Ikeda 407 Tone Arms - New or Vintage

Fidelity-Research tonearm like the FR-64fx is one of those great vintage tonearms anyone can use today, the arm can be used with high compliance cartridges with stock counterweight and with low compliance cartridges with optional W250 heavy counterweight. Dynamic tracking force is a super user friendly feature. With an additional N60 stabilizer nut the performance can be improved. This is really amazing in my opinion. You must be an annoying snob to not like the FR tonearms, especially the latest FX series from the 80’s, the FR-66fx is the best of them (predecessor of the IKEDA 407). Any FX tonearm is better than 64s, because the common problem for 64s is dried up grease in the VTF mechanism and in the arm lift. Also the base of the 64s is a joke, compared to the base of the FX series. So the 64s is much harder to find in a good condition simply because it’s older tonearm, but after replacement of the arm lift and arm base (with B60) it’s a great tonearm!

The first bunch of IKEDA tonearms also have stainless steel arm tube. Never triend the latest IKEDA, but old from the early 90’s are amazing. It’s a rock solid tonearm, I love my IT-345.

For the owners of the mighty FR-7f, FR-7fz and IKEDA cantilever-less LOMC cartridges those are the best tonearms. And this combination will give you the sound of Ikeda. People who don’t like this sound are from the parallel world for me (I wouldn’t take their thought seriously), because the FR-7f + FR-66 fx is mind blowing combination in direct comparison to a dosen of vintage and new tonearms and cartridges.

I never tried the 66s, but I believe it’s stunning.

I love the 66fx in my system and I would be happy to find an early version of the Ikeda IT-407 for a good price.

@chakster 

the arm can be used with high compliance cartridges with stock counterweight and with low compliance cartridges with optional W250 heavy counterweight. 

You have got this ass about face.

The key to using the arm with a high compliance cartridge is to get the counterweight as close to the pivot point as possible, which may require using a heavier counterweight for the higher compliance cartridge. It's counter intuitive.

@nandric 

nandric

3,806 posts

11-16-2021 7:12am

I own two and just listed one with B-60 replica on the German

site ''audio-markt.de''. The arm for 2000 euro and B-60 for

700 euro. 

You might have a better chance of selling your arm if you advertised it on here on audiogon rather than just posting a link to your ad on another site.

Dear Dover, your moral is curious. As a former seller of electronic

stuff with 30% fees for your so called ''services;''  you are critizing

'''small  and accidental sellers '' who try to get their own money

back. Also curious that you have no idea about fees which

A''gon market charges and those by much larger German site

which charge 5 euro per item for two months listing.  Even more

curious is that we enjoy and value your  musical  judgment then

your, say, comercial kinds. 

@nandric

It is very simple.

Audiogon provides an excellent forum for audiophiles to discuss and debate all things audio. The issue is that Audiogon can only exist if funding permits, and I assume that some of their funding comes from sales commissions.

If you take a helicopter view, then Audiogon has saved a lot of readers a lot money through access to excellent advice. Therefore is it too much to ask for Forum members to give a little back ?