Graham Phantom Elite

rockitman

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Sep 20, 2011
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Frank...How did you measure the pivot to spindle ? (sliding the tone arm base fore or aft)... You have to do that before you align the cart's zenith angle and offset (how far back or forward and angle the cart sits in the head shell)...
 

Frank750

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Jul 8, 2011
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Frank...How did you measure the pivot to spindle ? You have to do that before you align the cart's zenith angle and offset (how far back or forward the cart sits in the head shell)...

I followed the directions. Put the stylus down on the effective length arc line at the farthest most point out then the closest and started moving the cartridge until I was on the line from front to back. I used 10x magnification to assure I was spot on.
Followed that with Inner and Outer Null points and then checked the effective length settings again.

If I did it wrong, which with me is always entirely possible, I'm glad I did because it sounds great.
 

rockitman

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Sep 20, 2011
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I followed the directions. Put the stylus down on the effective length arc line at the farthest most point out then the closest and started moving the cartridge until I was on the line from front to back. I used 10x magnification to assure I was spot on.
Followed that with Inner and Outer Null points and then checked the effective length settings again.

If I did it wrong, which with me is always entirely possible, I'm glad I did because it sounds great.

Frank,

The pivot to spindle distance is the distance between the spindle on the platter and the tonearm mount (pivot) on the TT itself. This needs to be set first before you use the Mint or Graham jig to align the cart. In any event I wont be able to try it myself as my phono stage just crapped the bed. I may have to talk to David about demoing a LAMM as it looks like my Allnic phono stage will need to go back to Korea...which is a $700 shipping event plus repairs.
 

rockitman

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Sep 20, 2011
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You'll want to demo the Lamm LP1 Signature

I have to talk to my Allnic dealer (Albert Porter) first to see if he has any idea's on what might be wrong. It has gone bad in the right channel. Just to make sure I switched all the tubes from the left channel (which works) to the right channel. The right channel still doesn't work and the left still does with the tube switch. Looks like I'm out for playing records for 3-4 weeks....unless I buy another phono stage in the meantime.
 

number95

Well-Known Member
May 14, 2014
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Frank,

The pivot to spindle distance is the distance between the spindle on the platter and the tonearm mount (pivot) on the TT itself. This needs to be set first before you use the Mint or Graham jig to align the cart. In any event I wont be able to try it myself as my phono stage just crapped the bed. I may have to talk to David about demoing a LAMM as it looks like my Allnic phono stage will need to go back to Korea...which is a $700 shipping event plus repairs.

Seems what Frank assured is a right pivot to stylus distance. But this can be any point for pivot around platter. It doesn't need to fit to the point which also satisfies pivot to spindle distance. In that case I am suspicious about right overhang distance also fitted null points on mint lp may not necessarily cover for least tracking error. But I understand he already should have the right pivot to spindle distance since he only observed better performance after mint. Again, I would measure pivot to spindle if I were Frank.
 

rockitman

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Sep 20, 2011
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Christian, did you sell your Pass XP25, or do you still have that lying around to use as a spare? With the Allnic, did you try switching the phono cable channels to rule that out? I assume you tried other formats to rule out the preamp.

Funny you ask...I traded it and the xp30 towards the XS pre....regretting it. There is a good argument for two phono stages when one goes down. Maybe I will be record less for 2-3 weeks. I have some tape and digital to listen too.
 

Frank750

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Jul 8, 2011
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I went back at the set up with the Graham jig, this time using a higher power magnifier and spent considerably more time dialing it in. Now I'm at a point where what I'm getting is just different between the Mint and Graham setups. I wouldn't say one is necessarily better, both sound great! Matter of preference now. I'm still surprised at the significant difference in cartridge position in the head shell between the two.

I've got to stop for a while before I go blind.
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
7,097
412
1,210
Northern NY
I went back at the set up with the Graham jig, this time using a higher power magnifier and spent considerably more time dialing it in. Now I'm at a point where what I'm getting is just different between the Mint and Graham setups. I wouldn't say one is necessarily better, both sound great! Matter of preference now. I'm still surprised at the significant difference in cartridge position in the head shell between the two.

I've got to stop for a while before I go blind.

Like I had mentioned to you Frank...I am going to try the Mint again using the Graham method for setting pivot to spindle (Which I didn't do the last time) and then use Mint for Overhang and Zenith angle. I will report my findings. It may be a month or so as my phono stage is out of commish sent back to Korea for repairs. Over $500.00 in shipping one way for the power supply alone. The Allnic is my last piece of gear that I will ever buy that is made in a foreign country. Service after warranty is not a pleasant experience when you need to ship to Asia or Europe for that matter.
 

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