would love to get an SME.

 

[wajobu]

Thomas Schick--love it.

Mfr photo:

 

[mfrench]

~ A 12" Jelco - really nice arm
~ The RatsPaw - my DIY 12" unipivot - I love it!
~ TonearmAudio 12" cherrywood arms (x2), really quite good for the price (~$250'ish), really good for mono.

 

[Blue Shadow]

Mangepan and Fidelity Research in use.

 

[Spalls]

And in the budget category.... a Grace 707 Mk. II. Currently in the box awaiting a good cleaning.

 

[Tedrick]

I currently have 3 in my stable:

• Infinity Black Widow
• Audioquest PT-6
• VPI JMW-10.5i

 

[coylum]

Have only ever had one “serious” tonearm – an SME 3009 Series II Improved – purchased new in 1972 for £25, and I’ve never had reason to change or experiment further!

I guess that is very conservative (!) but why change if your happy with the result?

 

[thedelihaus]

Have only ever had one “serious” tonearm – an SME 3009 Series II Improved – purchased new in 1972 for £25, and I’ve never had reason to change or experiment further!

I guess that is very conservative (!) but why change if your happy with the result?

That tone arm takes some lumps in the modern world but I never understood why.

It proved to be a great- make that fantastic seller for good reason, and is still highly sought after. I've watched prices overseas (Asian market) get quite high.

It's a true classic, and a strong performer worthy of respect.

 

[coylum]

I've watched prices overseas (Asian market) get quite high.

I sold one recently from Australia to Italy for $360. It came with a turntable and I replaced it with my own of known history The sale paid for the new turntable!

As an ex Brit I like UK engineering and SME of that vintage ticked all the boxes in 1972. I have never had any regrets...

 

[Arkay]

As far as I can remember, I have:

SME 3009 II (several, on different TTs)
SME 3009 III
Pioneer PA-5000 (For PLC-590, which originally had one of the SMEs on it)
Garrard TPA10 (Added as a second tonearm to a Garrard 4HF)
SAEC (Can't remember the number, and its in storage so I can't check it.)


I've also swapped out my GT-2000 tonearm for another one with the optional arm-lifter already built in (in other words, an arm equivalent to that on the GT-2000L). That left me with the original tonearm to play with as a separate.

Toyed with getting a few others (Morsh, Infinity Black Widow), but didn't/haven't ...at least, not yet, and I may not, as there are other and higher priorities for now. The one I'd really like to find (at a remotely affordable price) would be the SME 3012.

 

[Beobloke]

Currently have:

Alphason HR100S
Inspire X100
Audio Note Arm Two/II
Audio Origami Uniarm
Odyssey RP1-XG
Decca FFSS
Jelco SA-750D
SME 3009 S2 Improved

and an SME 309 on loan!

 

[ehoove]

In use:
Jelco 750D
Pro-ject 9CC
Signet AK50 (Audio Technica AT1100)

Regards,
Jim

 

[Big Bill]

I'm quite fond of certain Linn tonearms.

 

[marcmorin]

I'm quite fond of certain Linn tonearms.

Yeah, I bet. have you had the chance to compare the "factory later" version to the BigBill "earlier" arm?

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Right now, in Athens my Audio-Technica ATP-16T is in use. Turntable is a Technics SP-25 presently. On the weekends, I have access to these tonearms:

SME 3009
SME 3012
SME 3009 II Improved
Linn Ittok
Mayware Formula IV
Infinity Black Widow
Gray 108
Micro-Trak
Grace 707

Most of my weekend record playback is done on a Neumann Lathe with Ortofon cutterhead and SME 3012 playback tonearm and Stanton 681 EEE-S II.

 

[vinyl1]

Graham 2.2, which is no longer in production.

I like the ease of installing cartridges and swapping armwands. It is also helpful to be able to adjust VTA while a record is playing.

Of course, I'd rather have a Graham Phantom, but that's serious money.

 

[Westy56]

Infinity Black Widow.


Steve