FR66s vs Ikeda IT-407 CR tonearms

Ddriveman,
As you already own the FR-66s plus some wonderful turntables....I'm wondering if you are disappointed with the performance of the arm that you are hearing?

Having experienced many arms myself.....the very first sounds from one of my FR-64s/66s.....leaves no doubt possible about the State of the Art...😘

Sometimes an instrument is designed which is well-nigh perfect and is hard to improve upon.....see Stradivarius violins...😎
The FR-64s/66s tone arms are possible examples of this phenomenon...❓😘
The price for a 35 year-old FR-66s has doubled in the last five years to $9,000 and above....yet every one which appears on the market (and fewer and fewer are doing so) is snapped up...👀
As Syntax says....the test of time has been passed...👍

Hi Ddriveman,

I bought my WE-8000/ST from Otoman Vintage in Japan..and believe it or not....he has another one 😜
There is an already nuded TT-101 with armpod available from a friendly Dealer in Melbourne is you're really interested....❓👀

Yes...the performances of the FR-64s and FR-66s are very close to each other in tone, spatial abilities, cartridge matching etc....
Where the FR-66s differs is in a magical ability to sound relaxed and authoritative at the same time...👀🎶
No....it allows the CARTRIDGE to sound relaxed and authoritative...😃❗️
The major difference between the two arms IMHO...is that the FR-66s appears to disappear entirely from the audio chain, leaving a cartridge which is suddenly performing at levels beyond its design parameters...🎵🎼
And that I think, is the domain of very few arms on this planet...👀😎❓

If you search these forums, you will find a very different opinion from those above regarding the Ikeda tone arms from the designer of Lyra cartridges.

It's certainly not J.Carr driving up the prices of FR-64s/66s tonearms...👀
It must be all the others who simply disagree with him.....😎
Is that allowed....❓😜

Ddriveman,
Here is a photo of my Melbourne Dealer friend with Ikeda San a few years ago when he personally picked up his new Ikeda tonearm.
Even the personal thrill of accepting his arm from the great man himself did not cloud David's judgement...👀❗️
The FR-66s is easily the best tonearm he has ever heard.....😍👍

Congratulations @eggberg....I assume you're the happy winner of the Japan Yahoo Auction for the FR-66S 🎉
If I didn't already have two of them, I would have been tempted to bid.
It looks to be a complete set in mint condition (which is rare) with an original box in pristine condition (even rarer).....

I have both of mine, plus my FR-64S (Silver) hooked up with Cardas Golden Reference phono cable (since superseded by Cardas Clear), and am very happy with the results.
There are those who insist on Silver Phono Cables as well as Silver Cartridge Leads to match their Silver-wound Kondo SUT....but I'm not one of those 😃

What table and cartridge/s will you be using?

I think you'll be amazed at the results with this arm....
It is simply the best tonearm I have ever heard (other than the Copperhead) and surprisingly.....works with every cartridge I have tried.

You're a lucky man.....👍 

my FR 64S tonearm with “silver inside” mounted in a B60 base

I didn't know you had the FR-64s with the silver wiring just as I have Lew...?
Like you.....I also find it great

with any cartridge I choose, regardless of compliance.

What do you think of the Yamamoto Carbon Fiber HS-4 headshell?