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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
petg60
1,486 posts
 
Hi,

you pay, you get, it has always been like that and always be. How better depends from the rest of the chain, and your ears. Please also consider reselling prices and there you have the complete picture. On the other hand no bad products exist nowdays, all have a good standard but some animals are created more equal than others.
dhcod
710 posts
 
  • @dhcod I have the same cartridge as you in my main table - a Decca London Super Gold with a Paratrace stylus - mounted in a 12" Jelco 850.
    • Could you kindly describe the different tonearms you moved through and the differences wrought?



I have only used the SME with the Decca and what I've learned is the more weight you add, the better it sounds and tracks. I'm currently using a Fidelity Research FS/3 headshell which is 20gm and I line the sides of the inside of the headshell with the lead tape that is used to add weight to tennis racquets and golf clubs. That allows me to use the extra heavy balancing weight that comes with the SME. 

Hope this helps!
lohanimal
659 posts
 
@jollytinker  I do love your post - just saw it today (yes - 9 months later)

Perhaps the OP should pop down to his local plumbers - buy a copper pipe - go get some mains cord - cut out the cable - go to a toy shop and use some marbles for bearings - and hey presto - he can say that's better than: SME V; Breuer; Durand; Basis Vector and Kuzma 4 Point.
madavid0 OP
214 posts
 
Well I ended up buying a used Reed 2A off Audiogon for $2k. Later on I also broke down and bought the $600 SmartTractor.
parrotbee
103 posts
 
So what do you think of it? 
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