Fidelity Research cartridges
@nandric As you know I have an Ikeda Kiwame, having previously had the original Ikeda 9. I like them very much, they are quick and very open through the mids - easily the best cartridge for me back in the 80's. The Decca London Gold with Garrott Microscanner - very quick but the Ikeda at its best has more flesh and bones through the mids. I first had the Ikeda back in the 80's - at this time it was very rare outside of Japan and certainly no magazine had reviewed it. This is why it is relatively unknown. Rowland Complement was the only version known in the US. The main issue was variability, some tracked beautifully, others were difficult. Subsequently, my Dynavector Nova 13D which I have owned since the early 90's, has more resolution than the Ikeda particularly in the mids to upper mids and tracks beautifully since it was last upgraded by Dynavector Japan with Microridge stylus and other tuning. I dont have much experience with the new Ikedas, I have heard the Kai, preferred it to the Air Tight cartridge on the same TT. In some ways I think the Ikeda 9TS is more musical than the more expensive models - but thats only an impression from very brief listening in desparate systems. |
Ikeda-San passed away last year, find all his legendary cartridges here. There are 14 different versions of the cantileverless Ikeda 9 handmade by Isamu Ikeda himself. |
Thanks chakster, I had no idea that there are so many. Anyway I am glad to see that Ikeda admirer are growing (grin). As you can see even choosy Dover is one of those. While I decided not to buy any new cart anymore this ''damn Dover'' caused me to search for the Dynavector Nova 13 d. I found one in UK in NOS state and hope that is still available. |
Dear @dover : FR as Technics and other vintage japanese tonearm designs took Stevenson alignment as their sample alignment and seems to me that all of them did not matters to much ( in those times. ) about accuracy critical importance on the alignment set up parameters but FR took Stevenson too: The FR66 specs says: 16.8° as offset angle and ST is 16.84° and for the overhang FR says 12mm and ST 11.8. If you make the calculations for the FR 64 is more or less the same. FR choosed by ignorance Stevenson. The Ikeda IT-407and 345 are the same as the FR tonearms. From where came/comes your statement that they don't took as sample Stevenson alignment? AZ: ther FR headshell integrated cartridges has not an azymuth mechanism to change it when it needs. R. |
