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RE: Souther SLA-3 Tonearm

Posted by beach cruiser (A) on January 21, 2009 at 14:03:03

In Reply to: Souther SLA-3 Tonearm posted by Phil D on January 20, 2009 at 18:57:36:

I owned a Souther for about a minute, but don't know the model number. The time was the mid 1970's and it might have been the only model available at that time, but it was an SLA something.

In the arm I owned, it supported itself via a nylon end post riding on the turntable record spindle.
The end support was used to level the arm. I would avoid this design.

I think later designs moved all the support to the hinge side, so you don't have the random friction from the support interface on the other end . I thought it a poor design, since the platter spindle is not the same in every case, and is also not finished as a bearing surface. Call me picky, but the concept of using the rotating spindle post as an end support bugged me, although the two surfaces mated up well.

I didn't choose it, it came with a table I bought. It had too many tiny exposed wires for my taste, they seemed to be a potential weak spot. (if they break, I'm screwed, type of deal) I liked the idea of a linear tracker but it seemed to be a design who's main attraction was just a different approach. I would suppose the design has matured by now, but the early design I owned lacked.

I think the attraction for these arms was that In those days there were few linear designs and this was one of the few that worked dependably. It was less expensive than air bearings, which were very new and much more expensive.

That road has been well traveled in the meantime, other designs have somewhat put the appeal of this arm in the shade.

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