VPI 9" tonearm on a Garrard 401!

Hi

Has anyone had any experience of using a VPI 9" on a 401 or any unipivot on a 401? I'm putting a retro system together for my second office and I've been offered this arm for £200. I was originally thinking of an SME M2-10...

thanks

Rob

 

I used a Hadcock unipivot for a while on my 301, sounded fine. The thing to check before buying is whether it will fit where you want to put it on the plinth, the Garrards are large decks and 9" arms can end up in a slightly odd position as a result, i.e. pushed back behind the rear mounting lug or right at the side and quite far forward, there is often not enough room to stick them exactly where you want to!

Tony.

 

Thanks. I designed a skeletal plinth a while back to handle anything up to a 10.5" tonearm with ease. I think I'll give the VPI a try... no harm in trying.

r

 

The point I'm trying to make is that with a short arm (i.e. 9")you may end up with it quite far forward and at a funny angle, see these pics on the Loricraft site. Less of an issue with the 401 admittedly as the knobs are all on the left - I hated the idea of having the arm in that position as it just hangs the cart right over the 301's speed knob which looks naff and makes it hard to use (I play quite a few 45s). When designing the slate plinth I decided to move the arm around behind the back lug as it keeps it well away from the front controls:



Much easier to use. It makes for a completely square plinth too, which is nicely odd.

Tony.

 

I understand BUT the plinth I have does not have a problem with anything like that. Yes it's a big plinth but then I have a 1300 sq/ft office which needs to be filled!

Rob

 

The plinth has no say about it, the position is dictated by the effective length of the arm, i.e. the pivot to spindle distance (which for a 9" arm is 211-215mm). This length of arm is a pretty tight fit on a Garrard, there is only two places they fit (as described above). Given the choice I'd personally go for a 10" or even a 12" arm. I thought long and hard about this when deciding on the M2-10, the extra 7mm pivot to spindle distance (222mm) over the M2-9 actually gives quite a lot more flexibility when it comes to mounting the thing, though admittedly the SMEs need quite a large cut-out. A really short arm e.g. Linn (211mm) would prove quite challenging. It's certainly doable, but it restricts choice as to where it will fit.

Tony.

 

I disagree. My plinth is wide enough on the right-hand side to accommodate a 10.5" tonearm along the same line as a 9" - meaning I don't need to shove it 'up top' like in your pic.

 

LOL, I suspect you will understand what I'm on about when you size it up with a template! I'll have another go at getting my point across:



The inner dotted line is 215mm, i.e. the pivot to spindle distance of a typical 9" arm. Now picture the width of the arm's mounting plate either side of that line. As you can see it will now only fit in two positions; behind the rear mounting bolt, or quite far forward. Your plinth shape is utterly irrelevant to this, it is the arm geometry and deck chassis that dictates where it will physically fit. I know nothing about the arm you are intending to fit, but some are remarkably problematic, e.g. a Linn Ittok, Ekos etc, they are very short (211mm pivot to spindle) and have a large mounting base. This obviously limits where you can put them. All I am suggesting it to do the math before buying the arm, not after!

Tony.

 

Maths...it's not rocket science is it I see with 211 as with the Linn arms the distance can foul on the top plate. The VPI, Rega and most 10" and above tonearms, the mounting distance is 222 or above so can be used on the right hand side of the top right hand bolt. The clearance for a Rega mount (222) is fine if used to the right of the platter. My plinth is slightly wider on the right compared to the image attached.

R

 

Ok, now the goal-posts have now moved: 222mm is not a 9" arm as the thread title specified, it's a 9.5" arm! That gives you a bit more wiggle-room.

Tony.

 

Rob

The best two arms for a 401 are either a SME1V or a Naim Aro.

I got the Aro because I am a sheep but when I play jazz on it my spirits soar.

Vinyl is the king of hifi, for some weird reason vinyl just communicates the music better than anything else.

You have got a good TT and a good plinth and that is a good combination, so don't let it down with a rubbish arm and cartidge.

I use a Dynavector 17d3 and that is very good.

You are moving in the right direction and if you live anywhere near swindon, you are welcome to have a listen.

Regards

Mick

 

Hi Mick

well I don't know about that first statement ' the 2 best arms for a 401....' unless you've heard every single arm out there on a 401 and I doubt it. I know you are trying to help but I can't get over these types of statement.

The VPI 9" works great. I'm using it with an XX2 MK2 (dynavector) which is a very good match it seems - compliance wise. The sound is not as micro detailed and as wide or high or deep or 'real' as my HRX but it's really enjoyable....it doesn't ask to be analysed, it just asks to be listened to.

 

Sounds good, lets see a pic then!

Toy.

 

Rob

The reason that I can make " these types of statements" is that I live in Swindon (the place where Garrard was based) and know many ex employees of Garrard as well as Terry and Nigel of Loricraft. The most senior person I know from Garrard is Neil Irwin, their last Technical Diector.

Nearly every statement I make ref Garrards is a direct repeat of what these people have told me. I hope that this will give you some small confidence in these types of statements.

Regards

Mick


I hope that is a sufficient qualification to

 

Mick

mmmm.

I've had a Naim ARO and changed it for a Graham 2.2 at that time.
I can't imagine any situation where a Naim ARO is going to be better than a Graham 2.2. Do you agree?

 

Would you know which arms & how many arms they compared?

How long ago were these comparisons made?

 

It should be "them types of statements".