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Tonearms: Ripoff?

If you search for tonearm recommendations you'll find an overwhelming amount of praise for $1k and less products. Audiomods and Jelco are the two most mentioned.

The Audiomods is just some guy making Rega-based tonearms in a workshop. Just some guy is putting out tonearms that compete with tonearms that cost many times the price -- from the likes of SME, Clearaudio, VPI, Graham, etc.

So the question is -- are tonearms just a scam? How is it that everyone loves Audiomods and Jelco to death and never talks about / dismisses high end tonearms? Is it because there's no real difference between one of these low-cost tonearms and the high end ones? Is an Audiomods Series V ** really ** the equivalent of a SME V? Some guy in a workshop equals the famed precision of SME? Is that once you have the math and materials worked out all tonearms are essentially the same? Or is it that most owners of record players online are dumpster-diving for vintage gear and simply can't afford to listen to better?

So, what's going on?
madavid0
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rauliruegas
13,115 posts
 
Dear @madavid0: Obviously you don't want to understand what other gentlemans posts including my last one explain to you becvause you still are asking the same no-sense question.

For you Luxury is a ripoff? : to live in a 20 million dolar house, two own two Ferraris and one Lamborghini, to drink day by day with your family food: Chateu Latour or Chateu Margaux or Chateu Laffite, to own an original partiture of the Beethoven 9 or a Picasso master work.

What's all those for you, ripoff? why?

Whom determines what's high end? do you know it? if yes then do it a favor and please explain it and if not then why are you talking of high-end tonearms ripoff?

The " ball " is in your specific " field " and don't try to pass that " ball " to other " fierlds ". Please gave us your answers to those specific questions.

R.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,001 posts
 
^^ +1
madavid0 OP
214 posts
 
@rauliruegas You seem to be trying hard to say "high-end tonearms are a ripoff" but without hurting people's feelings.

@br3098 and others say that what matters is matching the tonearm with the rest of the system. "You don't need to pay a lot for tonearms" is implicit in that statement so it's essentially saying "high-end tonearms are a ripoff".

In regards to your house and car analogy, a 20 million dollar home will be in prime real estate with the best views and neighbors. The home will be large and offer a lot of room for the best decor to offer the most pleasing living experience. Having two Ferraris would boost by joy of driving tremendously. The experience of living like that could not be replicated if I lived in a $100k home and owned one Ford pickup truck.

No one would say: "it's all about matching the home and car to your personal needs".
br3098
1,000 posts
 
mdavid0,

I don't get it.  You ask a question and you receive several good replies, some agreeing with your postulate and some not, but all thoughtful and in the spirit of the purpose of this forum.  You then decide to crap on anyone who doesn't agree with your preformed conclusion.  What's wrong here?

Oh wait, I must be tuned into Fox News...
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