Anyone here knows the Reed 3Q tonearm?

Dear Curio: When we heard/hear live music normally the sound does not comes relaxed and laid back ( of course that depends at what distance we are hearing. ). If we hear a Steninway playing at normal levels at three meters we can't find out a relaxed and laid back performance, almost the same with any other music instruments including human voice.

The microphones in a recording normally are nearest to the " stage " that when we attend to hear live music so what we ( in a good recording that's not manipulated one. ) have to hear at our home audio system should be in this regard something near of what we hear in a live event and not that kind of relaxed and laidback performance. All the live music has a natural agresiveness that almost all audiophiles does not likes in their audio systems, why is this?, I can't understand.

Of course that if the recording was manipulated to performs relaxed then you will hear in this way.

A 12" tonearm has some advantages and some disadvantages but IMHO I think this subject could be not the main subject of what you are hearing with the Reed but more the relationship between your Benz Micro cartridge and the tonearm build materials that " resonate " with that tone balance ( yes, a 12" tonearm design resonate different form a 9" even with the same tonearm build materials but through my experiences not in so dramatic way. ) that IMHO does not reproduce the recording information in more " natural " way.

If the Graham or the Triplanar or the own 9.5" Reed or any other tonearm gives you a more true and real performance then maybe this is the road to take.

The other alternative is to find out a cartridge that could do the " trick " with that Reed tonearm.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Ps.: Of course that I'm assuming that VTA/SRA/Azymuth/VTF cartridge set up parameters are just on target.

Dear Mesael: +++++ " 12" arm does sound relaxed. " +++++

well IMHO if that is what you heard then your 12" tonearms were wrong with the cartridges you mated.

I try several 12" tonearms ( even against the same manufacturer 9-10" models. ) and I don't heard that relaxed sound.

Of course with a different audio system you have and with a different targets and priority quality performance home audio system music reproduction.

I'm not against " relaxed " sound but I'm for natural, true, accurate, non-colored and real sound as best we can mimic at home and taking always a live music as reference and not what " I like ".

regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Dear Curio: The tonearm effective mass certainly is important but IMHO the build material ( arm wand/headshell ) and the " signature " resonance along the cartridge body build material is critical.

The Ziricote and Red Cedar even than both are wood I think that's its signature with the cartridge performance sound is different and the only way to know if you will like it is that you hear both ( wood arm wans. ) in your system.

I totally agree with Geoch: we need ( first than all. ) the best source we can get and then matched tonearm.

The LP is very fine cartridge but maybe with a wood tonearm there is to much of the same.

In your system there is no way that any of us could give you a precise advise about tonearm. With any cartridge ( in your saystem ) IMHO you have to test several tonearms till you find the right for you.

In the other side I'm saying that assuming that each one audio link in your system is neutral, accurate, matched and with right overall set up. If not then as Geoch point out could be other " factors " where you now are hearing its " influences " when before you was unaware: if this is the " probelm " well you need to solve identified where comes those " colorations/distortions " and try to fix it.

A tonearm IMHO is a tool and must be ideally a neutral tool with out itself sound/colorations/distortions to make more easy the cartridge match. This is more easy to say it that to find out.

Today, outside/commercial is there a best tonearm?, not yet there are several very good designs and that's all. What we can find is a best cartridge/tonearm combination and what IMHO you are/should looking for is that tonearm that could help your LP cartridge can shows at its best and this is a " job " that needs time, patience, know how and opportunities to bring/have different tonearm " on hand ".
Of course this is if you are looking for Excellence level.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.