Terminator tonearm

Hi

Does anyone have any experience of this tonearm? I know it looks B&Qish but it's only £500!

http://www.trans-fi.com/terminatortonearm.htm

I thinking of getting one to 'see' what it's like.

 

OMG! Sorry, no experience but I'd be fascinated to hear yours if you do go for it.

 

It's based on the ideas of the Ladegaard arm. I've not heard the particular arm you link to but I have briefly heard a Ladegard in my system - I was pretty impressed. The main thing to bear in mind is that such arms are extremely sensitive to absolute level and any (any at all) deviation from level will cause huge side forces to be applied to the cantilever. As a result, they are much better suited to non suspended turntables.

 

Patrick Dixon over on pfm has one on his Garrard 301 and seems to love it.

Tony.

 

thanks for the replies.

I'll do more research

R

 

I been using the Terminator for about 4 months now. It sounds really great and Vic is a real pleasure to talk to. In my opinon its a bargin it easily completes with arms costing many times its price. If you live near Watford or Bedford I am sure Vic will be more than happy to demo it. Check out the review
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0408/trans_fi_terminator_tonearm.htm I agree with everything Clive says
It really works well on the hw19mk4 and that is suspended but has a raised armboard

 

Hi JohnJ

Is that your HW19 on the Terminator website? It looks a bit different to the rest, is it a special?

Rob

 

Ha , that's my old matey Clive Meakins

 

Yes thats on Vic website
Basically its the mark 4 with SAMA motor and heavy platter The platter and motor makes a big difference. Simply one of the best turntables i heard regardless of cost but I am now moving over to the Super scout master chassis and will get it cut for the arm so I can add the rim drive, should take it up to world class. I am also getting the sds as well

 

I'm thinking seriously about ordering one to try on my SL-1210. Month's trial - you can't say fairer than that.

 

Oh, I'd love to hear how you go with this! The Terminator is perhaps the one arm I'd consider changing to on my 1210.

Stuart.

 

I'm only 40 odd mins round the M25 to Watford (Vic at Trans-fi audio) so it really is a no brainer for me. Both checking it out and returning it if need be - There I've convinced myself

 

This is exactly the configuration I'm interested in - Sl1210 & terminator arm - I see a MKIII has been released with digital readout of on-the-fly VTA adjustment. http://video.aol.com/video-detail/t...arm-on-the-fly-vta-adjustment-demo/4079376636 I can't hear any difference as he adjusts the VTA in the video (but the music is S..T) - what should it do soundwise?

One thing I've been looking out for is a Technics SL1210 without arm or busted arm for sale!

 

Excellent - please keep us updated!

 

Yes it's a really good arm as long as you use a pretty average weight and compliance cartridge. I have a friend with one and he put his Ortofon Winfeld on it and it just did not work (soundwise). Going back to his pivoted VPI 12.7" was a whole lot better BUT interestingly fitting a Dynavector DV17 to it (Terminator) was better than the DV17 on the VPI 12.7".

I think it is to do with the ultra low mass of the carbon wand it uses being only suitable to 'some' but now all cartridges. Ortofon recommend a pretty heavy tonearm. Increasing the weight of the arm wand 'a lot' means increasing the amount of air coming out of the pump, and you can only go so far with that, before you have to go to he next pump up in the range!

It's a good arm without a doubt, with excellent mid range transparency and highs to die for and a bottom end that is as good as most, as long as you keep within it's limits (like any arm I suppose).

 

Its worth speaking to Vic about this I know he can add weight to the Cartridge head
The Carts I heard on it incude a ZXY r100H great combination be scary to here what it could do with an airy3 but know James from Whest has used and loved this combination
The Deccas really create something special I heard the gold and Jubilee both beat the ZXY R100H The Jubilee was very special the most alive music I have ever heard and no tracking issues I am not sure what the tracking weight was but do not think it was extreme.
I heard a mod Denon 103 and that sounded good as well very close to the ZYX
Rob I am bit suprised about you thoughts around the bass I thought it handled bass a lot better than my old SME 4 and seems to be something a lot of people really like about it But there are lots of arms I have not heard!
The VTA seemed to make little difference on the arm I know people go nuts about VTA but I listened while Vic played around with this and could not really detect any real changes and think I got good ears I am sure there must be something in VTA as so many people put so much effort to get this right

 

Johnj, I noticed this on the Youtube vid showing dynamic VTA adjustment
- I couldn't hear any difference in sound while VTA was being adjusted. I put this down to a number of possible issue - youtube sound quality, the music being played was not very subtle allowing the hearing of the presumably subtle sonic changes that VTA adjustment creates. It's interesting that you said this johnj - I presume you heard this in real life?

What is the supposed effect of correct VTA - improved soundstage & improved high end?

 

So this quote is something I wonder about

Taken from here http://www.musicdirect.com/product/74107

Marketing hype or something in it?

 

I am not sure if it something to do with different arm technology I have no understanding why this might make a difference or some cartridges might be prone to this than most. I am sure people are hearing what they are hearing; too many people report a difference.
Vic has a decent system and played an audiophile quality LP I did not know the record that well and could of heard something but we talking quite slight

 

Hi John

across the band the terminator is great BUT just does not work with cartridges which NEED a heavy or high mass tonearm. The PW Winfeld works great into a FR64 or the VPI 12.7 but as soon as you put in into the terminator it sounds like a £10 MM! If you add more weight to the headshell it does nothing but make it so heavy you need 2 counterweights to balance the thing out.

VTA on the fly.......why?