The Popularity of the Kuzma 4P (11")
I was looking at my 2019 invoice of a Kuzma 4P and noticed that I had paid $6800 plus taxes (at full retail). Today, that the price is at $10k - which is almost a 50% increase over a four-year period. Compared to my other two arms- Glanz MH124S and SME 3012 R, performance wise, the Glanz holds the top position with the 4P in close second. I do have to say that the queuing mechanism of the 4P is the best I’ve experienced – super smooth. I have had no issues with the 4P, but I guess its popularity has increased the price point significantly. I'm also not aware of any improvements since the ruby sapphire cups which were rolled out in ~ 2018. So, is it because the arm is worth $10k or just the way things are going in today's economy or something else?
Don't have to. The Glanz is a stable balance arm the 4Point is a neutral balance arm which is inherently more stable. The 4 point arm shaft is much stiffer and better damped. The 4 point does not have an additional set of contacts at the headshell the Glanz does. The 4 point has lower friction bearings with no inherent chatter. The only thing the Glanz has going for it is a nice lifter. The Galnz is an arm I would not give a second look at. You are welcome. |
@rdk777 It does look like you thoroughly enjoy your system as a means to experience your Vinyl collection, and are now aware that machining of materials which are critical to enable this to happen are items that will always appreciate in cost, which is what you are witnessing. It is this impact on the market values that allow for good returns on used sale items. A friend recently had a substantial amount of parts produced for their New Tonearm design, as a means to control escalating costs on later produced production runs. ln relation to your mentioned equipment, I have witnessed a reasonable amount of criticisms of equipment on the Analog Section of this forum, especially equipment that is quite capable of replaying recorded music in a manner that is very comprehensible and able to be enjoyed as a very satisfactory experience by the listener. It is not uncommon to see the challenges come in from the flanks, presented by a limited number of Forum users, where there is to come worthless digs about the equipment/choices made by a forum member. The supporting others in their enjoyment of experiencing replays of recorded music as an Vinyl LP medium, seems very low on the schedule of priorities for this limited number of members even though is does seem this idea can surface occasionally as a smoke screen. Every so often such types who present themselves in such a manner end up in exchanges that are only to be futile and of very little use to any individual looking in at the present or as a visitor in the future. There seems to be a periodical need to offer only what is on the verge of being unkind, or at the least, only offering the anti-thesis of being helpful, what ever that is to be described as. Once more, where is the unadulterated enjoyment of replaying recorded music to be found, where such a attitude, is at the surface. Am I a innocent, no I am not, I have seen quite a few acts of the anti-thesis of being helpful, of which my response to such content, has been very real as a result of being observant of what is manifesting. I have seen with my own eyes the writings of certain types, who in my interpretation have been seen to be quite harsh to an individual who is sharing their own personal experience of equipment in use, (not hearsay, ideas or questionable prejudices based on contempt prior to investigation). There does seem to be a attitude developed between a few, that if the individual is not with the experience of having heard devices of a substantial value in a substantial value system, this is good reason to discount an assessment shared. Once more, where is the unadulterated enjoyment of replaying recorded music to be found, where such a attitude is at the surface. I have through using this forum, come to develop a thick skin and wrecking ball attitude toward certain regular contributors'. It is not difficult to discover there is an inconsistency from certain contributors in in what is posted, the need to be the authority status is seemingly standout as the underlying ambition/agenda. The ideas spieled out one day within a post as not of any value, are able to be discovered on another day as the accepted method. Simple searches within the forum has proved this to be the case on a regular occasion. When the time seems right for me, it is a case of 'let that wrecking ball swing' and come what may, that wrecking ball when very rarely used, has a habit of creating a silence. |
Dear @mijostyn : " is a stable balance arm the 4Point is a neutral balance arm which is inherently more stable. "
That is what the theory says: so what? . I owned several tonearms with those both characteristics and others and what really makes the differences is the overall design, selection of build materials and quality level excecution to the tonearm design..
In the other side : " has lower friction bearings with no inherent chatter. " well the 4 point is a 4 unipivots and that's why has lower friction but the Glanz is not severly behind it because its friction level is lower than 10mg that still is a good one. In the side " no inherent chatter " not only you but even Kuzma can't ( till today ) show facts that at playback microscopic level where the tonearm is receiving " fenomenal " " forces " transmited by the stylus tip tracking there is NO chatter been unipivot and even that is founded at 4 points. Yes, maybe the 4 Point is better damped ( Glanz design shows workind in damping too but I never had a Glanz listening session. ) and I don't know for sure and yse it's not a remobavle headshell as the Glanz but you already know that in the audio world and especially in analog always exist trade offs and nothing is perfect.
As you I don't look again to Glanz but only because I don't need it. 12-16 years ago I bought more than 25-30 tonearms and you can be sure that if Glanz were down there I just buy it.
Anyway, @rdk777 seems to me that the higher price tag in that mimal time has no justification at all but that always exist gentlemans that pay for it and Kuzma as any other audio manufacturer just take advantage of it.
Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R.
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The view I take is that everything is important. It is not rocket science to design an arm correctly in all respects. Looks is not ever a factor in my decision making. The arm I use is esthetically rather dull. It is also a brilliant arm in my estimation. Are you going to get a Sapphire? Everyone is raving about it. Theoretically it is way to heavy for most cartridges. That does not seem to matter to everyone except maybe bottom dwellers like me. |
@mijostyn : Sapphire? only ignorantas or extremely low knowledge " audiophiles " can go for it and the ones that already own are extremely happy with. No, it's not yet a perfect tonearm.
R. |
