FR64s & Orsonic Av-1s Effective mass ?

One can't ''balance'' the FR-64 with an lightweight headshell and

cart. The old FR headshell is worthless while the Orsonic AV 101

is much better than the (lightweigt) Orsonic AV-1. There are

different FR-64 counter weights but difficult to get. The nearer the

conterwight to the pivot the lesser the arm mass. The lighter the

the headshell the less arm mass. LPgear sells and excelent

headshell for about $ 50. There are different names and prices

for the same (magnesium) headshell which is made by Jelco(?).

I bought 6 of those under the name ''Sumiko'' for about 40 GBP a piece.

Dear Chakster, You probably enjoy making my life difficult with

your ''endless'' questions(grin). As you should know the stability

and rigidity of the headshells are very important. You only need to

look at both headshells to see the difference. Those small and weak ''legs'' on the Orsonic AV-1 are not very convincing. Besides, according to ''some Aussie'' they are produced in China. This means that they are also ''fake headshells'' . For their kind of prices I would also reproduce them if I knew how. The Orsonic AV 101 on the

other side is at present too complicated for the Chinese to produce

them . So they are probably made in Japan. I use them

for my best carts only . BTW I also own Dertonarm's Arche

headshell ( the best ever, sorry Raul) which I use only with even better carts than my best. 

Dear Lew, To add to your thoughts or assumptions I would like to mention the fact that the original ''base'' or the collar holder is made from aluminum. Steel (hardened) from which the FR-64/66 are made is very difficut to process . This was the reason to introduce aluminum FR-64/66 models. But there was an steel kind of base

for the old FR- 64/66 as separate. The thing looks like an huge nut.

Other tonearm manufacturer also produced such ''weight addition'' to

the arm base . Probably with the intention to ''divert'' resonances

into heat  which is actually  the same as (resonance) ''dampening''.

The B-60 has the same function in addition to the VTA function.

Dear Lew, You are right about Raul. He is never ''confused'' about

those whom he does not like. Say Dertonarm. Well if Dertonarm

was ,uh, more critical about those damn FR/64/66 Raul may have

liked them. The strange thing however is that cleeds sold his FR-64

but Raul deed not. The humans are , I think, inscrutable.

Dear Lew, I admire the ''mechanical beauty'' of the FR-64s of

which I own the silver and the copper version. I also own the Ikeda

345 which is, according to J. Carr, Ikeda's best. But I have no preference  for one above the other.

Cleeds, Whatever one may think about Raul I don't believe that he

would buy an defective FR-64/66 . If he still owns both they should

be in excelent condition. If I could afford the FR-66 I would make

him an offer (grin).