FR66S vs Ikeda IT-407 vs FR66FX

The 66fx is very expensive and very rare model with banana shaped armwand (only this model), look here for the specs, the cost if very close to the 66s. I wish i could buy one of them for myself.

66fx goes for about $5000 and can be even more expensive (or slightly cheaper if you’re lucky). While the shorter 64fx can be found for under $2500 NOS

66s goes for $9000 nowadays (or cheaper if you’re lucky) with b-60 vta base.
But the 66s goes for about $1700-2000 (depends on condition). The weak part of this tonearm is stock base, it’s garbage, must be replaced with b-60 VTA base (this base is extremely expensive, even for replica, the most expensive is ikeda b60 base that goes for $1500).

FX short models comes with much better base, it was made later and finishing is better, tonearm easily can be transformed for use with SPU and FR7f series with optional W-250 superheavy counterweight. This is how i use my 64fx. The difference of the FX series is mix of materials and higher damping factor.

64s is undamped, solid steel, can be used with lower counterweight W-170 to reduce the mass. W-250 is heavy one.

Another option is W-210 counterweight from 64 model (compatible with 64s). I just bought NOS.


P.S. I have Reed 3p "12 Cocobolo and this is a very nice tonearm, fully adjustable. Vintage tonearms is another passion. In terms of usability Reed 3p is definitely better than 64s or 64fx!


You could look for Frank Schroeder tonearms if the price is not a problem. 

Another Reed 3P (with vdH Colibri) and FR user here, although my experience is limited to the 64s and 64fx. In terms of ’adjustability’ I agree with chakster that Reed is most versatile. But my sample of the 3P has a fixed headshell and mounting and/or dismounting the Colibri is not exactly my idea of fun. So for my other cartridges I use the FR arms. Therefore in terms of ’usability’ the FR are better and I do prefer the 64s (with B-60) over the 64fx, especially with the heavy FR7 and SPU type cartridges.

There is much information about the FR64/66 series and opinions are divided about which is better. The original price difference between both models was modest (ca. 35.000 JPY if I remember correctly), but apparently most buyers chose the 64s. Consequently the 66s is much rarer, which explains the huge price difference on the current market. This does not seem to be an indication of a major quality difference, so 64s is indeed most ’bang for the buck’.

Most folks who had the opportunity to compare them do seem to prefer the 66s. But I guess if they had to pay the current market price they’d want or even demand it to be better. I know I would....

My Reed 3p has fixed headshell, but i must say that latest version comes with special headshells that can be changed easily. Nandric ordered custom made shells for his Reed. With my first version of 3p it’s impossible.

With sme type headshells it’s more fun to swap cartridges for sure.

The difference between FR-64s and FR-66s is the length of the armwand as far as i know. I’m wondering why no one never offered a rebuild of 64s with longer (stainless steel) custom made armwand? The difference in price between 64s and 66s is so huge, but in fact this is ONLY the length of the armwand you’re paying many thousand dollars for (because B-60 can be found separately). It’s so difficult to disassemble one armwand and replace it with longer custom made armwand (same stainless steel material) ? It will save you $3000 at least.

@nandric what you think ? 

Are you saying the Reed 3p and Schroeder tonearms are better than 64/66S everything else being equal?
how about early version IT-407 vs 64/66S?

My version of Ikeda IT-345 is earlier version (matte finishing), not later CR version (they are gloss). This is wonderful tonearm!

If you like mechanics you can’t chose just one tonearm, this is a problem, i want to have all of them. It’s really impossible to say which one is better, because they are made for different cartridges (from different eras). And i have two turntables designed for 2 tonearms each, so 4 tonearms in use.

I never tried Schroeder, but this is another highly regarded modern high-end tonearm and Frank is a nice guy, you can watch interview with him on youtube (he’s a friend of Peter Ledermann).

Another reason why i can’t say one of my tonearm is better than another (Reed 3p, Ikeda IT-345, FR64s, FR64fx...) is because i do not use them for 10 years next to each other, i know that our preferences depends on many factors (including other components in the chain and even our own mood in different period of time). I am still in process. But those 4 tonearms is what i would like to keep. At the moment i am using Lustre GST-801 with Miyabi MCA more often than anything else. Some older audiophiles have much longer experience with tonearms and i believe they can make more categorical statement about which one is the best/better, but still it is just a personal opinion, because our systems always different (often completely different).

Reed 3p was my first modern high-end tonearm and i’ve been using it for a long time with MC and MM cartridges, this tonearm is wonderful, the effective mass of my model is 18g and it was the heaviest one. FR-64s mass is 35g, so as you can see they are totally different. Prior to Reed i’ve been using Technics EPA-100