Refurbish Fidelity Research Tonearms

@syntax when there is a problem with bearings on 64s I can understand it (this is a complicated job, indeed) and very old tonearm, but a poster above asked for FX model in mint condition!


Tonearm rewire is very simple process, replacement of the DIN is also very simple process for technicians. I remember how we rewired/refurbished my Lustre GST-801 tonearm and replaced DIN connector with a friend. Took one hour or so, cost nothing. Any tech can do that for $100-150.



I gonna replace the grease on my FR-66fx myself, it’s very simple once you know the type of the grease and have an access to the vtf side spring (I have).



Reading this thread: some people may think it’s necessary to pay $800-1000 for some new bearings and some new wires for FR tonearms, but it’s NOT. No matter what you think. Especially newer models like FX, PRO, MKII. Refurbishing is absolutely nonsense for Ikeda tonearms (unless it’s broken).



For people who just bought them my advice is to use them as is, until there is an audible (or mechanical) problem.



For people like you FR tonearm is like a religion, it’s fine. Probably your 64s or 66s were used for 20-30 years by yourself. But there are almost unused or nos FX or Ikeda on the market, harder to find unused 64s are there too.


Any tonearm can be maintained, refurbished, rewired, but in most cases it’s just not necessary, especially when the cost just for the service is close to 50% of the tonearm market value today! This is just a bit of common sense (just my opinion). I like FR 64s and fx tonearms, Ikeda tonearm too. I must admit that Lustre GST-801 is another great tonearm from the same era, when I bought a NOS sample, my rewired sample went to a friend, but I enjoy NOS on the higher level now. 


There are always people who think they know better what to do, I posted earlier as an example that Dynamic VTF on FR 64s considered as evil by many “experts”, one of them is Thimas Schick, but you said you don’t care. 



When Isamu Ikeda explained why IT-347 is different from 64s you said you don’t care about designer’s opinion about his product. 

Now when I say $800-1000 for rewiring/refurshing is “nonsense” you are not happy about such comment. 

I think Richard Mak makes a very compelling argument for refurbishing the FR-64S or FR-66S aged arms.  He also offers the mod to the arms that will allow for one tonearm cable from cartridge pins to RCA plugs. The later is more controversial as is alters the arm and its resale value.  Also, there are many who feel eliminating connections in the tonearm cable pathway are critical and many who prefer the flexibility of the SME style connection headshell. I don't think there is a right or wrong, just preference.  I have no intentions of selling my FR-64S and I don't mind the loss of flexibility if I can improve audio enjoyment. This pushes me to be open to a mod and refurb. Finally, although many things in audio are cheaper when you do them yourself, to some, even $800 - $1000 is well worth the price if it is done well and saves you time and the potential of screwing things up.  

It all depends on the condition of the arm. I bought my 64fx with silver leads inside in mint condition and I wouldn’t dream of sending it to anyone for refurbishing as there’s nothing to refurbish. My 64s with copper leads inside had a longer, more intense prior life. Refurbishing as well as replacing the inside leads with silver has clearly improved its performance, so this was worth the investment.

I do have reason to believe that the importance of an uninterrupted tonearm cable is sonically overrated. Besides you will lose flexibility and if nothing else the resale value of your 64/66 will presumably drop like a brick. To each his own, but I’d never go there.

Dear @syntax : """ For some it may important to quote wisdoms from a Designer but i am not interested what they say...........

The worst sounding preamps i ever listened to came from Lyra … so each his own. """

May I ask what’s your problem? have you asked by your self who really are you in the audio world?

For the gentlemans/audiophiles that know the long @jcarr history and his audio contributions he does not needs a defend about your opinion in the Lyra Phono stage.

First no one in the thread touched the words " phono stage " ( yes any one is free to post anything. ) so was unnecessary that kind of statement that I know you did it because ( almost always when something does not like to you. ) you must " crash " the opinion of that gentleman. This is your style.

Now, JC is co-designer of that active high gain SS phono stage and I can tell you that several true experts audiophiles die for it and I can tell you too that outperforms very easy your really bad tube French old design copy you own.

You can name it any vintage or today cartridge and you can be sure that JC owned or still own. He owns too several TT and one of them is the top Micro Seiki not the bs you own and I owned. He owns too any tonearm you can name including the FR64S and is close friend for years of Isamu Ikeda. Remember that as a cartridge designer he needs to voice their top designs in different systems and he is trully a professional about.
That you don’t care what JC said on an audio topic is your problem ( your words. ) and no one else.

Dear friends here you can confirm what I posted:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/fidelity-research-cartridges/post?postid=367517#367517

Here when he voiced the Titan i using ( between others. ) the FR64S and his comments on the 345::

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/fidelity-research-cartridges/post?postid=367521#367521


Here you can read more about and here you can read that Mr. Ikeda preference of tonearm is not the 64/66. Read too how he damped his other tonearms but the 64/66, as JC pointed out: he learned:


https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/fidelity-research-cartridges/post?postid=367539#367539


One man’s ceiling is another man’s floor …Or just being a pretentious ignorant?

One additional problem for the cartridges mounted in the 64/66 is that heavy mass that at the end it’s its inertia moment and during playback that heavy mass: from counterweigth to headshell is on movement and this dynamic mass is seen by the cartridge going in additional degradation other that the design is non damped one develops of high distortions.

Anyway, as syntax likes to say: not my problem. As JC I still own the 64 that I don’t use and years ago I sold my 66 that I bougth in new condition.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

Dear friends: For those almost " no sense " fanatic ( in good shape ) of the 66/64 you have to take in count that of both units the 66 is the worst one.

Maybe some of you could ask why bougth I the 64 if I already knew the S tonearms problems?..

First that the 64 came to me I sold my 66 and time latter I bougth through ebay a second hand  Luxman TT that I was looking for. When I received the TTthe 64S came with but the seller does not write in the Luxman description auction, so was a surprise to me..

Anyway like Mr. Ikeda I learned.

" high-end " audio is full of subjectivity and there is no way to argue against it. As a fact I'm not totally against subjectivity but time to time I like to be sure I'm standing in a secure/bulletproof floor and that's all.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.