Why 2 arms on turntables
- Thread starter Shadowfax
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Having a dedicated mono cart is one very good reason. But even for just stereo, different cartridges -- being relatively high distortion transducers -- offer a unique perspective on the sound that's akin to changing speakers. For example, going from a Koetsu to an Ortofon is quite striking. All this variety comes sans the shuffling around of hundreds of lbs. of speaker, and also minus concerns of room/acoustic interactions. This is why you see high-end headphone guys go crazy with owning different models -- it's relatively easy plug-and-play for a completely different flavor of high quality sound.
Another way to achieve this is via a single tonearm with removable headshells or armwands (which is what I do) -- but it's suboptimal because cartridge/arm matching can be critical, and also you must readjust VTF, VTA, anti-skate, and azimuth with each swap. Most quality arms have highly highly precise and repeatable adjustment for 1 or 2 of those, but rarely for all 4. Cartridge and phono stage pairing can also be critical, but that's the same with headphones/amps and speakers/amps too.
Plus multiple tonearms just looks so badass. It's an easy way to get instant cred from any other audiophiles viewing your setup for the first time.
Another way to achieve this is via a single tonearm with removable headshells or armwands (which is what I do) -- but it's suboptimal because cartridge/arm matching can be critical, and also you must readjust VTF, VTA, anti-skate, and azimuth with each swap. Most quality arms have highly highly precise and repeatable adjustment for 1 or 2 of those, but rarely for all 4. Cartridge and phono stage pairing can also be critical, but that's the same with headphones/amps and speakers/amps too.
Plus multiple tonearms just looks so badass. It's an easy way to get instant cred from any other audiophiles viewing your setup for the first time.
Anther reason is you may want to use different geometry curves. Newer albums are generally not cut to the spindle so the optimal null points are 70mm or even 75mm. If you use 75mm null point like me, you will know what distortion is when playing a really old album that has been cut all the way to the spindle!
Other options might include:
One arm for a top flight cartridge on one arm to play the more pristine records and one arm with a lesser quality cartridge (or differing stylus shape, e.g., conical) for used record purchases of unknown quality.
--or--
One arm for a MC cart and one arm for a MM cart.
I personally would find great merit in having two arms, one mounted with my Cadenza Bronze and another mounted with my Cadenza Mono. I've settled for the next best thing by having two different arm wands for my VPI Classic 2, each loaded with the Bronze and Mono. Mulveling is right though, each swap comes with a new challenge to confirm a few settings each time. I guess in theory, once you dial in each arm/cart combo you shouldn't have to check alignment, but I find myself double checking VTF at a minimum anyway. IF something sounds off after a swap then I pull out the alignment jig and work on azimuth & SRA. In other words, it's not as fast as just having two arms mounted and ready to go.
One arm for a top flight cartridge on one arm to play the more pristine records and one arm with a lesser quality cartridge (or differing stylus shape, e.g., conical) for used record purchases of unknown quality.
--or--
One arm for a MC cart and one arm for a MM cart.
I personally would find great merit in having two arms, one mounted with my Cadenza Bronze and another mounted with my Cadenza Mono. I've settled for the next best thing by having two different arm wands for my VPI Classic 2, each loaded with the Bronze and Mono. Mulveling is right though, each swap comes with a new challenge to confirm a few settings each time. I guess in theory, once you dial in each arm/cart combo you shouldn't have to check alignment, but I find myself double checking VTF at a minimum anyway. IF something sounds off after a swap then I pull out the alignment jig and work on azimuth & SRA. In other words, it's not as fast as just having two arms mounted and ready to go.
Mark Jones
Member
Very good point.
SoundRebels
Active member
Example - Transrotor ZET3 "fully armed": on SME 5009 9” is ZYX R-1000 AIRY3 Mono, on SME 5012 12” is ZYX R-1000 AIRY3 MC (stereo) - both cartridges are from the same range, but strictly dedicated for Mono / Stereo recording. So You don't have to go for any compromises ;-)
Jerome W
Active member
First reason is because we are completely nuts.
Second reason may be for mono and stereo carts.
Third reason is to have 2 flavors on the same TT.
Some records may sound better with one cart than with the over.
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Myles B. Astor
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Couple more scenarios.
You like two cartridges and might want to better match the arm cartridge resonance point: eg. a heavier mass arm for a low compliance cartridge (say an Ikeda) and a medium mass for a medium compliance cartridge (say an Atlas).
You are a reviewer and want to compare two cartridges without the difficulty of having to remember where you set SRA #1 after listening to cartridge #2.
You are retired, listen 10 hrs a day and don't want to use up the hours on your best cartridge (yes I have a few friends like this). Hence you have one cartridge for everyday use and one cartridge for special listening sessions. (10x7x4=280 hrs a month; so if you figure 1000-1500 hrs, we are talking 5-6 months?)
I'll just stick to being able to switch arm wands like the VPI (and a few others like the Graham, etc) does.
Stevenson will fix that. Sounds better overall than Loef and Baer IMO :happy:
microstrip
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Although I never owned a turntable with two arms I dream about it, specially since my phono unit (Audio Research Reference Phono) has two switchable inputs. I am wasting one pair of input connectors ... 
But IMHO one nice thing about having two arms and cartridges is that when doing alignments in one setup you still keep a reference - it is very easy to entrain in successive adjustments that seem better on first enthusiastic hearing but are just different sounding, but not really better.
But IMHO one nice thing about having two arms and cartridges is that when doing alignments in one setup you still keep a reference - it is very easy to entrain in successive adjustments that seem better on first enthusiastic hearing but are just different sounding, but not really better.
Myles B. Astor
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Although I never owned a turntable with two arms I dream about it, specially since my phono unit (Audio Research Reference Phono) has two switchable inputs. I am wasting one pair of input connectors ...
One thing that I've made a conscious effort to include in my phono section reviews is mentioning the number of phono inputs. Lately see people having from two to four (ask Shane!).
The latest VPI Avenger will accomodate up to three arms and it's not unique by any stretch of the imagination. Hell, I've seen people with a dozen cartridge laying around mounted in arm wands.One thing that I've made a conscious effort to include in my phono section reviews is mentioning the number of phono inputs. Lately see people having from two to four (ask Shane!).
Honestly, I will not consider any new phono stage with only one input.
Having multiple tables and/or arms gives you the opportunity to set up multiple cartridges and enjoy each combinations slightly different presentation on music.
This way, I find I don't get bored with the same presentation of just one cartridge. Also saves so much time in cartridge setup
As has been mentioned, certain combos just play certain albums better than other combos.
Long life variety.