Dear Nandric, the point with all this disagreement about the FR-64s/FR-66s is a matter of timing .....
I am firm in my impression, that anyone who does not like the sound of the FR-64/66 or think it is colored (... this is the ONE single most neutral sounding tonearm-design on this planet - period.) or that he hears the "resonating spring" ( if you really open up a FR-60 tonearm and examine the "spring" you will soon realize, - with some deeper thoughts - that this explanation is totally nonsense - but if you look on the pictures floating on teh net you only see opened FR-housings which are NOT (no longer...) greased as designed. Too many sorcerer's apprentices around..... ) has made errors in set-up ( which is VERY easy, as the FR-60 series requires special geometry set-up and alignment and furthermore most audiophile do not care for nor do know about groove-compliant VTA ), hears missmatch or the flaws of the rest of the system.
He does certainly not hear the FR-tonearm.
I have heard over 160 high-end systems all over the western hemisphere (even in Mexico City...) - the most expensive (and there were several in this line up) far exceeding 2 million US$ retail price value. Anything from super-top-class market components of the very highest caliber and price tag to carefully set-up ultra-fidelity multi horn driver systems of extreme complexity and with "home-brewed" super-smart SET-amplifiers.
I was in Sea Cliff twice and listened to the set-ups there in a very nice private session.
I haven't seen nor heard all, but among these 150+ set-ups there weren't but one hand full of systems which were able to show all the potential of the FR-64s or FR-66s.
You need a good empty highway to appreciate the full potential of an Audi RS8 or a Ferrari - using the next B-road which wasn't serviced since 20 years might not be the right choice for a true evaluation.
But if you only know your local B-road, your experiences and expactations are different.
Fine.
If we go back 25-30 years we would find an almost universal praise in the international audio press regarding the FR-60 tonearm series.
Even the super "hardcore" - no compromise - audiophile analog frontman Mitchell A. Cotter recommended the FR-66s/FR-7 combo ONLY for his B-1 turntable.
In Germany, the US as well as the Far East the FR-60 steel tonearms were THE tonearms for low compliance cartridges and set the standard for this group of high mass tonearms.
Today the focus is very different.
These high moving mass tonearms have almost vanished from the market.
Today's top-flight moving coils call for ( in terms of matching the cartridges compliance..) medium to low mass tonearms.
Aside from K. Sugano ( who isn't among us anymore....) there is/was no cartridge designer who did favour a tonearm out-of-production for his cartridges nor yet would recommend its use.
Thats logic in all ways.
If I were a cartridge designer I would recommend tonearms ONLY which are current production and are readily available.
What cartridge manufacturer with an even remote sense for business would like to embarass todays tonearm-manufacturers by recommending a vintage design only available second hand as the optimum choice for his product ?
Its about as clever as drilling a hole in your kneecap and nailing a spare-rib there....
If Isamu Ikeda (not likely this will happen...... just a theoretical proposition...) would launch on the upcoming Rocky Mountain Audio Fair his new tonearm - and it would look just like the FR-66s and would come with an improved version of the B-60 vta-on-the-fly base - well, the absolu!e sound, Stereophile and all the other magazines would agree in universal praise again.
Why?
Because then it would be a "new and current product" - no longer a vintage tonearm of oldskool physics.....
Has anyone yet given it a thought, why so many seasoned audiophiles with many other - very expensive too - current tonearms at hand and in possesion still do favour the FR-66s........ ?
Is it likely they do so because of marketing hype or to tease other audiophiles?
Oh well......
Cheers,
D.
I am firm in my impression, that anyone who does not like the sound of the FR-64/66 or think it is colored (... this is the ONE single most neutral sounding tonearm-design on this planet - period.) or that he hears the "resonating spring" ( if you really open up a FR-60 tonearm and examine the "spring" you will soon realize, - with some deeper thoughts - that this explanation is totally nonsense - but if you look on the pictures floating on teh net you only see opened FR-housings which are NOT (no longer...) greased as designed. Too many sorcerer's apprentices around..... ) has made errors in set-up ( which is VERY easy, as the FR-60 series requires special geometry set-up and alignment and furthermore most audiophile do not care for nor do know about groove-compliant VTA ), hears missmatch or the flaws of the rest of the system.
He does certainly not hear the FR-tonearm.
I have heard over 160 high-end systems all over the western hemisphere (even in Mexico City...) - the most expensive (and there were several in this line up) far exceeding 2 million US$ retail price value. Anything from super-top-class market components of the very highest caliber and price tag to carefully set-up ultra-fidelity multi horn driver systems of extreme complexity and with "home-brewed" super-smart SET-amplifiers.
I was in Sea Cliff twice and listened to the set-ups there in a very nice private session.
I haven't seen nor heard all, but among these 150+ set-ups there weren't but one hand full of systems which were able to show all the potential of the FR-64s or FR-66s.
You need a good empty highway to appreciate the full potential of an Audi RS8 or a Ferrari - using the next B-road which wasn't serviced since 20 years might not be the right choice for a true evaluation.
But if you only know your local B-road, your experiences and expactations are different.
Fine.
If we go back 25-30 years we would find an almost universal praise in the international audio press regarding the FR-60 tonearm series.
Even the super "hardcore" - no compromise - audiophile analog frontman Mitchell A. Cotter recommended the FR-66s/FR-7 combo ONLY for his B-1 turntable.
In Germany, the US as well as the Far East the FR-60 steel tonearms were THE tonearms for low compliance cartridges and set the standard for this group of high mass tonearms.
Today the focus is very different.
These high moving mass tonearms have almost vanished from the market.
Today's top-flight moving coils call for ( in terms of matching the cartridges compliance..) medium to low mass tonearms.
Aside from K. Sugano ( who isn't among us anymore....) there is/was no cartridge designer who did favour a tonearm out-of-production for his cartridges nor yet would recommend its use.
Thats logic in all ways.
If I were a cartridge designer I would recommend tonearms ONLY which are current production and are readily available.
What cartridge manufacturer with an even remote sense for business would like to embarass todays tonearm-manufacturers by recommending a vintage design only available second hand as the optimum choice for his product ?
Its about as clever as drilling a hole in your kneecap and nailing a spare-rib there....
If Isamu Ikeda (not likely this will happen...... just a theoretical proposition...) would launch on the upcoming Rocky Mountain Audio Fair his new tonearm - and it would look just like the FR-66s and would come with an improved version of the B-60 vta-on-the-fly base - well, the absolu!e sound, Stereophile and all the other magazines would agree in universal praise again.
Why?
Because then it would be a "new and current product" - no longer a vintage tonearm of oldskool physics.....
Has anyone yet given it a thought, why so many seasoned audiophiles with many other - very expensive too - current tonearms at hand and in possesion still do favour the FR-66s........ ?
Is it likely they do so because of marketing hype or to tease other audiophiles?
Oh well......
Cheers,
D.