Glanz moving magnet cartridges

Dear Nikola,
The Bavarian audiophiles (and the Japanese) know their onions......
The fact is that most people never have heard a Fidelity Research FR-66s tonearm in their system or a 'known' set-up.....yet so many feel the need to disparage it?
Only when you hear one....with almost any cartridge you care to choose.....will the 'light' come on.....
There is no other arm I've heard (apart from the Cobra and Copperhead) which has the control and authority over LOMCs and MMs equally.....to be truly called a 'Universal' tonearm?
But the Cobra and Copperhead do not have interchangeable headshells and are such a pain technically to set up with any cartridge....that I could not recommend them for those with multiple cartridges.
This is a shame as the Copperhead is probably the best tonearm I've ever heard with each and every high-compliance MM I've mounted.
Just behind the Copperhead in magical synergy with MMs....is the SAEC-8000/ST...and it DOES have interchangeable headshells :-)
It is however not such a good match for heavy LOMCs.

So if anyone wants the very best genuine Universal tonearm which takes interchangeable headshells and is a breeze to set up.....there is really no competition for the FR-66s IMHO.
And for those who might want one in perfect condition.....they need to be prepared to pay heavily for the privilege?
But that is the mark of excellence....and only 'time' can bestow this quality.

Hi Don,
I didn't realise that you also had joined the Glanz club?
It's good to read your thoughts.....and gratifying for me that you 'get' my comments? :-)

Nikola is unlike most Slavs (who actually say what they think) in that he kept making snide remarks about the quantity of 155Lc styli I owned?
How was I to realise he meant for me to share around my stash?
The 'ruse' of sending me the Glanz cartridges was a brainwave on his part....and it worked a treat :-)

I am however anticipating a muted reaction from this Dutch/Serb who distinctly prefers the sounds of LOMCs?

Dear Henry,If one compare your use of languge by describing my Glanz collection with the language you used to describe your AT 155 Cl stylus one will get a clear picture about the distinction between prose and lyrics. I got the feeling that I need to abandon my atheistic convintion, knee-deep for the Almighty and thank him for the immeasurable luck to have at last got the treasure. And well as exchange for my abundant Glanz 51L. But if scarcity has anything to do with ecomics and prices the fact that you own 6 (!) of those AT 155 CL styli
while nobody except Nikola was able to get one of those 51 L one may get some different perception about the swap involved. And, speaking about economics, in those difficult
economic times an architect NEED to be very inventive in order to sell his stuf. No wonder then that some lyrical capabilities are developed.
Now about the Germans. It is a known fact that they made and love heavy armors. The 'big Berta' ( the cannon) and those huge Panzers should provide some mind images. I myself call my ASR gear ( EmitterII and Basis exclusive) my 'German artillery'. I ever considered to by an Kalashnikov in Bosnia for $250 or the FR-66 to defend myself. The price difference should make it easy to guess what my choice was. So I can understand ,as I already mentioned, the 'German group' inclination reg. 'big guns' but had no idea about similar militaristic inclination buy the Aussie.

Regards,

Hello Henry,

It is true that our Serbian Comrade does like his 'artillery' large. Just ask him about his favorite melons!
It would appear that our warrior brother lured you into a trap with his tempting Glantzs only to reap the rewards of a AT155.
He is a sly one! He has been spending his latest hours listening to his AT150 ANV. cartridge. It just might 'force' him to rethink his preference for those LOMC's. But his Serbian pride might keep him from ever admitting it to us! (grin)

Regards,
Don

Regards. GENTLEMEN: Cars. Listening now to "Heartbreak City", Rick Ocasek's song "Drive" (Who's gonna' take you home ton_-_ight". I know, not everyone's cup o' tea.

While watching the tonearm float gently above the mild warp there's a modest amount of contemplation going on, relating to carts, cars, suspensions and engines.

A car doesn't choose the road traveled, neither does a cart care where the signal originates. Be it road or groove related, cars or tonearms bounce/compress, horizontal excursions exert their influences, treads and pavement, suspensions and coils interact (unless it's an electrect condenser generator, but you get the idea?).

Engines. Two motors, two 2-seaters I'm extremely familiar with. A first generation Mazda RX-7 with an 1146 CC (70 Cu. Inch) 105hp Wankel rotary, the other a Nissan V-6. The "Datsun" has more than twice the displacement and nearly three times the horsepower, yet the little RX can equal it's performance.

OK, so now where is this going?

Dgob (hi, Dg!) brings up this consideration: The "state of the cartridges that you tested or the overall synergy that you managed to obtain with your system" obviously has an influence on the listeners' impressions. Wether car or cart, compression and extension need be appropriately matched to the mass-related load applied in operation, otherwise a less than critically damped system will introduce unwanted excursion. Neither car nor cart care but their might be unwanted outcomes associated with mechanical mismatches or operator error.

Suggested reading, starting w/page 9:

(url)http://www.bostonaudiosociety.org/pdf/bass/BASS-03-04-7501b.pdf(/url)

The FR-66 isn't mentioned---

Engines. The rotary delivers constant acceleration, easily and without an apparent peak in Hp/torque. In the driver's position, acceleration is smooth and constant. For the high compression V-6, torque at low RPMs gives way to increasing Hp at a measured 4600 RPMs, the initial impression is of immediate response. None-the-less, either offers comparable performance. The Mazda with its' skinny donut sized 13" tires, light, agile and constant. The other, fat 18" tires, aggressive (comparatively) and instantaneously responsive.

So, IMHO, it goes with carts. IM/MI/MF carts are the low mass, refined and smooth performers. MMs the more operator involving, engaging and immediate. I'll not debate stereo-typification.

There still remains the requirement to maintain a proper balance of mass, suspension and mechanical damping for optimal (critical) performance. There's little need for anyone to experience "Heartbreak City" because of varying preferences.

So make sure your carts and cars are properly aligned, suspensions are appropriately matched for their load, keep your styli in the groove and may the rubber always meet the road.

Great thread!

Peace,