Curved and Straight Tonearms


Over the last 40 years I have owned 3 turntables. An entry level Dual from the '70's, a Denon DP-52F (which I still use in my office system) and a Rega P3-24 which I currently use in my main system. All of these turntables have had straight tonearms. I am planning on upgrading my Rega in the near future. Having started my research, I have noticed that some well reviewed turntables have curved 'arms. My question: What are the advantages/disadvantages of each, sonic or otherwise? Thanks for any input. 
ericsch

Dear Lew, But you was not able to see the VTF spring and the greas

in which the spring is dipped. So Raul may be right by assuming

all kinds of resenances caused by the spring in your FR-64 . My got

 so much greas that it hardly can bread. So no resonances of any

kind in my FR-64 sample.

Dear @genesis168 : When you change the P to S tionearm distance ( in any arm. ) you are changing too the effective length and between some limit range on that alignment parameter number what you are doing is to increment or lowering the tracking distortion figure and tracking error too.

Using Löfgren A ( Baerwald ) and going from 245 ( FR spec. ) to 248.13 ( 231.5 ) means that you have a little lower distortion levels but you can play with those parameters and test for example: 256 on EL and this again will gives you lower tracking distortions figure and any one can do it. Obviously that we can do it between some limits due that the tonearms has a limited length and headshells too, so it’s only to make some tests to see where you can go with better results and I repeat you can do this for any tonearm that permits it.

We can do that it does not matters if we are using Löfgren A or B or Stevenson alignments.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.
Dear Nandric, Should I dip it in only the finest olive oil from Don Corleone?  I am loathe to disassemble precision devices that I may not be able to re-assemble properly.  In other words, my inclination is to let well enough alone.  I went through this dilemma with the L07J tonearm from my Kenwood L07D.  I was determined to upgrade the wiring and to create a continuous run from cartridge to phono stage, but I could not get the vertical piece of the arm structure to disengage from the horizontal piece, so as to get behind the one-of-a-kind Kenwood DIN plug and access the internal wiring.  I got it loose, but the two pieces would not give up their death grip on one another.  Rather than to risk total destruction of an irreplaceable item (as the bearings go rolling across my basement floor), I gave up. Discretion is the better part of valor, they say. Instead, I plan to run the new wire outside of the arm tube, totally bypassing the internal wiring.

Re position of the lateral counter-wt on the FR64S: I think I do have a copy of the owners manual, but I never consulted it as regards the lateral weight. I will do so now.

I asked Yip by the Mint tractor who already made two of those

for my other tonearms to make one for my FR-64 but with ''P

to S'' distance of 231,5 mm. According to him and the tractor

I got this meant 246 mm effective lenght, Not 248,13 mm .

But some persons knows everything better it seems.

Dear friends: Stevenson made two different alignment solutions, one was A and the B that coincide with LÖfgren A ( Baerwald. ).

Almost all Japanese tonearm manufacturers choosed Stevenson over both LÖfgren alignmente solutions because  they want that distortions at inner LP grooves goes lower and audiophiles took it at the " best " alignment when IMHO it's not and makes no real sense.

Stevenson A reduce distortions at the very end inner grooves but in the other 9/10 of the LP grooves distortions goes a lot higher than both Löfgren solutions. For some of you this makes sense and that's what you like and is the way you are using the FR.

My take here is: why and how is it that any one could likes higher tracking distortions ( 9/10 of LP. ) ( this is a fact a measured fact not an opinion. ) than overall lower distortions with both Löfgren alignment solutions?

Any one can put some ligth about?  @lewm  @genesis168  or some one else?

@lewm / @genesis168 , a little help to understand: both of you are using 231.5 on P to S distance. The overhang that you are using is: 14.8 with an offset angle : 21.15°? or these parameters are different?

Thank's in advance.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.