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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
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,
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
Regarding modern tonearm designs: what do you make of the new Durand Telos 12" arm? It seems to be a very stripped down design. Early reports from the few who have heard it are very positive. It will be at RMAF.
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,664 posts
 
The one view of the new Telos tonearm that is published, would not qualify it in my books as a 'beautiful' object?
It may sound wonderful.......but that is not the point of this thread :^)
thuchan
1,009 posts
 
Dear Nandric,

there is a good reason why you could compare Japanese and German engineers qua culture. Regarding their way of careful planning, studying and intensive implementation there are obviously parallels. When I have worked with German and Japanese engineers I always was astonished how close they were in their "technical mind set". Nevertheless you are right there are other cultural differences but maybe between managers or every day people (like we).

best @ fun only
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