Anyone here knows the Reed 3Q tonearm?


Hello Guys,

I saw the Reed 3Q around the net and it smells a good tonearm .. it's interesting the 12" Reed 3Q or better I could be interested for my TW Acustic Raven One
Anyone here knows this arm and how it works/sounds?

here the link to see the Reed 3Q 12" tonearm

http://www.excelstereo.com/reed.htm

Best wishes to everyOne

Curio
128x128curio

Showing 7 responses by curio

Btw I'm now trying the Reed 3Q 12" Ziricote wood ..
I just mounted it yesterday night using the template inside the box .. it looks like a good paper template but I'm waiting for a MintLp .. second , arm cables (cryo silver) need a "break in" time to be judged.
Well , even everything needs run in time the result is already simply stunning!
I mounted a Denon DL-304 and not my BenzLP because the arm is new for me and I didn't want to risk my loved Benz .. and further I wait for the MintLP before to mount my Benz LP.
The setup is a breeze!! .. thanks to the red Laser that helps to set perfect flat VTA and Azimuth.
The sound is amazingly good much better than with my Michell Tecnoarm (with the Benz LP and MintLP setting) more wide .. more tall and deep .. voices are to take one's breath away focused and live .. listening fatigue equal Zero!
The inner detail si simply awesome!
Despite it isn't Minted :-)
I can't imagine when I 'll reset the arm geometry with the MintLP Best Tractor.. you know the difference!
It's the first 12" inches arm I try and I own so maybe I'm not prepared to its way to sound .. by the way I couldn't be happier and on my TW Acustic Raven One looks fantastic too.

My cent!
Curio
Guys .. thanks to everyOne!
I'm starting to like alot the sound of a 12" inches arm

The only doubt I'm having is regarding this Ziricote wood .. and its 22gr.arm mass .. paired with my Benz LP
Low frequencies sometimes a bit too powerful.
Sometimes with certain LP (like Amused to death ,D side) I got a very deep but telling the truth controlled ..low frequencies... so deep I never listened before
Maybe these are normal but I wasn't used to get with the Michell Tecnoarm and the same cart.
Or maybe 22gr. are too much high mass for the relatively medium compliance of the Benz LP (15 cu.)
In this case I would be better to consider the same Reed 12" but with the Red Cedar wood .. kinda 14gr. arm mass.

In your opinion .. Guys .. to come down from 22gr. arm mass to the 14 gr. arm mass of the Red Cedar .. could be a better choice for the BenzLP?
Hello Guys,

The MintLP Best Tractor for the Reed 3Q has arrived and I already set my Benz LP with this magical glassy template.
Well , as I expected the sound is fantastic , the detail and inner detail improved so much compared to the supplied paper template the arm sounds as another arm.
The problem now is the way a 12" inches arm sounds .. so different from my 9" Michell Tecnoarm and other well known 9" as the Graham of my friend .. I'm now disoriented.
The 9" seem invadent and sound bumped into me .. forward .. while this 12" sound very refined and polite , sweet and totally not invadent .. it sounds relaxed and more laid back (backward).
You can increase the volume without any discomfort.
I noticed the mids are a bit recessed and the highs weighty .. concrete and never edgy.
So I'm a bit surprised about this way to sound .. this is the first 12" I try and I listen .. I wasn't prepared to it.
Without any question the way to sound of this (or every) 12" inch. arm is totally different compared to the sound I'm accustomed to listen.

This is why I'm here with the horryble doubt about to buy or not to buy this 12" inches Reed 3Q arm .. or to choose for a well known 9" inches like a Graham Phantom or a Triplanar .. I know how these arms sound.

What can I do? .. any suggestion?
Hello Raul,

First .. thanks alot for your opinion.

Surely I wasn't prepared to listen a 12" inches arm .. but the difference from a "normal" (standard) 9 "inches is substantial
The way to sound is very different from the arms I know.
Probably the sound I'm getting now is more correct than the one I always got with a 9" but since I wasn't used I feel myself disoriented.
I 'll try some more days before to choose.
By the way it would be helpful to know if someone else have had the same experience.. just for a comparison.
I'm thinking I need a less high arm mass than the Ziricote 22gr. arm wand.
I don't like the additional warmth I'm getting through the whole spectrum (wave band) and I'm starting to guess this is due to the high arm mass.
IMHO the best solution .. if I want to choose for the Reed 12" - Benz LP combo .. is the Red Cedar arm wand .. that is about 14gr. arm mass.
With this arm mass I'm sure I won't get the additional warmth , and I 'll get only the positive attributes of the 12" inches arm.. and in this case the fantastic detail , inner detail and soundstage of this Reed 12" inches.
I like alot the Benz LP sound and there is no reason to change cartridge.
On the contrary I 'll search for the best arm for it.
This is a fixed point for me.