2. analog
  3. 1399029396

Anyone try the replica B-60 Fidelity Research VTA?

My sammle moved not only up an down but also sidewards.
The reason as far as I can judge is the pin on the screw
which connect the inner and the outer collar. The inner collar
slides along this pin up and down but if there is
any play between this pin and the notch of the inner collar
the tonearm will move also sidewards. This means that the
'replica' is not as 'exact' as claimed by the producer.
I assume that this screw is better made by the orginal B-60 .
128x128nandric
lewm
12,997 posts
 
ct0517,  The change in VTF associated with the typical minute adjustments to VTA/SRA is not worth worrying about.  You can calculate it as a percentage change, if you know your geometry and vector algebra, but it will be tiny and not worth your concern, at least not to the degree that you appear to be concerned.  Do you change VTA (or SRA) with every LP?  I cannot be bothered. 

Anyway, changing VTA by using the B60 is no different, in terms of its affect on VTF, from changing VTA by any other method.  So, if you are one who changes VTA frequently, and if you perceive this to be a problem with respect to VTF, the B60 is neither here nor there, except that it is a very convenient way to change VTA, if you own an FR64 or 66 tonearm.  I happen to think there is a secondary benefit to the B60; it adds considerable mass to the base of the tonearm, which (I think) helps to soak up resonant energy and improves coupling to the turntable and bearing.
nandric's avatar
nandric OP
4,086 posts
 

Dear Lew, I don't agree with you assertion that B-60 will work

as any other VTA adjuster.  The reason is dynamic function

of the FR-64. This means that both dynamic function as well

VTF adjustment are function of the same spring. I am not

mechanical engineer but don't believe that this spring will

work different depending from the ''up'' or ''down'' position

of the arm in relation to the record surface.

chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@ct0517

Chakster. I did not say concern, I said curiosity. I am curious and asked for information from someone reading on this thread with a B60. Surely with a slick accessory like the B60 it’s what, a 3-4 minute exercise, to give me a number.

I would be happy to give that numbers to you, but my B-60 + FR-64s has not been mounted yet on a turntable as i have FR-64fx right there at the moment.

@lewm

The change in VTF associated with the typical minute adjustments to VTA/SRA is not worth worrying about. You can calculate it as a percentage change, if you know your geometry and vector algebra, but it will be tiny and not worth your concern, at least not to the degree that you appear to be concerned. Do you change VTA (or SRA) with every LP? I cannot be bothered.

Exactly, i don’t care about it at all. Also i don’t have any cartridge (i have about 20) that is so sensitive to the VTF or VTA, there is a range giving by the menufacturer anyway. In other words i just don’t understand people who are crazy about VTF/VTA for each record. If everything set up correctly i can not detect any difference in minor changes in my system which is very sensitive. Reed 3p is my favorite tonearm when it comes to a proper adjustment of everything on the fly. 

I am thinking about B-60 as a resonance control and a proper tonearm base and stabilizer, i do not adjust VTA for each record, i do that for each cartridge. Without B-60 the FR-64s is not good in my opinion. Without the B-60 i love the FR-64fx.

lewm
12,997 posts
 
N Andric, I think you are saying that the  VTF in the FR 64S is largely governed by the spring that applies the VTF Which is controlled by a rotary knob on the side of the tonearm. I don’t think that makes any difference. If you have adjusted VTF  with the arm wand level to the LP surface, and then you crank the B60 downward , there would be additional force over and above the adjusted VTF, distributed according to the new angle of the arm with respect to the surface of the LP. In words, there is always some additional gravitational force on the tonearm in addition to whatever you have cranked in using the spring. The spring doesn’t cancel gravity. Try it and see.
nandric's avatar
nandric OP
4,086 posts
 

Dear Lew, Each time you mention or suggest Newton I feel

uneasy. Sometime I have difficulty to remember the name of

my mom while you ''demand'' from me to remember physics

from my college of 60 years ago. So instead of ''your gravity

 argument'' I will use the ''pudding argument'' .

I performed  ''some'' repeatable experiments which are ''scientific''

in the sense that anyone who owns both the FR-64 and B-60 (+

measuring scale) should get the same result.

My ''theory'' was that the spring tension in the VTF adjuster by

the FR-64 ''does not care'' at which level the tonearm is in relation

to the VTF. So I started with parallel position , the scale on the

(SP 10) platter at the level of the ordinary (170g) record.

The VTF was exactly 2 g. Then I moved the arm up to about

2-3 mm and measured again the VTF which was as before

2 g. Then I moved the arm to its original (parallel position) and

from there for  2-3 mm down  .  I got again 2 g as result.

I think that the only way to refute my finding is to put some

huge magnets under your beloved SP 10,III when measuring

the ''up'' and ''down'' position on your B-60 (grin).

More to discover