Fidelity Research FR-64 vs. FR-54

Raul,
 Good to hear from you.  No arguments with your and Mr. Carr's observations, but I have just not experienced any resonant problems with my FR-64fx with any of the cartridges I've used it with, (Ortofon SPU, Shelter, Miyajima, Koetsu, Clearaudio MM).  I like it because it is the best removable headshell arm I have personally encountered.  I have not personally used a steel FR-64S, so I don't know if they act the same as the anodized aluminum FR-64fx, and I would guess the anodizing does provided some level of self-damping, so there could be a difference.

 I love the SOTA Sapphire / MDC-800 combination.  It works pretty well with everything I've tried on it, but the arm does benefit from a more headshell mass for some low compliance cartridges like the Miyajimas.

  I'm not real crazy about many newer "affordable" turntables, BTW.  Too many shortcuts on suspension and hardware for my tastes.  It's better to by a classic and rebuild it.  SOTA's factory-rebuilt Sapphires etc. are BARGAINS.

  My point it all this is that cartridges and tonearms have a complex and finicky relationship with each other which very few folks really understand (including, unfortunately, most of today's dealers).  You really need to find someone to help you match the cartridge you like to the tonearm it will work with, or you're in for a lot of frustration.  There is no universal tonearm that works well with everything, despite a lot of design effort in this area.

Raul,

BTW, I also have a Mission Mechanic tonearm, (the one GB Tools built after the Zeta Black VdH), on a Denon DP-75 direct drive in a custom birch plywood / black acrylic plinth.  This tonearm is like a Zeta on steroids !!  Sounds pretty good for an old tonearm and turntable.  I can't imagine what it would cost to replicate this thing from scratch today.  I'll send you some photos if you are interested.

dc, Raul owns or owned a DP75; there’s not much he hasn’t played with at one time or another. I own a DP80 which I’ve mounted in a slate plinth with a Triplanar tonearm. So far as I have been able to determine, DP75 = DP80. This is a wonderful combination that I never use, unfortunately, because my other four turntables take precedence. It’s ridiculously good, compared to what else you can buy for similar market value. When it was in regular use, I did prefer it to a Technics SP10 Mk2, also in a slate plinth that was nearly identical to the one housing the DP80, in terms of dimensions and mass (65 lbs).

After my last post, I started thinking more about the "lack of damping" of the FR64S/66S. It occurs to me that the pivot bearing does incorporate some sort of damping action; the lubricant captured in its bearing gets viscous after prolonged periods of disuse, which suggests to me that even when warm it has a damping action. Also, we seem to be assuming that the stainless steel arm tube is completely empty save for the wiring. I don’t know that it doesn’t incorporate any sort of "stuffing" that might also contribute to damping. These two points, if valid, would take some of the air out of Raul’s and J Carr’s criticisms. This is not to say that their dislike of the tonearm is not also valid. I only suggest that we are making an assumption about cause and effect. We don’t know that the objectionable qualities those two report are necessarily due to "lack of damping". We and they only assume that connection.

Also, we seem to be assuming that the stainless steel arm tube is completely empty save for the wiring. I don’t know that it doesn’t incorporate any sort of "stuffing" that might also contribute to damping.

Hi Lewm,
Here is an article by Thomas Schick on rewiring a FR64 (not sure whether it was the FR64S)
http://thomas-schick.com/en/blog/fr-64
The second photo shows there was some black material clinging onto the internal wire harness, but I can’t tell whether it was just a piece of tape, or something like a shrink wrap. Either way, I don’t think it can be called damping, at least not for the armtube.

Lewm, Micheal Percy Audio sells some damping material called "EAR TAD Damping Foils" that 3M makes that is supposed to be the "cat's meow" for under damped tonearms, according to the dudes over at DIYAudio.  It's relatively cheap, but the trick is figuring out how much is enough.  You apparently don't want to wrap your whole arm with this stuff, but a little bit at the worst nodal spots is said to eliminate any ringing.  I'd guess halfway down the arm would be a good place to start, but I've never tried it.  I wonder if any other audiogon fans have ?