Fidelity Research FR14 as good Sonically as FR64 or Jelco750?


Would you do that deal? Is FR14 a really good sounding arm? I want to put it on a vintage Thorens 124 or modified Lenco75.
Is the FR14 as good musically speaking as FR64 or better than a Jelco 750 series?
vinny55
Vinny, I'm afraid that the FR14 is rather a rare bird and was never accorded the attention given to the FR64 or FR66, in S or FX versions.  Therefore, you are probably not going to elicit a lot of opinions from persons who actually have owned and used it.  This is not at all to say it is not a good tonearm.  Jelco tonearms get a lot of positive comments on this and other forums, and they are in the same price range, more or less.  Add to that the new-ness of a Jelco, and I would have to agree with the other guys.

Anyway, I would be leery of anyone's opinion on a tonearm, unless it's very negative and the negativity is justified by specific statements.  Most of us have a strong listener bias, a tendency to at least "like" what we paid for, whether we admit it or not.
@lewm whats the next step up from a Jelco? There are so many arms out there it blows my mind. All My turntables are vintage lenco and thorens124 except dual5000 which i may sell soon to buy a tonearm
We've been down this road before.  There is no such thing in audio as "the best", in any category.  It's safe to say that the FR14 is not the best at the price limit of less than $1500; you've mentioned that you can buy one for $550, which is roughly fair market value for it. So if you're really searching for Nirvana for less than $1500, why did you ask about the FR14?  Also, you might do better by asking for the best or optimal tonearm to match a particular cartridge.  Do you use MM or MC type cartridges, for example?  Cartridge weight and compliance are key factors to consider in selecting a tonearm.