Vinyl Asylum: REVIEW: Hadcock. GH242 Integra. Tone Arms by [Badfinger]

Model:	GH242 Integra.
Category:	Tone Arms
Suggested Retail Price:	£700
Description:	Unipivot Tonearm.
Manufacturer URL:	Not Available
Manufacturer URL:	Not Available

Review by [Badfinger] ( A ) on January 07, 2005 at 12:50:32
IP Address: 195.93.34.7

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for the GH242 Integra.

I was determined to try a Unipivot on my S4 turntable after Simon Yorke told me that a Unipivot would sound much better than my SME V, of course I think he meant his own Unipivot. However, I decided to try the Incognito wired Hadcock GH242 Integra. The Incognito wire is "not" a continuous run from cartridge tags to phono plugs as on the Rega arm, instead it uses a plug and socket arrangement so that you can detach the arm tube. The Stainless Steel arm tube has an effective length of 243.8mm (9.60") and the 1.2 mtr Incognito arm lead is non detachable. This increased effective length of the arm tube in conjunction with sliding the headshell results in achieving very easy cartridge alignment at both null points using the supplied protractor. Inside the bearing cup housing are 4 tiny ball bearings which rest upon an elongated cone tip, thus the Hadcock has designedly better stability compared to a conventional unipivot and will work on suspended turntables more successfully. I drilled out the threads in the headshell and ordered an SME adapter plate. The arm has to be set back little farther than the norm because of its longer effective length, this is no trouble if your armboard is cut for an SME as you can use the adapter plate, otherwise you will have to cut a new arm board. Setting up the arm was fiddly, but fun. Once everything was set up it was a matter of slightly turning the low slung counterweight to achieve correct azimuth, I did this in 3 planes across the platter with the reflection from an upside down CD, then rechecking the VTF.
The first cartridge I tried in the Hadcock was the Grasshopper IV, immediately I noticed a smoothness and how detailed and airy the sound was, I was really enjoying the detail in the bass range, the SME V in comparison had a brighter top end and was more potent in its bass range. Alas this was short lived after 5 LP's because when I got up to flip the record I broke off the bleeding cantilever, Argggggg. So the only other cartridge I had in the meantime was a Shure M95 ED, again the sound was much better in the Hadcock, smooth, more detailed, more air around instruments. So the Shure stayed in the Hadcock for about 4 months. I was still deciding what to do about the Grasshopper, and I outbid someone on ebay for a Fidelity Research FR-1 MK3F, this one checked out Ok. I mounted the FR in the SME V first because the FR needs a rigid tonearm to sound its best, or so I've been told. Well, it sounded pretty dammed good, it had nice detail, the bass was well defined, if still a little potent for my liking, and just a little bright at the top end, so I loaded it down but this made the bass even more potent so I left it as it was. Then I tried the FR in the Hadcock with the original 28 Ohms R load. Once again, I noticed that smoothness, relaxed sounding highs, excellent detail, lots of air, textured bass, in a nutshell "musical". The Hadcock at times reminds me of a good air bearing tonearm, or a good tube amp, I love it.

Product Weakness: None.
Product Strengths: Smoothness, relaxed sounding highs, excellent detail, lots of air, textured bass, in a nutshell "musical".

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Cary 300B SE monoblocks.
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Cary 94 L
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Simon Yorke S4. Hadcock GH242 Integra. Fidelity Research FR-1 MK3F.
Speakers:	Cary/Montana SP301.
Cables/Interconnects:	Kimber PBJ.
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Blues, folk, Pop, Rock.
Time Period/Length of Audition:	1 Year.
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	None.
Product Strengths:	Smoothness, relaxed sounding highs, excellent detail, lots of air, textured bass, in a nutshell "musical".