Refurbish Fidelity Research Tonearms


Would like to refurbish my FR-64s .... Has someone made it? Experience? Who? 
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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!
@rauliruegas thanks for the info on the Xquisite cartridges that were unknown to me. I have no doubt that removing the joint pipe from the part list will make an audible difference, but as an innovation it's nowhere near as radical as completely removing the cantilever (like original Ikeda 9) or putting the coils directly above the stylus (like the Victor direct couple). The 'ambitious' price level is typical for this day and age, so I will pass on the 'privilege' of hearing it. 

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.

exactly; some manufacturers think that old-time audiophiles have forgotten about it due to old age and would wanting to positively affect the new generations; many enthusiasts have not yet lost their memory but many managers who have followed one another in the decisions of the CEO know nothing.
I think Audio-Technica engineer actually mentioned Victor Direct Couple cartridge in his interview with Mr.Fremer (filmed in Japan during his factory tour). It’s not a secred that AT was inspired by Victor innovative design from the past, but the AT panent is slightly different, they actually improved it. Victor’s printed micro coil was very fragile. AT design is much better!