Upcoming Technics SP-10R (100th Anniversary Model)

@lewm 

... it just happened that the MkIII and the EPA100 MkII were introduced contemporaneously, or nearly so.

EPA-100mkII tonearm and SP-10mk3 turntable were introduced in 1982 together. This limited edition tonearm was made for SL1000mk3 combo in 1982. http://audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/player/sl-1000mk3.html

Any other Technics high-end tonearms, including EPA-100 and all variations of the EPA-500 and EPA-250, were introduced in 1976-1979. 

So the world premiere of the best tonearm Technics ever made was in 1982 along with their best turntable ever made (SP-10mk3).
http://audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/etc/sp-10mk3.html

The price for EPA-100 in 1976 was 60 000 Yen (same for EPA-250)
http://audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/etc/epa-100.html

Price for EPA-500 in 1979 was nearly the same, 65000 Yen. 

But the price for EPA-100 mkII in 1982 was 130 000 Yen 
http://audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/etc/epa-100mk2.html
That was an extremely expensive tonearm! 

That's why i think there must be serious advantages of the limited edition EPA-100mk2 over the previous EPA-100 and EPA-250/500. 

In 1983 Technics introduced their P100c mk4 MM cartridge
http://audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/etc/epc-p100cmk4.html

... and this amazing SL1000mk3D combo: 
http://audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/player/sl-1000mk3d.html 

In color it looks much better:
https://i.pinimg.com/564x/d0/b9/6d/d0b96ded2f1afd332b8f03dbbf37d2d6.jpg

EPA-100 MKII seems like a very special tonearm. The wand states boron titanium. Does anyone know exactly what Technics means by this?

If they're using titanium alloyed with boron, then it could be an extremely stiff tonearm. Possibly even stiffer than SME III's titanium treated with nitride tube.

This would be incredibly expensive.

There's also nickel boron plating... We need more information. But one thing is for sure, nothing like that has been ever done since.

It seems like current top of the line Technics tonearms are taking the SME route and are using magnesium wands. 

google translate from this japanese page:

"Universal tone arm which adopted the world's first Boron Titanium pipe arm, boron aluminum head shell. The world's first Boron Titanium pipe with a boron diffusion layer formed inside by creating a boron layer on the surface of a metal Titanium which is lightweight and has a large mechanical strength and elastic modulus by special generation method is adopted as the arm pipe part doing. This increases mechanical strength and reduces harmful partial resonance such as bending and twisting and designs sound quality emphasis. In addition, we adopted boron aluminum which combined refining of boron fiber and aluminum for the head shell part, realizing high rigidity and weight reduction. For the tone arm, we adopt a high sensitivity gimbal suspension bearing structure.  Rolyballs with extremely small coefficient of friction, about 1/3 of the wheel, are used for horizontal and vertical bearing bearings, totaling 20 stones, achieving a minimum initial sensitivity of 5 mg.

I adopt original brake variable variable dynamic damping method.
In this method, the movable weight part in the balance weight is supported by a spring with high strength and damping effect, and mass of the movable weight is divided by mass using its compliance. Furthermore, the spring support part is covered with a damping cylinder, silicon oil is built in it, and the effect of damping of the spring support part is enhanced by viscous drag. As a result, the low-frequency resonance peak (sharpness Q) has dramatically improved.

Furthermore, taking into consideration the fact that this low frequency resonance frequency varies depending on the compliance and weight of the cartridge to be used, in order to brush more effectively, the magnetic damping adjustment function is carried. This is a structure in which two magnets are provided in the movable weight portion and the resonance frequency of the movable weight portion is changed by changing the distance between the two magnets, whereby a low-frequency resonance peak (sharpness Q), reduce frequency impedance, reduce low-frequency mechanical impedance, reduce intermodulation distortion due to warping of records and ultra low-frequency noise to improve the performance of the cartridge and improve the trace performance I will.
In addition, it enables high fidelity, high SN ratio playback, and improves the blocking performance of external vibration.

The precision 12-degree helicoid structure zinc die casting arm height adjustment function is carried and the arm height can be adjusted within the range of 20 mm. "

I have this EPA-100 mkII tonearm, but i need to modify my luxman armboard to mount it, i'm looking forward. 

Sold my original EPA-100 long time ago, so i can't compare them unfortunately.  

As I thought, they're creating a very stiff arm tube. This boron layer over titanium and aluminum boron alloy headshell is where the significant increase in price occurs. 

Im looking forward to your thoughts. 

Dear @invictus005: This is what I posted to atmasphere days ago about the tonearm by Technics:


"""  You said the Triplanar has better bearings, maybe better for you but the Technics gimbal type with 20 precision ruby ball bearings and lower than 5mg. on friction level is no slouch about as it’s not on damping issue or low resonances in its design. Technics did it not only through the boron and titanium nitride build materials but with its unique variable dynamic damping.
Do you know that boron is used on cartridge cantilevers instead carbon fiber ( TP arm wand. ) because boron is less resonant?
The Technics are fully adjustable and that MK2 VTA mechanism is even today unavialable my any other tonearm including the Triplanar. This VTA Technics unique mechanism outperforms " easily " the one in the tonearm you are supporting. """

Boron is the main issue here, yes overall design and quality execution are really important too. I loved the MK2 tonearm.

In the other side, @chakster was only a " happy " coincidence the MK2 tonearm alond the MK3 TT because either of both can been buy it for separate by any audiophile.  @lewm question was maybe because of that.

Anyway, Technics is second to none and good its " come back " to the true high end where the only thing they need is to have on board 2-3 true today audiophiles for they can know what all of we need.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.