Fidelity Research FR-64x

@nandric 

(Slightly off topic)

One should use the weight which can be moved nearest to the pivot. The least inertia is the result.

Is this actually true? As long as what you're balancing doesn't change (i.e., the cartridge & headshell stay the same), doesn't the force on the counterweight side also have to stay the same? So if you use a heavier weight and get it closer, the end result is the same as using a lighter weight further out. In other words, inertia is the product of distance & mass, but you're changing both in order to balance the same thing on the other side.

As indicated by others, $150 for FR64fx is a steal. For these older tonearms and other older products, silver is probably better. For current products, I products I prefer high-quality copper.

@mulveling 

I currently have a Graham Phantom Supreme 10" ($6.7K new) and Clearaudio Universal 12" ($6.5K new) mounted; I expect this FR64fx should easily compete with (if not beat) them.

I really like my FR64fx, but is it really comparable to >$6.5k tonearms? I'm interested in your findings.

IMO, silver is actually better when it comes to tonearm wire because of the low fragile cartridge signal. Tonearms with silver wire sound significantly more alive, dynamic, and louder, but without sounding bright. My favorite wire to use is actually van den Hul MCS150M. Great stuff.

Anyone paying $1000-$2000 for an FR64 variant, should really stop and think about what they're doing. For that price one can get a brand new SME 309 or a used SME V. 

@invictus005

IMO, silver is actually better when it comes to tonearm wire because of the low fragile cartridge signal. 

Good copper has lower resistance than silver:
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/cg1003808

Anyone paying $1000-$2000 for an FR64 variant, should really stop and think about what they're doing. For that price one can get a brand new SME 309 or a used SME V.

I'm not making a claim about the relative quality of the tonearms in question, but neither of those SME models would actually be able to use the FR7 or SPU cartridges that for instance @nandric is intending to use with his FR64fx.

just a note...I paid $150 probably 25-30 years ago