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FR64s & Orsonic Av-1s Effective mass ?

Hi Good folks!

I have an FR 64s with original headshell. Have ordered an Orsonic Av-1s/ 10 grams, to meet better compliance/ resonnance matching with higher compliance cartridges.

Any idea what the effective mass will be with this combination?

Would be funny to try for example how my London Decca Super Gold would work with this arm..😀


geddyen
lewm
13,304 posts
 
Raul, Audio is not an exact science. In fact, it's not a science at all, and logic does not always predict what will sound best.  Thus, while I take your point on damping or "dampening", I still can listen to my FR64S and say "Holy Cow that's good".  I am trying to do some research on why it does sound good despite the problems you cite. One possible saving grace of my set-up is that I have the FR64S mounted in its B60 base adjuster, which adds mass closely coupled to the arm structure, and the B60 is in turn mounted into a massive aluminum arm board that is one piece with a bigger piece of alu bolted to the bottom of the plinth.  One theory is if you give the mechanical energy a good pathway into a high mass object, the energy will dissipate as heat without the ability to induce motion.  It's really dampening by another mechanism. I don't insist this is true; it's just a thought.

nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

Dear Lew, To add to your thoughts or assumptions I would like to mention the fact that the original ''base'' or the collar holder is made from aluminum. Steel (hardened) from which the FR-64/66 are made is very difficut to process . This was the reason to introduce aluminum FR-64/66 models. But there was an steel kind of base

for the old FR- 64/66 as separate. The thing looks like an huge nut.

Other tonearm manufacturer also produced such ''weight addition'' to

the arm base . Probably with the intention to ''divert'' resonances

into heat  which is actually  the same as (resonance) ''dampening''.

The B-60 has the same function in addition to the VTA function.

Ag insider logo xs@2x
cleeds
6,014 posts
 
The FR64S is one of the great pickup arms of all time, so I'm not sure what Raul's trouble with it is. I sold mine - complete with adjustable VTA base - to a friend who still uses it. It still sounds terrific! Of course, not every arm is necessarily at its best in every table, so perhaps that's where Raul got confused about it.
lewm
13,304 posts
 
cleeds, While Raul’s English may be a bit fractured at times, he is never "confused" about any of his underlying beliefs, as I am sure he will soon tell you, where the FR64S is concerned. But I agree with you; I set mine up expecting the kinds of problems Raul has repeatedly described, but I don’t hear them so far. In fact, I am breaking other rules as well, using a high mass arm with a high compliance cartridge (Acutex LPM320). I am still giving Raul the benefit of the doubt, because I do respect his opinion, except when he accuses me of "liking" distortions. Before I draw final conclusions I need to replace the 64S with some other tonearm that is both lower in effective mass and higher in "dampening" characteristics, keeping the turntable (Victor TT101 in re-enforced plinth) and cartridge constant.
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

Dear Lew, You are right about Raul. He is never ''confused'' about

those whom he does not like. Say Dertonarm. Well if Dertonarm

was ,uh, more critical about those damn FR/64/66 Raul may have

liked them. The strange thing however is that cleeds sold his FR-64

but Raul deed not. The humans are , I think, inscrutable.

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