He also offers the option for direct wiring …. Hm….is it blasphemy to think about it?
Refurbish Fidelity Research Tonearms
Would like to refurbish my FR-64s .... Has someone made it? Experience? Who?
Showing 17 responses by syntax
Thank you all i did so many years the comparisons and my FR-64s + 66s Arms, they always amazed me when coming back…their natural reproduction still is a class on their own. All other Arms work more or less ok with a few carts but with demanding carts they bite the dust. I found one I will trust Richard Mak from analogmagik.com see his Website for repairs, good pics |
Hello Dover, thank you very much for your impressions. Agree, i also prefer the FR-64s with silver wire inside. It increases the natural sound by another step. i did made no final decision but the regular refurbish will be done definetely. I want to hear what was going on when it was new, now with cartridges and phonostages of today or yesterday. I expect, it will amaze me (again). The more I think about the direct wire option … yes, it should be another step up. Logical, smallest signal has to pass multiple contacts… My phonocable in use is Audioquest Leopard, very well done, clever made and a bargain compared to others which mainly are simply rebranded Regular cables. Don’t know what brand mr. Mak uses … but When i go for direct wire, i think to get it in shotgun mode … i will see what we will do when the Arm is open. i share your view of your named cables… i want to keep that Arm, i learned so much with it about „modern highend“ … and it has a very high serial no >120000, could be one of the last … |
My old bearings vs new ABEC-9 ( When the going gets tough, the tough get going...) |
Each his own opinion…. But none of those „experienced“ ones did own such expensive cartridges like Lyra Olympos ( i had 3), 2xTitan i, Delos, Kleos, Atlas, several Koetsu Stones with/without Diamond cantilever, Benz, Transfiguration, Air Tight, Zyx and a lot more I forgot and did use them side by side with most modern Arms and SME 3012R, Kuzma, several Graham Arms and FR-64s / 66s Arms witch each of them. Same with my former Denon 103, 103R etc. I did and still do. And the FR Arms are superior to any other Arms. With all cartridges named above. You hear more from what is in the groove. More believable… Probably some have problems to hear differences, well. Not my problem. When someone has opinions and produce that as facts, well, nothing new… Forums are loaded with such „ experts“ Best is, go out, listen to different units and do your own learning. It is all brain and part of the designers ability. Some are better than others….. and yes, FR-7 carts are outstanding, they are still better than most modern ones, also own FR-7f, FR-7fc, FR-7fz and they survived all named above… |
My FR-64s Tonearm has been completely restored now…. New ABEC-9 tight Tolerance Bearings Video… Bearing set precisely with Torque Wrench, with no play and no over tightness. Bearings has been replaced with ABEC-9 highest swiss quality bearing with proper location. The dynamic VTF spring has been properly lubricated with Synthetic Grease. The Ikeda silver wire has been replaced with AnalogMagik Reference Tonearm Silver Wire, with Silver Braided Shield. One cable soldered behind the HS Mount replacing DIN connectors to WBT 0102 AG Silver Plugs for Phono Input. No more interruptions. I also had the option for Kondo silver wire inside, but i got their KSL cables for a try some years ago and i gave them back. Did not come close to premium Audioquest wire. |
A cheap check / improvement for your Arm Turn the VTF knob do you feel the clicks when you pass 1.0. … 1.5 …2.0 etc or hear it?Or nothing when you turn it?When not, then the grease inside is stiff …. And the Arm is far away from it’s abilities … no problem … put it out into the sun on a warm summer day that it heats up … then do it again multiple times and you will hear the clicks very clear and the move of the knob will be without force …. Install it and listen … it will be a huge sonic difference to the better … and the grease will stay more liquid/smooth for a pretty long time …. |
Well, Mr. Mak did definitely a very good job. I did expect an improvement but never thought how much better the Arm will be. For me, my Arm was a very good performer and now it is better than just excellent. From all points of view, soundstage, detail, focus, body, physical force …. Everything went up to an unheard level. A View into the Performance like Tangential Arms but without their flaws (grip on notes, low register, body, bass, Gestalt…) and i reduced my volume knob a bit. This is because all details are more present now and i can listen to everything with reduced volume, because i can hear all former details in a new, very impressive, natural listening - mesmerizing- Performance. Tracks signal like Radar …It was a King before and went more than a step up….(What a sonic earthquake it has been when it was launched many, many years ago … it still gives a run to most modern Arms today) Would do it again. |
Yes, the s in FR-64s is for steel armtube. No matter what you think about better or not, when 2 with/without are available, the FR-64s will go much faster in resale and I think, it sounds much better too. Standard wire inside was copper, most have copper wire inside. The buyer had the choice to get it with silver wire inside instead (then you have the sticker for it onto the armtube and also onto the Box). Taste is different, but when there are 2, the one with silver leads inside is much faster in resale and of course, you hear a difference. When you go the way with cable change, he has a few to choose (also Kondo...), I ordered his seven strand 34 awg pure silver wire. It has a lower capacitance than the Nordost ODIN 2. Or that one in copper. Ikeda IT-345 is made later but every comparison I - or others - made, the 64s always was the winner. Better in Tone, much better in physical presence ... well, it is the way it is. I think, the 345 is much cheaper made ... and that counts finally. When you like your existing Arm...all I can say, yes, the refurbish kicked the Arm into a different sonic league. I had problems to imagine before sending it, but after ...phhh, unbelievable. Before you buy some nonsense, which is nice until the end of day ... when you think, your Arm is your choice, the refurbish is worth it. In every sonic area you get more ... and more. That is my impression from Mr. Mak. Others offer also something, but I have doubts they will reach that Standard. My decision was for him and not Ikeda (it is not the old Ikeda and no idea what they really do and how long it will last) or other DIY guys. The chance to hear it in its full glory is possible with the refurbish. I think, it was a sonic earthquake when it came out and after all these years with all owner changes .... you can listen to a lot and you are probably not a Fan of it for whatever reasons...but I can say, MY Arm now beats everything I ever listened to. |
Everyone has his own Point of view. I also did own 345 and sold it after comparison. For some it may important to quote wisdoms from a Designer but i am not interested what they say. They have to live from their product and the latest is always better than the former one. The worst sounding preamps i ever listened to came from Lyra … so each his own. A complicated and expensive arm is always a problem in numbers of sale… after all these years i do that, the more i know that most excellent designs are based on pure luck, there are endless examples out there, that the next one didn’t bite the bullet. But it is fixed in the marketing later. |
Pain for Brain is not subjective … since 15 years you promote your coming tonearm or tried to sell your Phonostage without any success….you are a loser … even your MM friends went away long time ago … you know that from former member tonearm … he told you that countless times … you are lonely i think |