Refurbish Fidelity Research Tonearms

Each his own opinion…. But none of those „experienced“ ones did own such expensive cartridges like Lyra Olympos ( i had 3), 2xTitan i, Delos, Kleos, Atlas, several Koetsu Stones with/without Diamond cantilever, Benz, Transfiguration, Air Tight, Zyx and a lot more I forgot and did use them side by side with most modern Arms and SME 3012R, Kuzma, several Graham Arms and FR-64s / 66s Arms witch each of them. Same with my former Denon 103, 103R etc.
I did and still do. And the FR Arms are superior to any other Arms. With all cartridges named above. You hear more from what is in the groove. More believable…
Probably some have problems to hear differences, well. Not my problem. When someone has opinions and produce that as facts, well, nothing new… Forums are loaded with such „ experts“
Best is, go out, listen to different units and do your own learning. It is all brain and part of the designers ability. Some are better than others…..


and yes, FR-7 carts are outstanding, they are still better than most modern ones, also own FR-7f, FR-7fc, FR-7fz and they survived all named above…

@rauliruegas I’m neither in the ’new is always better’ camp, nor the ’vintage rules’ one. There are great designs to be found in both. In phono cartridges there’s little real design innovation, yet ’archaic’ technologies are shamelessly reintroduced as new innovations. For example, several years ago Audio Technica presented the ART1000 as a major breakthrough. Of course the identical direct couple design was already issued by Victor in the 1980’s with the MC-L1000 (so they even ’paid hommage’ to the model number). As far as I know AT never acknowledged this, nor did any reviewer bother to mention it. Similarly, diamond cantilevers are now marketed as an innovative feature, but in the 80’s were commonly used in top end cartridges. These were certainly not cheap back then, but current pricing is just absurd. Last time I checked Namiki sells diamond cantilever/stylus assemblies B2B for ca. €1000, yet Koetsu charges its customers €4000 extra for this privilege (which is no more complicated to fit than their standard boron cantilever).

I agree with you that more innovation has happened in tonearm design. While the somewhat older Audiocraft AC-4400 is still my favorite tonearm, I can appreciate my ’modern’ Reed 3P for its refinement and versatility and certainly the 5P for its audacious design (unfortunately never had the chance to hear it). But for some of those ’archaic’ low compliance cartidges like SPU’s, FR7’s and yes, even current Koetsu’s and Miyajima’s there’s a special synergy with boat anchors like FR64/66. To each his own, but there are cases where those with a closed mind on ’old stuff’ are really missing out.

@syntax mostly agree with your post (which I hadn't seen before posting mine), except that I slightly prefer my 'modern' top carts like vdH Colibri XPW Blackwood (platinum coils, nla), Transfiguration Orpheus and Proteus, Ortofon A90 and A95 in the Audiocraft. But with SPU, FR7f(z), MC702, Ikeda 9 Rex, Miyabi Standard and Kiseki Lapis the FR64 rules!

Dear @edgewear : I think that an advancenment in cartridge design is what we can read here, I have not the opportunity to listen to it:

https://www.x-quisite.ch/technology

About tonearms I owned your Audiocraft AC-4400 with 3 different arm wands and all options on counterweigths and even its removable headshell. Audiocraft still is a very well regarded manufacturer where its cartridges are really good ones an its SUPs too as TS-20, I still own the 
T-26.

In my opinion the best vintage tonearm is the MAX-282 that I owned with all its options including 4 different arm wands. In reality this Micro Seiki tonearm design was way a head years of its time. Even today it's very hard to beat it.

Btw, from some years now the fashion with tonearms is to go for 12" and even 14" whith not real advantage over the shorter ones that have true advantages over the long ones. In the past happens almost the same with the 66 or the SAEC and many other. If you still own the 66 and 64 it's to take in count that the quality level performance is a little better in the 64 and the same happens with today tonearms models.

For my Ikeda REX9 the best quality performance was mated with Mission The Mechanic , never really shinned with 12" tonearms.

The OP always diminish my posts similar to hwat I posted here on the 66/64 but the fact that he own 3 Lyra Olympos speaks his total misunderstood in the whole FR issue because that cartridge is a good performer but colored and this fact comes from JC post years ago when he answer a question comparing the Olympos vs his other designs. I had the opportunity to listen the Olympos 3-4 times in different tonearms and if you listen to that cartridge you can confirm its coloration. So that's what he like, that's the kind of distortions that moves his boat and nothing wrong with that due that all these is according each one priorities and very personal.

R.

The moon was huge last night, I spend several hours listening to my Japanese pressings from the late 70’s. Ramsey Lewis stuff from the late 70’s is so amazing, just superb analog quality.

I decided to mount my silver FR-7f on FR-64fx with N60 and second tonearm was FR-64s with B60 and FR-7fz cartridge.

Both connected to Gold Note PH-10 (0db, 22Ohm loading). Not sure why it’s necessary to load FR-7 carts like than on Gold Note, even with 22 Ohm it’s super detailed.

I really enjoyed FR-7f with FR-64fx! This is rare version of the FR-7f, it’s not black, it’s silver color (serial number with two digits) with a line mark on front side (don’t know why this line wasn’t printed on FR-7fz, it’s great to locate the position of the stylus). The output difference between the FR-7f and FR-7fz is irrelevant in my system.

Both are really great cartridges and both tonearms are great, so I do not support a theory that only 64s is great, the 64fx with B250 counterweight is great tonearm! I am happy to use both!