3D Tonearm

Mike

Mike

Audioshark
Staff member
Joined
Apr 2, 2013
Messages
30,275
Location
Sarasota, FL
Any love for the VPI 3D Tonearm? Has anyone compared it to the unipivot or gimbal arm?
 
I have the 3-D arm but can't separate the sound from the table. Plus I went from the 10.5i to the 12-inch and I've always felt the 12-inch version, all things being equal, was superior. I would have had it all along (I did years ago on my TNT) but the 12-inch arm didn't fit on the Super Scoutmaster table. One thing though: you do have to consider cartridge compliance when using the 3-D arm. If you're using a low compliance and low mass cartridge (<10 gms), it probably won't be a good match.

For quick reference (and won't take into account damping, etc.):

Resonant Frequency = 1000/(6.28 x sq. root M*C where M = mass of cartridge and arm and C = compliance.

Also depends on whether you are in the camp and want the resonant frequency between 10-14 Hz or 9-11 Hz.
 
That's a really nice tonearm. Interesting that it's made out of epoxy which is supposed to cut out vibrations. This could be fit to your Classic 3 right?

3darm.jpg
 
dlb2 said:
That's a really nice tonearm. Interesting that it's made out of epoxy which is supposed to cut out vibrations. This could be fit to your Classic 3 right?

3darm.jpg
Click to expand...

Yes indeed. I'm just wondering why we haven't heard more about it. With all the VPI fans like me, you would think someone (other than Miles) would be talking about it....and while we're at it....what's the VPI Gimbal arm like? Seems like a winner to me. Maybe even better than the Unipivot???
 
I know one member here who has one on his Classic 3...cough...cough....Joe....cough....cough....
 
Hi Mike

Are you still getting the Kronos turntable?

the 3d 12 inch arm would b interesting on that
 
Mike said:
Yes indeed. I'm just wondering why we haven't heard more about it. With all the VPI fans like me, you would think someone (other than Miles) would be talking about it....and while we're at it....what's the VPI Gimbal arm like? Seems like a winner to me. Maybe even better than the Unipivot???
Click to expand...

I like the Gimbal arm, thinking of doing the Aries III with it......
 
The gimbal many times loose it's grip at the horizontal bearing, that's why they change it to metal bearing now
 
lol!!! hard to compare a 3d arm to a lumin :)
i have heard the 3d arm recently, but only once and not enough to give an opinion. that means it didnt blow me away. i do like the gimbaled arm idea but never heard one.
i think miles is right i had a tnt with 12"jmw and it was the best that ive had. before that i had a 10.5 on my aries, and after that i had the 9t and the 9s on my scout, and after that i had the classic 10" on my well ......classic . the 12" was the best jmw i ever used. i had it upgraded to the 12.5 and wow!!! but i sold the table a month after the upgrade.
most reason i moved away from vpi was that after playing with other arms on other tables i didnt enjoy going back to the jmw. why? i dont know.lol. oh that and a super deal fell in my lap.lol. i think i read the 3d arm tube costs $2500 and the regular armtube costs $1000, big difference id have to hear them side by side.
oh and i put up a thread on this under tonearms, but no one wanted to talk about it.lol.
 
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