New 55,000 Euro tonearm

Only a hipster would spend more than $100 on TT parts. 

Dear @chris_g  : " I’m referring to anyone that started listening to analog after the year 2000. There are true users, and then there are hipsters!!! "

The audio world is a complex one and you have in this analog forum gentlemans that listen digital,LP,R2R and even casette and I can tell you that 22 years are a lott of years to learn what to do to improve your MUSIC/audio enjoyment no matters the media. Hipsters exist only in your mind/imagination. 

R.

It’s a true departure for what you was accustom to with your other tonearms?, I could say not a real departure but something different that at this moment like you more that what you listened with your other tonearms.

@rauliruegas

no, not more distortion.

yes; a step forward from my other arms. which are very fine. it’s more like the detail i get from 1/2" 15 ips tape. more life like and greater realism.

@lewm

Primary Control also produce a version of the FCL arm with permanent magnets - the Gravity - at a lower price point.

With regard to the Phantom - I chose the Naim Aro over it many years ago for several reasons -

The Phantom unipivot bearing is upside down - negatively affecting energy transfer.

The Aro used only mechanical damping - weight distribution and importantly the self centering sapphire cup and radiused tip actually provide several db of mechanical damping - see Martin Colloms review.

The Phantom arm-tube had lossy material inside the arm tube - in my experience with tuning my ET2 arm-tube this does more damage than good - smearing the signal.

I have actually heard a couple of Phantoms in a top flight system with a variety of cartridges - they have a fat over exaggerated upper bass that I find detracts form the music.

Funnily enough the Aro is very stable for a unipivot - on eccentric records there is no visible roll.

And before Mr R runs another diatribe - the Aro is one of many arms I own.

No arm is perfect.

Dear @mikelavigne : As I said is what you like it.

" no, not more distortion ", well that you or me don’t know for sure ( the FCL is not a perfect arm but with several critical issues that develops distortions. At the end is an unipivot design and all kind of developed distortions pass trhough the pivot trhough one single " point " with no real opportunity to dissipates it and the developed feedback pass trough that single " point " when in a gimball those distortions pass trhough a bearing with more than one point ( in the EPA 100 are 25 ruby balls. ) that helps to dissipates it and feedback too. That 12" arm wand is not at least tapered so higher distortions down there too.) ), what we know is that in audio almost all is about DISTORTIONS different kind and different levels. Everithing in the system puts its self " colorations " that depending of our MUSIC/sound targets makes that we like it more " this cartridge than the other one " or this TT vs a different one " and the like. I already said twice: an unipivot characteristic is its aliveness that in reality is higher distortion, you can’t do nothing about.

At each single link in any audio system are developed distortions no matters what and the best we can do it’s to put at minimum its effects on what we listen or to put where those " colorations " been " better " for our ears/brain.

You can name those several kinds of distortions as you want it but at the end its name is DISTORTION and believe me your room/system is not free of that, no one is.

Anyway, it’s really good that you not only are satisfied with but you are enjoying the MUSIC as never before, fine ! !

R.