@mijostyn , please do report back.
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?
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@mijostyn : That cartridge is heavy weigth and low compliance and can works with that Kuzma tonearm but other than theresonance frequency issue is that dynamic mass ( 75grs. ) that looks the cartridge suspension during that heavy tortuose LP grooves tracking and that comes not at " free " but through the time could be negative/degradation consequwences for that cartridge. The main issue for any cartridge and specially for tonearm designers is to give all facilities to the hard cartridge ridding work and such heavy way heavy tonearm effective mass can’t helps about.
The " problems " issue with that dynamic mass is not for 100-200 play hours and as a fact almost any cartridge can runs in any tonearm including that Kuzma and will sounds good because today and several cartridges in the past can’t sound bad. Why sapphire/ruby 70grs. instead a stiffer material and way better like boron? is out of my mind and Kuzma really does not gives a wide explanation. Boron is ideal material for a tonearm as is in top cartridges like your Lambda SL.
R. |
Also, there’s no justification for the very high cost of the Safir. Hollow tubes made of sapphire in many different sizes are readily available to anyone who wants a bunch, for very low cost. Beyond that it’s a Kuzma like all the other Kuzma tonearms (same parts). This is not to say it’s not a good tonearm, and certainly other Kuzma tonearms are excellent. And yes, the market prices are bizarrely high for no reason except the market among the filthy rich. By the way, Mijo, the OP was talking about the Kuzma 4- point, when he praised the cueing mechanism, not the Glanz. I gotta agree with Raul, I don’t care much about stable vs neutral balance, in my case because it only matters when the LP is warped, and only then by an infinitesimal momentary change in VTF that is usually inaudible. If it is audible, then the LP needs to be trashed or flattened. |
In a macroscopic world you are quite correct. However obvious and visible warps a one thing. What happens at the level of the groove is another. Very few records are perfectly flat. Vacuum clamping gets them close. When was the last time you were on a roller coaster? Think those forces effect tracking? Neutral balance arem follow those microwarps (if you will) better with less force on the stylus. Making an arm neutral balance is not a difficult proposition. There may be some instances such as the Schroder LT were it is impossible due to space constraints, but when it comes to the tortuous life of the stylus in the groove everything matters. If you want to live with a stable balance arm get a turntable with vacuum clamping. |
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