GrooveMaster-III specification
Lead time of the GrooveMaster is 3-4 weeks from order.
Note: Customers from Greater China (China, HongKong, Taiwan and Macau) will have to order with our distributor: www.premier-hifi.com. Contact: info@premier-hifi.com
Volker McDonough –
Very precise piece of machinery. Well done and comes with an easy to use manual. Only photos at the manual should be more up to date (for example showing the proper place for the screw, changing the VTA). I was astonished by the very short lead of production time. Exactly one week after ordering the GrooveMaster arrived and this with an arm ordered especially to fit a SPU-A. Everey one of my questions reg. how to install the arm, was answered fast and with great patience by Marco Bouwer. The tonearm brings up every detail of my LPs and also transports the feeling I love so much listening to my beloved SPU Wood A.
Highly recommended!
Best regards
Volker McDonough
Robert-Jan Hoeksma –
Hi, last Sunday (April 2022) I bought a Groove Master III 12″ banana shaped and got it delivered just a few days later on Friday. Opent the package and found a very good packed tonearm. Beautifull build quality. Als ordered a headshell and the VTA lift. Which is quite heavy. It was easy to exchange the Jelco 12″ tone arm for this new unit. With the first touch in the Grooves you can immediately hear the difference in soundstage. First thing which I have experienced is quietness. Voices, drums and double bass really nicely framed. Sound is realistic. I play this tonearm on a Scheu Analog turntable, Ortofon Valancia Cartridge, Phonodude amplifier and TopCap push pull amplifier (build them myself thanks Triode Dick). Cables Tellurium Q Ultra Black II for RCA and Turntable. All Dutch š Keep up the good work Marco and thanks for your answers on mails etc.
Anonymous –
I have difficulties to adjust the tonearm lift. When VTA is right the needle is close to the record. I wish for possibility to raise the lift further 1-2mm. Soundwise the arm performs great with my SPU.
Leonard S. –
Anonymous –
OLIVIER Ciriac –
Perfect
Mark –
Good day, I wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying the GrooveMaster2 (for SPU type A) 12′ tone arm I recently purchased.
I am a long term SPU enthusiasts. I purchased my 1st SPU in 1988 (new, made for the Asian market). I used a Ortofon 297 arm (again, new, made for the Asian market) until the bearings began to decline about 2010. I have been looking for a quality replacement for a long time. Prior to installing the GrooveMaster2 I was using a Alfred Bokrand AS-309, which was a good sounding, reasonably priced arm. Your arm is more costly but, in today’s market, has to be considered reasonably priced as well.
The quality of the build is fantastic. The set up instructions are easily understood and implemented. I like that one tool is all you need for all required adjustments (and it’s included). The arm lock down device is genius in it’s simplicity and effectiveness. What I am most enthused about is that the arm’s sound seems (to me at least) to really highlight the strengths of the SPU (a kind of musically engaging vividness without any area calling extra attention to itself). For those “old timers” (like myself) who feel an aluminum arm tube with copper wires is the preferred approach, I want to say, the GM2 with titanium arm and silver wire will have you rethinking your prejudices ! Your representative in the USA (Phillip Holmes) answered all my inquires before purchase. I had asked about a type A option prior to your making one available and for all intents and purposes he had to go thru the sales process twice, which he did with not a hint of impatience.
James –
The groovemaster mkii is an amazing arm. It beats most I have compared it to. Those of particular note are the 3x the price vpi fatboy. Which bettered the groovemaster only in top end air but as it is uni pivot this is expected. Your arm was cleaner through the middle. better separation. Faster. More variety of timbre especially in the bottom.
On the idler type tables I use the Schick which it flat out embarrassed. Beating it at its own game the strong points of the Schick are big sound body nice saturated bottom. Well the groovemaster was easily superior in these aspects but ā and this is interesting because of the name ā it follows the music with a much better flow ā or groove- so the āPRATā was far better. As well as subtlety and nuance the Schick doesnāt even hint at the groovemaster is at once delicate and nuanced while it also has explosive dynamics and big transients all this and the flow of the music itās rhythm is laid down hard and fast.
Jack –
The new Audio Creative 12” Banana arm mounted to our reference turntable the Verdier Platine. The magnetic anti skate is really well thought out and executed and sonically it far outperforms the SME 3012. Actually this could well be the best sounding detachable head shell tonearm I’ve used.
James –
Hello Marco
I have had the groovemaster up and running on my newly rebuilt thorens 124. I donāt have the money for the Miyajima cart/Ortofon SPU I was plan to use on it yet. But got a Denon DL103 to play with. But upon hearing the quality I did some comparisons to my VPI Fatboy uni pivot. So while your arm is gimble and the VPI is a uni the sounds are different but the quality of the GrooveMaster II is equal the VPI wich retails for 5200$. My Kiseki Purple Heart is now on the GrooveMaster II/Thorens TD124 table. It is wonderful! The extension is almost as far as the VPI, but the bottom is more solid and there is better slam. The VPI is more ethereal up top but with your arm I hear more separation of individual stings when chords are played and there may be more body or a fuller sound. And the timbre is great! It is overall a better arm matching or bettering the 2.5x more expensive VPI in all areas, except airiness in the upper treble. I am really happy. And wanted to thank you much for helping me with all my questions. I get nervous about buying HiFi gear I cannot hear first. But this was a great purchase I am thrilled. And it sounds much better than the price would suggest the bearings seem especially well made. So for now until I get the carts I had planned to run with this arm/table Iāll keep the Kiseki on it and relegate the Denon to the VPI.
James, US
Marcel –
Een prachtige ācustom madeātonearm, gemaakt van eerste klas materialen, volgens zeer nauwe toleranties.
een mooie partner voor elementen die een wat zwaardere arm nodig hebben,zoals bv de ortofon spu elementen.
klankmatig, prachtig! open, gedetailleerd, evenwichtig en neutraal.
de Groovemaster kan zich meten met elke arm op elke draaitafel, mits geschikt daarvoor.
met de service en ondersteuning van Audio creative, een aanwinst voor elke vinyl liefhebber.
John –
My PTP project is progressing slow, but now it is time to finish. The Groovemaster arrived and with opening the box a big ‘WOW’ was heard. This tonearm is impressive and I have been looking for a long time for a tonearm lijke this. The Dutch caftmanship and the excellent communication with Marco pulled me over. It is tonearm without bling bling, just as I like it.
Felix –
Yesterday mounted the GrooveMaster on my Micro Seiki. Thanks to the custom base Marco supplied, everything fits perfectly. That is what good service is about! The GrooveMaster is looking very good and well made. The tonearm fits my Koetsu cartridge perfectly.
Peter –
Just to let you know I installed the Groovemaster on my PTP Lenco75 and it sounds fantastic, a huge step up from the 12ā Jelco I had before. More bass, more impact, great imaging. Iām very pleased. Cheers!