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Why are modern arms so ugly?

OK.......you're going to say it's subjective and you really looove the look of modern tonearms?
But the great tonearms of the Golden Age are genuinely beautiful in the way that most Ferraris are generally agreed to be beautiful.
Look at the Fidelity Research FR-64s and FR-66s? Look at the SAEC 308 series and the SAEC 407/23? Look at the Micro Seiki MA-505? Even the still audacious Dynavector DV-505/507?
But as an architect who's lifetime has revolved around aesthetics.......I am genuinely offended by the design of most modern arms. And don't give me the old chestnut....'Form follows Function' as a rational for ugliness. These current 'monsters' will never become 'Classics' no matter how many 'rave reviews' they might temporarily assemble.
128x128halcro
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
Dear Halcro, I think that the most people are 'context oriented'. Ie 'art and beauty' have some bondaries regarding the question what one will 'recognise' a such.
I myself never thought about tonearms in this 'context'.
But the FR-64S 'awaked' in me this 'emotive feeling' of
admiration. After 30 years of ownership I am still 'wondering'. There is a deep thought in this English saying: 'a thing of beauty is a joy forever'.

Regards,
ebm
9,311 posts
 
TW ACUSTIC 10.5 arm is Beautiful.
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,664 posts
 
But the FR-64S 'awaked' in me this 'emotive feeling' of
admiration. After 30 years of ownership I am still 'wondering'. There is a deep thought in this English saying: 'a thing of beauty is a joy forever'.
Dear Nandric,
I know what you mean.....but can you please explain to me (because you are a well travelled man)....how it is that the inscrutable Japanese can design an arm like the FR-64S which has such a Teutonic aura?
Regards
Henry
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Dear Halcro, without me intentionally getting the way of Nikola here, let me just say that in technical ways german and japanese minds used to be very similar. Both did share for a long period a very similar devotion to form-follows-function mated with attention to minute detail and high precision.
But then Isamu Ikeda's FR-60 series is again kind of unique in it's strictness following triple-F as well as in it's very reduced design.
It leaves little to no room for errors.......
Which is not a bad way to design mechanic instruments.
Cheers,
D.
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
Dear Henry, I thought that esthetics is your department.
I myself have no better than that we the 'ordinary mortals'
are not able to comprehend a genius. Think of Michelangelo's David or Pieta. That human hands can produce such works of art is to me incomprehensible.We all are able to admire his work, why should we feel the urge to explain the artist?

Dear Daniel, Your contributions are always welcome. But
are you not too modest as German? To my knowledge the most
Japanese engeneers around II WW were educated in Germany. So no wonder that their 'educated minds' were similar qua engeneering. I would never compare them qua culture.

Regards,
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