Fidelity Research FR-64 vs. FR-54

Dear @lewm : Nothing wrong with what you like. It’s a fact that we like some kind of distortions, I like too but through the time I learned very slowly to detect this or that kind of distortions and certainly not all.

When I tested and beeen sure that in reality " that " " good " sound is no more than excess of distortion I started try to find out how put at minimum or dissapears it to never come back to listen it even if in the past I was in love with.


When I learn/learned that something is " wrong "/not good I just left it and never turn my face back.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Ok.  This is absolutely, positively, for sure the last time I will respond.  I do not perceive that the FR64S causes any sort of audible distortion when used on my Victor TT101 with the Acutex LPM320 cartridge.  I have heard the Acutex in several different tonearms; it was never so neutral as it is now in the FR64S.  Earlier, I gave some reasons why even an undamped tonearm can avoid distortion caused by resonance, if the resonant energy is sinked properly into a much higher mass, such that the energy is dissipated as heat and not vibration.  I believe this is the case with my system; the FR64S is mounted into the FR B60 optional base, which adds mass.  The B60 is mounted into a custom made aluminum arm board which in turn is firmly anchored into a massive aluminum brace via a 1/2-inch diameter bolt that screws directly into the arm board from below the plinth.  The energy transfer coefficient for this total ~6-lb mass taken as a whole is 1.0 or close to it, because it is all made of the same material or material that is closely related in terms of energy coefficient.  Perhaps this is why the FR64S appears to add zero coloration.  

The signal is ultimately heard over Beveridge speakers.  These are among the lowest distortion transducers ever built.

Um, hello out there. Has anyone heard the OP's question? Cuz I got to this thread by googling the same. He didn't ask for comparisons between the FR64S and the Denon DA307. The FR64, in all it's versions I believe, is dynamically balanced and the FR54 is not. Radically different designs. I've never had a dynamic. Has anyone heard a FR54 and a FR54? No sermons needed. ;^)

It seems like even black 64fx is not so popular as 64s, i wish to know what's the difference between them?  

The FR54 is a much cheaper tonearm, so i assume it's not on the same level as 64s, not even close, right ? 

I've never tried. 

Haha! 
You're probably right, 2channel.  I plead guilty to letting the exchange degenerate into a mano a mano.  However, someone wrote very early on that the FR64S is generally considered to be far superior to the FR54, and I, for one, assumed this is a given.  The FR64S/66S were Fidelity Research's best efforts, along with the fx versions of the same tonearms.  Most end users also have written that the FR64S is superior to the FX version, by a wide margin.  I cannot attest to that, either way.  

With any tonearm capable of dynamic balancing, it is usually not imperative to use the dynamic mechanism; one can optionally achieve the desired VTF by re-positioning the counter-weight, just as with any tonearm that lacks dynamic balancing.  Among those who have an opinion, dynamic balancing is controversial.  One would have to try it both ways with any particular combo of tonearm and cartridge.  I do use the dynamic balance with my FR64S, largely because the Acutex cartridge is so light in weight that I cannot otherwise achieve VTF.  I looked around for a heavier FR counter-wt, which would make it possible to balance the tonearm mechanically, but did not find one.