Micro Seiki BL-21....Need Arm

[Luvin Da Blues]

I just picked up a "new in box" Micro Seiki BL-21 deck , now I need an arm...any suggestions? I would like to use my nearly new AT440MLa cartridge if possible. Cheers

[Luvin Da Blues]

Would a Linn LVX be a good match?

[basite]

very nice one

never forget:
Rega tonearms, RB300, 700 or a 1000 when you have a big enough budget
SME tonearms, the all famous 3009, or the slightly newer V series...
pro-ject makes some nice tonearms too, but the regas are better, and the SME's are better than the regas...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[jim goulding]

I have a Micro Seiki in storage and I don't remember the designation model name or number. Does yours have a rosewood base and a massive arm mounting plate? Even if yours is a different model Micro Seiki is a good family. Rega arms are used by quite a few turtable manufacturers that don't produce their own arms. The most popular one mentioned previously is the 300. However, the 250 at a lower price is very nearly the same the principal difference being that cartridge tracking weight is managed passively using only the counterweight while the 300 adds spring.

These arms lack flexibility when it comes to changing your tracking angle because neither has an adjustable feature at their base for raising or lowering the arm. You have to add washers. Aftermarket sleeves with tightening screws are readily available, however.

You might take a look at Audiogon for a Premier MMT, a fairly high mass arm with solid sonics or even a Micro Seiki arm. There should be others available, as well. You see something you don't know about do your research and/or post a reply for the experience of your mates.

[basite]

These arms lack flexibility when it comes to changing your tracking angle because neither has an adjustable feature at their base for raising or lowering the arm. You have to add washers. Aftermarket sleeves with tightening screws are readily available, however.

I think Michell also made a VTA mod for the rega arms...

[Luvin Da Blues]

Does this look like it Jim?



Thanks basite..I was leaning to the SME 3009 for around $250CDN

[basite]

250 is a wonderful deal.
grab it, you will never regret it. wonderful arm

[Luvin Da Blues]

A couple of other arms I'm considering now..

A Grace 747 (on our classified section for $300, never been mounted)

or a new Origin Live OL1, this is basically a dressed down Rega 250 (available OL for $240)

and of course the SME 3009S2..looks like it would be around $325 (used)

or a Linn Basik LVX for $175( used)

and if I could find Jim's suggestion of Sumiko Premier MMT although I can't find any info or price OL for this.

I really need help with this guys, I would like to match the quality of the arm to the deck and not spend any more than what the table will return sonically, however, I am willing to spend a bit to max. out the SQ of the TT.

Thanks, LDB

[basite]

although the grace looks tempting, my money would still be on the SME...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[Luvin Da Blues]

although the grace looks tempting, my money would still be on the SME...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

Thanks Basite...looks like the Grace has been sold anyway.

[jim goulding]

Didn't see much on Audiogon myself today.

My MS is a BL 91. I looked at the picture. Is this a belt drive? Is there a tonearm mounting plate? Is the hole centered in the plate? Can it be rotated? You would only want to do this if the hole is off center and the reason is to give you some flexiblity in the distance from the arm hole to the turntable spindle for purposes of finding the null points for cartridge set up. If the headshell you wind up using is slotted this may give you enough play.

I believe that your cartridge of choice is a moving magnet design, no? These are usually more compliant than MC's and so you could go with lighter arms such as the Grace. Low compliant MC's like to see stiffness and more mass like the Premier aka Sumiko's "The Arm".

Buying a used tonearm makes me nervous because some have delicate bearings and who knows what kind of treatment the arm has had. That SME . . is it used? That's a pretty old model and kind of finicky. There are no slots in the headshell. It's mounting plate has slots for sliding the arm fore and aft for adjustment.

I believe the Rega 300 is $395 retail. The 250 lower than that. You may want to invest in one of those aftermarket sleeves for ease in selecting tonearm height in finer increments. And there are counterweight and stub aftermarket upgrades that cats like Michael Fremer swear by.

Did your table come with an arm? Is that it pictured?

[Luvin Da Blues]

Didn't see much on Audiogon myself today.

My MS is a BL 91. I looked at the picture. Is this a belt drive? Is there a tonearm mounting plate? Is the hole centered in the plate? Can it be rotated? You would only want to do this if the hole is off center and the reason is to give you some flexiblity in the distance from the arm hole to the turntable spindle for purposes of finding the null points for cartridge set up. If the headshell you wind up using is slotted this may give you enough play.

I believe that your cartridge of choice is a moving magnet design, no? These are usually more compliant than MC's and so you could go with lighter arms such as the Grace. Low compliant MC's like to see stiffness and more mass like the Premier aka Sumiko's "The Arm".

Buying a used tonearm makes me nervous because some have delicate bearings and who knows what kind of treatment the arm has had. That SME . . is it used? That's a pretty old model and kind of finicky. There are no slots in the headshell. It's mounting plate has slots for sliding the arm fore and aft for adjustment.

I believe the Rega 300 is $395 retail. The 250 lower than that. You may want to invest in one of those aftermarket sleeves for ease in selecting tonearm height in finer increments. And there are counterweight and stub aftermarket upgrades that cats like Michael Fremer swear by.

Did your table come with an arm? Is that it pictured?

Thanks Jim,

Yep it's a belt drive and has a mounting plate without any holes (yet), no arm. Still can't find any prices on the Premier MMT tho.

[jim goulding]

Me neither. I think this model is history. There is a Sumiko Premier FT-3 arm but I don't know how much or where. Here is a lead for a Origin modified rega 250 with some capsule reviews: www.tonearm.co.uk then drop down to Origin mods for Rega arms. I may have this done to my 250. Yep, believe I will.

[Luvin Da Blues]

I bit the bullet on a Origin Live OL1 to get me going. Down the road I'll look for a better arm or go with some upgrades for this arm. All the mods for the Rega 250 apply to this arm since they are the same with different badging. Thanks Jim and basite for the feedback. Cheers LDB

[jim goulding]

I don't think you'll need to upgrade your Origin modified Rega 250 ever if you want to know what I think. You don't absolutely need an aftermarket means to better facilitate adjusting the height of your arm, but you will quite possibly benefit from the finer incremental improvements this can provide.

Salute! I admire a man, or better still, a women, who goes for the gusto!

[Luvin Da Blues]

Just an update...The dealer where I ordered the OL1 can't source them right now so he's substituting a Rega 250 in it's place for the same money..$240 for the OL1 vs $300 for the 250. I realize that there basically the same arm but still

[jim goulding]

Blues- I didn't quite get that. Are you buying a base Rega 250 or an Origin modified Rega 250? You need to visit that site I provided and read info about the difference. Jim

[Luvin Da Blues]

Hey Jim,

I ordered the arm from The Needle Doctor. They sell an Origin Live Tonearm called the OL1, this is a made by Rega (the RB250 with different badging) but is a little cheaper.

Here's a link,

http://www.needledoctor.com/Online-Store/Tonearms

Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

LDB

[jim goulding]

OK. You got the right arm alright. I thought, at first, that you had ordered an Origin Live modified (re-wired, re-stubbed, slotted, etc.) 250 but if I read you right you got the stock Rega. Well, you and I both can look forward to the upgrade. I replaced the stub and counterweight by those available from Expressimo already but I will probably let Origin Live do their entire thing at some point. Happier listening, blues bro! Kick out the jams!