|
Posts: 27
Location: Kennewick WA
Joined: April 27, 2004
|
Xavier:
So nice to hear from you. What a beautiful plinth. Also, what a beautiful cabinet which houses the table. Looks like a whole herd of bottlehead components! You have given me an added nudge to get my 301 up and operating. From direct experience I can say that the 301 is a great sounding table. At RMAF Chris Bradey, Mr. Teres, demonstrated a rim drive for his tables, and compared it with the belt drive he has used from the outset of his commercial offerings. I was astonished at the improvment I heard.
Advantages of the VTAF are smooth and easy adjustment of VTA with the record in play, and isolation of the tone arm from the arm board, with many attendant sonic benefits.
If the tone arm mounting post of the EMT tone arm has a diameter of 23 mm or less, we can fit a VTAF to it. For smooth arm posts, the VTAF Adjuster Screw is bushed (if required)to an inside diameter a touch larger than the the tone arm mounting post, and secured to the post with a pair of axial wave springs. With the wave springs, the arm mounting post is pushed rigidly against the side of the adjuster screw, for a non- resonant connection. The axis of the adjuster screw ends up parallel to the axis of the arm mounting post. I Charge $10 for the pair of wave springs (fabricated from .010" thick stainless steel shim stock), and $20 for the labor to bush the VTAF Adjuster Screw, if it needs to be bushed. The bore of the VTAF Adjuster Screw is .906 inches (23 mm). Arm posts with a diameter between .850 inches and .906 inches fit the Adjuster Screw without installing a bushing into the screw. I can provide information on how to the bush the adjuster screw and or fabricate the wave springs yourself if you are interested. Some folks are DIY, some are not.
An advantage of using the pair of axial wave springs to mount the VTAF Adjuster Screw to the tone arm mounting post is that the VTAF Adjuster Screw can then be slid up or down the post for coarse adjustment of VTA. Correct coarse adjustment of VTA is typically when the cartridge body is a little lower in the rear than in the front. The VTAF has a 1/2 inch adjustment range that then allows the VTA to be easily swept through all values of interest.
In its lowest setting, the VTAF adds a height of .23 inches to the tone arm assembly. This will not pose any concerns to you with the rather high platter of the Garrard 301.
If the tone arm mounting post of the EMT tone arm is larger than 23 mm but no larger than 26 mm, help is on the way. I am in the process of making available a Large-Bore VTAF. Not ready yet, but coming.
The VTAF typically guides off some feature of the tone arm bearing pedestal. An example would be an extension of the tone arm bearing pedestal used to support an arm rest. For tone arms which do not have such an extension I have can provide a plate with an extension for the guide assembly to engage. This is shown in the attached image. This plate is threaded to the top of the adjuster screw, and is firmly secured by staking and locktite. This extension adds $70 U.S. to the $149.99 U.S. cost of the VTAF. If the user can come up with a simple way to add an extension out the front of the tone arm pedestal, this $70 U.S. expense can be avoided. I have enough DIY in me that if I were a consumer, I'd come up with a simple extension myself and save the $70. But if time is more important than money, the extension I provide solves the problem.
Summary:
If the arm post diameter is .906 inches (23 mm) or less, we can fit a VTAF to the EMT arm.
The price of the standard VTAF in Lacquered Brass finish (protective lacquer over engine turned solid brass)is $149.99. U.S.
If you wish to purchase the guide extension we provide, the price is $70 U.S. additional.
If the tone arm mounting post is smaller than .850 inches, and you wish us to provide a bushed mounting screw, the price for bushing the screw is $20 U.S.
If you wish to purchase the wave springs we provide for mounting the VTAF Adjuster Screw to the post, the price is $10 U.S.
An optional VTAF Teflon Upgrade is available for $30 U.S.
An optional Smokey Silver finish (protective lacquer over nickel plate over engine turned solid brass)is available for a premium of $30 U.S.for the VTAF and $15 for the extension plate.
Please advise if you have additional questions or concerns.
Pete
|
RE: VTAF Garrard 301 and EMT 997 tonearm - PeteRiggleAudio 14:59:08 01/18/08
(2)
Top of Page ]
[ Contact Us ]
[ Support/Wish List ]
[ Copyright © 2009, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ Go Green ]
[ Take5 ]