Fidelity Research cartridges


Any FR cartridge experts out there? Raul? Dertonarm? Syntax?
I have had an FR-7 which I bought a while ago. I tried it ever so briefly when I got it on an arm I now recognize as not being able to handle that weight (close, but no cigar). I just now pulled it out for kicks and after getting it adjusted with the big counterweight, I am VERY pleasantly surprised. Actually, I'm feeling kind of bubbly. It does not dig out the utmost in detail, but it just sounds very right.

Are there any other FR carts out there which are real steals if still in good condition? I know the MC-702 and the FR-1Mk2 and Mk3f by name, with good reps being assigned to the Mk3 and the MC-702. Given that the MC-702 and the FR-7 look quite similar, and they were offered at about the same time, what is different? And is the FR-7 just an integrated headshell version of the FR-1Mk3?
t_bone
Dear Marco, you may simply use a good - solid - shrink tube and fit it over the armtube. It will dampen the armtube as will blue-tec or similar damping materials.
However - I still am sure, that the FR-64s does not need that special treatment. It will alter the sound - no doubt (already by increase moving mass). But that is always a matter of match with the cartridge in use.
Todays cartridges often tend to be very present in the top-octaves.
Here it might "tame" the sound.

Cheers,
D.
Dear Marco: The one " tool " that I'm refering in my last post ( I know that you are not asking me . ) and that I assume JC was using is a short piece ( around 35cms long and 1cm wide. ) of a clear/transparent stretch material ( it is not a hard material but a flexible one that is very light/weight. ) that serve to wrap in " helicoidal " way/form the tonearm arm wand.

This device help a lot to lower the resonances/distortions on your FR66 along that you use the FR-66 in static balanced way.

Due that the weight of the device is really small ( I think no more tha 5grs. ) it increment maybe the tonearm effective mass by around 2grs that can't alter dramatically the cartridge resonance frequency in favor of better performance due to lowering the toearm/cartridge " distortions ".

Now IMHO if you want to achieve a better quality performance from your 7fs the Micro Seiki MAX ( with J arm wand ) is a lot better than the 66 or even,like JC point out, the Ikeda 407 will make better, I prefer the MS MAX and certainly too the 66 is not the best match for the Titan's .

The commercial job for that arm wrap was made by Sumiko some years ago and today ( for what I understand ) is out of production.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
Well, probably it is depending on System colorations, but in my System I tried a Skala and a titan i with Triplanar, Phantom, Davinci, Kuzma airline and I got the best performance with FR-64s. By far. Now a Helikon is running and it is really good. Old Arms can have some merits, but I guess, my System alignment is better than others (heheh)
Dear Syntax: Maybe your system alignment like you say is better but IMHO I think that you like more the " higher " FR tonearm distortions.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.