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Tonearm recommendation

Hello all,
Recently procured a Feickert Blackbird w/ the Jelco 12 inch tonearm.
The table is really good, and its a keeper. The Jelco is also very good, but not as good as my Fidelity Research FR66s. So the Jelco will eventually hit Ebay, and the question remains do I keep the FR66s or sell that and buy something modern in the 5-6 K range. My only point of reference is my old JMW-10 on my Aries MK1, so I don't know how the FR66s would compare to a modern arm. So I'd like to rely on the collective knowledge and experience of this group for a recommendation.

Keep the FR66s, or go modern in the 5-6K range, say a Moerch DP8 or maybe an SME.

Any and all thoughts and opinions are of course much appreciated.

Cheers,      Crazy Bill
wrm0325
fleib
1,124 posts
 

Raul,

You're trying to win an argument instead of making a recommendation or two.  That was the request of OP. It's all right to support what you say with technical information, but if the only way you can do that is by insulting others, you're not going to win the argument you started.

You seem to assume you're the only one who can hear (discern audio differences).  You assume too much. If I may suggest, discuss something like the amplitude of resonance and ways it can intermodulate and affect the sound, and refrain from saying you can hear it and someone else can't.  That last part is implied and saying it will only alienate others.

You seem all wound up and out to prove something. Why don't you give that TEA BS a rest, and lighten up?

Regards,


Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
13,101 posts
 
Dear dgarretson: """  The Kuzma is absolutely free of HF noise artifacts. Its spooky calmness suggests either a slight HF roll-off, or if not roll-off, then damping at a threshold that might be confused by "uneducated" ears as a roll-off or loss of air or extension. As I have the same reaction to very low-noise SS electronics like my Pass XP-25 phono stage or XA-160.8 monoblocks, I’m coming around to the idea that my ears have been reeducated to listen for what’s missing(distortions) as much as what’s included(music). """

Exactly, that's what I'm talking about. In the other side I agree about your tonearm bearing explanation because aditional we have to think that always exist feedback through those bearings.

""" 

partly by virtue of its particularly open and alive sound-- similar to what Raul alludes to as favorable to Japanese audiophiles of the vintage era. If these be distortions, then at this level of performance I’m willing to accept even subtle distortions into the realm of taste. """


of course that that that " realm of taste " is what normally moves our actions through the audio " road ".

Now, all of us are accustomed for " hundreds " of years to higher distortions that can be tolerated when we learn about and be aware of those distortions.

I can't " blame " you or any one to like some kind of reproduced sounds only to encourage any one that want to do it to start a voyage to learn for through the time self experiences ( like yours. ) can discern/be aware of those distortions distortions that does not exist in the recording ( as Chris detected through the same master tape/LP comparisons. This is clear evidence and no one needs to prove anything else about. ) and that were generated ( in the tonearm uner " eyes " in this thread. ) by the tonearm.

What we like is not enough argument but try to reproduce the recording LP mantaining distortions at minimum and the tonearm is a critical link in that desired target.


Dgarretson, I can tell you that because you know very clear the live music sound if you give time to that "  slight HF roll-off, or if not roll-off, then damping at a threshold that might be confused by "uneducated" ears as a roll-off or loss of air or extension .."""  you will take in count that that is the right and natural way how that LP recordings has to sounds.

We have to give that time because each one of us ears has 30-50 years accustomed to very high distortions.

Thank's to enlight and enrich that main and critical audio/music subject.


Regards and enjoy the music,

R.




nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

Dear Fleib, I may have missed some of those metaphorical

''stairs'' involved by  Raul's ''learning curve'' but I also believe

that he missed the first ''stair'' in logic. From my study of logic

I learned that the neccesary condition to express a thought

clearly is to have one. One would think that languge is the

added condition. But consider those international gatherings

of scientist. ''Our own'' Lewm visited many so he is the right

person to explain the issue. Those gatherings imply many

 peoples from different countries all speaking different languages.

The known fact is that, say, Chanese and Japanese are not ''masters'' in English language which is considered to be standard. How then are those scientist supposed to understand each other?

Well the answer is that they have the same terminolgy belonging

to their specific science. One can also say ''the same vocabulary''.

Thst is all they need in order to understand each other about their

own subject matter.

But we also have some kind of ''common terminology'' for

our analog hobby. In our forum it is ''not done'' to criticize

anybodies English but it is obvious that Raul is difficult to

understand despite of his ''long term'' use of this language.

Anywy this is assumed by ,at least, some members. But I

think that  the reason is not the languge but the lack of clear

thoughts.

wrm0325 OP
72 posts
 
Hello all,
I'm keeping the FR66s. Many, many thanks to those who have offered advice in this endeavor. Much appreciated.

Just a little more advice please. I have three headshells in house. 

I've got the Arche w/ the aggelos leads, an LP Gear Zupreme with 1877 Phono Devils Hair leads, and a NOS Supex ( I think ) headshell that my buddy who gave me the FR66s and the Koetsu used to mount it.

I'm a little worried that the effective mass of the Arche w/ the FR66s would be too high to mate OK with the Koetsu, and maybe I should procure a lighter headshell, maybe a Ebony or other wooden Yamamoto.

Those of you who have any experience here, please advise.

As always, thanks in advance for any advice.

Cheers,     Crazy Bill


halcro's avatar
halcro
2,664 posts
 
Crazy Bill,
The choice of headshells makes a significant contribution to the sound of a particular cartridge/arm combination.
I find it pointless to waste time on ’theoretical’ speculation on this subject when it is so so easy to experiment.
I have tried every type of available headshell in my FR-66s (except for the Arche) including the FR3, FR5, Yamomoto HS1-AS, Ortofon HS-8000 and various aluminium and magnesium ones.
They can all sound well with the appropriate cartridge.
FWIW I have found a rule of thumb to work most of the time...
  • Metal-bodied cartridges sound rather better with wood shells
  • Plastic-bodied cartridges sound rather better with metal shells
  • Wood-bodied cartridges sound rather better with metal or ceramic shells
Have fun.....
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