It looks like you're moving two items at the same time—the arm and the cartridge. You'll never know what component is making the most significant improvement. Not best practice.
VPI Fatboys versus others in its' tonearm weight class.
In their never ending quest to push fiscally responsible audiophiles into bankruptcy, site members have succeeded in making me consider a new gimbaled tonearm to keep a Lyra Kleos company on a VPI Classic 2 turntable. Dover, on my previous thread, pointed out most other tonearm options would be limited on the Classic 2 short of major surgery to it. So here I am considering keeping the tonearm upgrade in the VPI family. Their gimbaled Fatboy, will readily fit onto the VPI Classic 2’s tonearm base without any fuss.
Here’s my question after reading up on the Fatboy. How does the Fatboy compare with other tonearms in it’s $4500 price range? Is it about average in that class, which would be acceptable, or is it much better or worse than its’ peers?. If you.ve had any chance to compare the Fatboy with other tonearms in the same price range, what is your impression? I don’t want to spend that much money on one if the consensus is that it’s at the bottom of its class, which hopefully it isn’t.
I haven’t had an opportunity to listen to one, or any other tonearm as expensive. I would likely need to arrange a two day road trip to accomplish that. In lieu, I’m soliciting your impressions as to whether the Fatboy is worth that much compared to others in it’s price range. I guessing it will be okay, but don’t want to spend $4500 if the consensus is it’s at the bottom of its’ class just because it fits easily on my turntable. So what do you think? I’m all ears.
I’m not looking here for alternative solutions to a Fatboy. That was the topic of my recent thread, I’m only soliciting your impressions of the Fatboy compared to other similarly priced tonearms, and why I should or shouldn’t take a chance on it. Thanks all,
Mike
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Noromance, you’re no doubt correct, but it shouldn’t make much difference in my case knowing to know which is doing what, as it’s highly doubtful I’ll ever be upgrading these components again. I’m just hoping together they make a significant improvement, that is if the Lyra Kleos ever comes in from Japan to actually find out. I’ve been waiting 4-1/2 months now for delivery. Anybody else order one of these and had to wait so long? I found one comment online about someone waiting six months for another Lyra cartridge. This is definitely trying my nonexistent patience. Mike |
Hi Mike @skyscraper Either way, best of luck. Report back when you're sorted. |
OP, I just had @mglik over to hear the differences in my system… which were ARC 160s to monoblocks, Added AudioQuest Hurricane (he got one as well… so understands it’s impact), and the tonearm and sub chassis upgrade to the Linn.
I think he will 100% agree (hopefully he will jump in) with my description of the change in my system. But to me it is a smaller change in sound quality. He really likes analog… his impression was of a bigger difference than mine. To me the character between the two are so similar that the increase in detail and air are relatively small… to him, much larger. He felt the analog character came through more. It is fun to discuss the subtitles of different sounds. |
- 82 posts total