Pro-ject introducing s-shaped tonearm option into their TTs

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Matt Richardson, May 23, 2017.

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  1. Matt Richardson

    Matt Richardson Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Suburban Chicago
    Has Pro-ject ever offered these previously?

    S-shaped part starts at 10:23 in Fremer's new Munich video.

     
  2. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    These were in a catalog a year ago but still aren't out yet. S-arm is interesting. Now if they could only solve the problems with the crap motor mounts and motor buzzing/rumble.
     
  3. Raffy Raff

    Raffy Raff Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hawaii
    Strangely, the less-traditional RPM-series of Pro-Ject tables have had S-arms for a while. I think their top of the line model did, too.
     
  4. hesson11

    hesson11 Forum Resident

    Geez, detachable headshells and what look like hinges for attached dust covers. Can't be any good!

    (Sarcasm alert: As a cartridge swapper living in a dust factory, I applaud both these things.)
    -Bob
     
    Opeth, JohnO, patient_ot and 3 others like this.
  5. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Yeah, I've seen the top models with them. The RPM series had some tables with a one piece carbon S-arm unless I'm forgetting something.
     
  6. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    Practicality is now an optional. Good thing, many need easier to live with cartridge choices.
     
    Mr Bass likes this.
  7. EddieVanHalen

    EddieVanHalen Forum Resident

    What are the benefits of S-shaped arms?
     
  8. SpeedMorris

    SpeedMorris Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa
    The RPMs 1 and 3 have been around for a couple of years.

    [​IMG]
     
    PhilBiker likes this.
  9. Matt Richardson

    Matt Richardson Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Suburban Chicago
    Somewhere in that video I think they said s tonearms are less dynamic or more laidback. I'm sure others here could offer better support for why some people like them. I just think they look kinda neat. :agree:
     
  10. SpeedMorris

    SpeedMorris Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa
    Thus virtually guaranteeing lukewarm reviews from What Hi-Fi.:cry:

    I love me some Heinz, ya!
     
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  11. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    I like them as cartridge and styli changes are easier. I play a wide range of microgroove records, and need options to cover 1948 to now and every kind of 45 and LP groove old, and new.
     
    patient_ot likes this.
  12. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    The new ones are not one piece S-arms. They have removable headshells. AFAIK, these RPM models don't.
     
    SpeedMorris likes this.
  13. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    Another case of trying to appeal to all areas of the market. I prefer a company that has a solid design principle behind it's products and attention to quality. This is about taking sales of potential Technics or Pioneer buyers.
     
    PhilBiker likes this.
  14. JohnO

    JohnO Senior Member

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    At the start and the finish of that video it looks like they are reinventing the best of what was available in 1970.
    (This is not a slam, but an ironic comment. It is a good idea, but all that we have lost....)
     
  15. stefanb

    stefanb Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto
    I wish I could have afforded the Classic in place of my 1xpression but...that's the way she goes.

    That said, the classic w/ s shape arm = great looking table.
     
  16. chervokas

    chervokas Senior Member

    The theory I used to hear advanced about S-shaped arms is that the shape can break up standing waves in a parallel arm and be less ringy, but of course there are plenty of ringy S shaped arms in the history of turntables, and other ways of combating resonances in straight arm tubes. The negative of an S-shaped are is the potential of greater mass for the same pivot distance, but of course you can correct for that using lighter (but sometimes more expensive) materials. I don't know that in the end there's any reason an S-shaped arm will inherently be better than a straight arm (with an offset of course at the cartridge end). More about the specific elements of the arm and bearings and geometry regardless of which design shape you choose.
     
  17. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Agreed, but they didn't show one in the video. Now I wonder if that will be offered at all...
     
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