Tonearm recommendation
Hello all, First, sorry it took so long to get back. Still, don't have any time to stay awhile now, so I'll be back later. Thanks to all who responded so far. I will fill in some missing info on my system later, and add further thoughts and questions. First though, Rauliruegas, Obviously, you are no longer a fan of the FR66s ( though it appears you were in the past ), but you claim higher distortion levels for the FR arms over other arms. I'm wondering if you have, other than your IMHO, any empirical data to back up your thoughts. Have you, or anyone else that you know of or whose studies you have read and analyzed, actually done any tests that show increased distortion levels or compromised frequency balances on the FR66s compared to any tonearms you like, or any other for that matter. I would dearly like to see some real data, as my ears and experience tell me something different ( My ears are with you on this one Halcro ). And, as we all know, while the final proof for each of us is in the listening, do you have any real data you could forward to us other than your IMHO ( I, and I'm sure others, would dearly love to see it ). So, if you have any real data ( and I hope you do ), please cite it. Cheers, and enjoy the music, Crazy Bill |
Hello all, WOW !!! First, thank you to all who have offered advice, opinions, or fact to this mix. I truly appreciate it. First, since Raul questioned what my phonostage is, let me state my entire system so that everyone will realize that it is not limiting my observations. Feickert Blackbird turntable Fidelity Research FR66s or Jelco SA750lb 12 inch tonearm w/ TTWEIGHTS VTA adjustor and ISOKINETICS counterweight. various headshells, all high end stuff including The Arche w/silver leads Grover Huffman phono cable Sonic Frontiers Phono 1 w/ SE+ upgrades Geortz silver micropurl interconnects feeding a Stax SRM007tll either Stax SR007Omega or SR007 earspeakers as my mood strikes me. All power cords Silver Sonic Red Wave. I think all of us can agree that this is a high resolution system capable of laying bare any differences in source material. In addition, I have a record collection that MF would probably cut his right arm off for. All the usual high quality re-issue stuff, plus approx 800 or so albums that are called " under 20 cuts ", all of which are one of the first 20 pressings off of the first stamper. Doesn't get any better. So, basically, the only limiting factors here are my ears or my brain ( and they are just that ). Let's start with Raul's assertion that I had an ulterior motive and was not really seeking advice. Nothing could be further from the truth. While my ears told me the FR66s was very superior to the Jelco, and to the JMW-10 I used to own, I still hadn't heard any modern tonearms to compare. My question was genuine, and I wanted to know the experiences of those who may have been fortunate to compare and could relate their experiences. So thank you to those ( Halcro and fleib ) who offered their unbiased opinions. Truly appreciated. Raul, I'm sorry, but your IMHO stuff just doesn't cut it with the way you present it. Some of your opinions may have some merit ( can't say for sure, as I'm no EXPERT LIKE YOU, though I do have a pretty good set of ears ), but your attitude of " I know everything and everyone else is wrong " simply puts people off. I see absolutely nothing at all HUMBLE about your attitudes or your opinions. In fact, quite the opposite. So please stifle it and don't post anything else on this thread. Your attitude is destructive, not constructive. I won't speak for anyone else, but I, for one, don't want to hear any more very biased unsubstantiated nonsense from you. I asked for some empirical data because I was hoping that it actually existed. Frankly, I'm a little surprised it doesn't. It would have been nice to see if certain tonearms did actually exhibit higher distortion mechanisms or frequency response aberrations due to material resonances. If anyone else has anything positive to throw in the mix, please, let's have it. While I'm strongly leaning towards keeping the FR66s and selling the Jelco, hell, you never know. Last, quite a while back I remember a thread that I think was titled " Old Skool Tonearms ". It's gone now, but if I remember correctly it was a treasure trove of truly useful info that I would dearly love to lay my hands on. I printed it out once back then, but I can't find it. Anyone got it house who would be willing to forward it my way. I'd be glad to make you some CD's for your trouble. I've got a lot of really good music on my hard drive. As Raul is wont to say ( and this is not being sarcastic, as I agree with him completely ) Cheers, and Enjoy The Music !! Crazy Bill |
Wow Raul, You are quite the PIECE OF WORK. And that's not a compliment. First: "Are your ears trained in a specific way to discriminate subtle distortions ". No. Of course not. Are YOURS ? And if so, who trained you and what are their qualifications and what is their methodology ? I doubt you'll have an answer other than your usual crap of " IMHO ". For the record, it's Medicare time in March ( meaning I turn 65 ), and I've been on this earth listening to MUSIC for quite some time. I have been exposed during that time on a regular ongoing basis to live unamplified acoustical music, and I KNOW what instruments, especially those used in orchestras ( i.e. strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, and VOCALS ) sound like. And THAT is the basis for my judgements on what sounds like real instruments and music when reproduced, not some IMHO KRAP ( misspelling intended ) like you throw out. " because I know people in this thread that can't discriminate the IMD " Really, name them. Tell us who they are so they can either confirm your accusations that they're stupid or defend themselves against them. I'm going to guess that no names will come forth, because, as usual, we;re talking about your " IMHO ", which, as is apparent you are trying to convince the less educated here ( which, according to you is everyone but you ) that you are right and everyone else is mistaken. Quite sad. Raul, I don't think you would know what an unbiased opinion is if it hit you upside your head. Don't you notice that you appear to be an island here on your own, and that NO ONE supports you or your opinions. I would suggest to you that you should take note of that and look inward as to how you conduct your business here. That's quite telling. That said, if there is anyone here following this thread that thinks Raul is an analog guru whose musings should be given consideration, and that some of us are clearly wrong, over the top, and are being too harsh, come out from hiding and be heard. I'm always willing to listen to the other camp. ATMASPHERE: Thanks. I'll take a look at the Tri-Planar. You wouldn't by any chance be the OTL amp people. I roll my own low powered SE tube circuits ( usually Triode strapped EL84 stuff ), but the OTL circuits have always intrigued me. Maybe some day. Thanks for the info. Cheers, Crazy Bill P.S. Actually, the full name is Crazy Bill The Eel Killer. Interesting story, if anyone cares. |
Hello John Tracy, Feel free to add your two cents any time you want. Any advice is always welcome. First, you didn't state which SF phono pre your friend brought over, or how old it was or how tired the tubes may be ( or type of tubes for that matter ).. Very important to know. There is a world of difference between the SFP-1 in any version and my unit, the Phono 1. In addition, I have the SE+ upgrades, which includes new PS lytics, new Vishay resistors, and New V-Cap TFTF and OIMP coupling caps. This is a night and day improvement over the stock Phono 1. Very, very significant upgrade over the stock Phono 1. In addition, I use a cryoed Russian version of the 6922 tube. There is no comparison to these tubes and the stock tubes SF supplied with these units ( in my case Sovtek ). Again, night and day. I've heard some of the best phonostages in my system to compare ( don't ask me to divulge ). 4 to be exact. All were many multiples of my SF unit in price. ( including the original cost and upgrades ). Three of them were just SLIGHTLY superior to my upgraded PHONO 1, and one was bested by my unit. The PHONO 1 I have with these upgrades and tubes competes very favorably with far more expensive units. Of course, this is all based upon my ears, brain, and opinion. But I would't hesitate to recommend a Parts Connexion or other qualified Modder SF Phono 1 with these upgrades. And its just going to get better when I do some more mods in the fall after my warranty is up. Sorry for going off topic, but there is no need to replace my SF. It's not a stock unit and it's going nowhere. Cheers, Crazy Bill |
Another example of Raul's inexhaustible supply of EGO. You seem to have ALL the answers. The rest of us should just go home. For the record, I find my FR66s to be the easiest tonearm to set up that I have ever used. AAMOF, I don't see how it could be easier. Everything just snaps, STS, into place. My JMW-10 and Jelco arms were significantly different and more time consuming. Isn't it funny ( actually, it's not ) that Raul quotes one example of someone whose experience supports his mantra ( and this is nothing against ct0517 ) and he declares it the law of the land. Well Raul, if we were to take a poll on the way you call this issue, I'm going to guess the numbers would not be to your liking. WHO CARES ? We all judge things by what our ears tell us. The problem is, when our ears don't agree with yours you call us WRONG and you are automatically right. You've made your point, you don't much care for the steel versions of the FR series of arms, so unless you wish to CONSTRUCTIVELY add some thoughts to my next paragraph., please stay away. OK guys, I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this thread. Very, very much appreciated. But the story goes on. It appears my budget has been increased to the 10K area, so I'm sure this is going to murky the waters somewhat. But that budget increase opens up a whole new world, STS, of tonearms available to my use. The Durands, Reeds, and others come to mind. Since I'm getting old, and this will be my last analog purchase ( probably except maybe for a cartridge change ), I want to get it right. So, given the increase in the ceiling of my budget, any new thoughts on whether to keep the FR66s or go with a modern arm w/ the budget topped at 10K ? Linear trackers, of course, would be considered, as long as they can be mounted on the Blackbird w/o difficulty. Also, the ultimate arbiter is the sound quality, not ease of set-up or changing cartridges or anything else. Just the sound quality of the arm and its ability to get out of the way for the cartridge to do it's thing, STS. Again, many, many thanks, and enjoy the music. Cheers, Crazy Bill |
Halco and Nandric, Thank you both so much for your advice. It is greatly appreciated and listened to. Your ( and others ) experience far exceeds my own. Halcro, I can assure you that your original assessment of my intent is completely correct. A little history, I guess. Bought my first real audio system back in 2000 when I got divorced and finally had a little freedom in my life. The analog front end consisted of The VPI Aries MK1, VPI JMW 10, VPI Synchronous Drive, and Grado Statement feeding the Sonic Frontiers Phono 1. I also started buying a lot of vinyl to listen to, mostly older classic rock ( have a GREAT local place w/ extensive used vinyl for sale ), and the re-issue stuff ( MoFi,DCC,etc ). I was in complete audio bliss for about 5 yrs until my audio world was turned on its head. Turns out that a member of our golfing group that I had just met is a complete audio nut. He also has deep pockets. After we finished playing golf one Sunday morning, he convinces me to follow him to his home about 1/2 hr. away. Upon arrival, we go to a storage area under the stairs, and inside is a Mitch Cotter turntable and his record collection. They had been stored there for 15 yrs. These records are the under 20 cuts I mentioned before, and obviously the source of the FR66s. I still wouldn't have a clue about any of this stuff had I not received these gifts. I started doing some studying because I now possessed them. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Purchased the PHONO1 based upon positive reviews and that fact that a local dealer who was a friend carried the SF line. Purchased the VPI and the Grado from an internet retailer based upon reviews and the salesman's recommendations. The fact that everything went together so nicely was just luck, as I certainly had no idea what was going on. Fast forward a few years, and the Denon part of the Mitch Cotter dies. After extensive efforts to find a repair place and many conversations w/ potential repairers, I decided to abandon repair of the Denon DD. The owner of the now defunct Choir Audio kindly built for me the platter, bearing,motor and speed control from his Choir One table. His website is still up if anyone cares to see what that is. I abandoned the spring loading of the Cotter, but I used the top plate mounted on a bunch of Vibrapods and fastened the bearing assembly to it, hooked up a makeshift motor mount, and now had a belt driven high end turntable mounted to the Cotter baseplate and still using the FR66s. ( I had since sold the VPI stuff. Don't need two tables ) Sounded absolutely glorious, but sure looked like, much to my wife's chagrin, a crude Rube Goldbergh affair. Well, fast forward some more and my golfing buddy and I have remained best friends since then. I go to his place as often as possible to listen to his headphone based SOTA digital system, and he comes here sporadically to listen to vinyl ( btw, I still get his hand-me-downs, of which the Stax gear I listed is to be included ). A while back, while here, he said he was tired of looking at my turntable contraption and he wanted to put a new table in my house. He has bought most of his stuff from a dealer in NYC, and since he wanted to buy from him out of loyalty, the Blackbird w/ the Jelco arm and Arche headshell ended up in my living room. Otherwise, w/o question, a new VPI set-up would be here instead, but that dealer did not carry VPI. The Denon DL103r is my cartridge. I procured the Midas body and fitted it. The Koetsu is from my buddy from the original gift of the records and Cotter. After a couple of years of use on the Cotter, the suspension collapsed. It was from the 80's and was built by the old man. It sat there while I used my Denon until the search for the new table began, when it was sent back to Koetsu for a total rebuild at my friends expense. So here we are. I compared both arms and the rest is history. Were it not for the generosity of my friend, I still wouldn't have a clue about the FR,Cotter, or any of his other hand me downs. I'm semi-retired now, and certainly can't afford this kind of stuff and would never have been exposed to it were it not for him. So, you see, I certainly have a very limited knowledge base compared to you guys, which is why I came here to ask the question. Regarding that question, it's time to put this to rest. The new tonearm was also going to be courtesy of my buddy. I've informed him that I'll be keeping the FR66s. It's time to get off this bandwagon and spend what little spare time I have listening to music, and not studying what may be a new acquisition instead. So to all who contributed, my sincerest thanks for your input and advice. The FR66s stays. Cheers, Crazy Bill P.S. Still would like to get a copy of that old thread I mentioned before if anyone may have it. |
" flieb " " Who unleashed the Kraken ? " Couldn't have said it any better. well done. I won't respond to his gibberish in the hopes he just goes away. There are some other things I wish to address, but it will have to wait until later on, as the NFC title game is about to begin. Cheers for now, Crazy Bill |
Hello Testpilot, I am keeping the FR66s, and I do like my SF. But I'm always willing to try other things. I've got a Fully balanced op-amp kit from Twisted Pear in house that I'll be building w/ battery PS when I find the time to do that. Got any recommendations on a different riaa. As long as I've got an audition period w/ return, I'll try anything reasonable. thanks, Crazy Bill |
Hello all, I'm keeping the FR66s. Many, many thanks to those who have offered advice in this endeavor. Much appreciated. Just a little more advice please. I have three headshells in house. I've got the Arche w/ the aggelos leads, an LP Gear Zupreme with 1877 Phono Devils Hair leads, and a NOS Supex ( I think ) headshell that my buddy who gave me the FR66s and the Koetsu used to mount it. I'm a little worried that the effective mass of the Arche w/ the FR66s would be too high to mate OK with the Koetsu, and maybe I should procure a lighter headshell, maybe a Ebony or other wooden Yamamoto. Those of you who have any experience here, please advise. As always, thanks in advance for any advice. Cheers, Crazy Bill |
Hello Thomas from Bavaria, Now, we're talking. While I still am leaning towards keeping the FR66s, I will humbly admit that going with something more modern has been calling me, even if it's only to my vanity. The ONLY problem I have with the FR66s is it's mass, and while I know there are ways to somewhat ameliorate that issue, it's still somewhat constrictive in cartridge choice. So I still have been seriously considering an upgrade or lateral move, depending upon one's point of view. I've been doing a lot of studying, and the Reed tonearms were in my radar. I thought about the 3P, but I don't need the azimuth on the fly capability, as I have the Feickert Adjust+ program in house to set it once properly. I really was looking at one, or maybe two Reed 2A tonearms, each optimized for two different cartridge compliances. One would be for my Koetsu or Denon combo, and one would be for my Grado Statement, a much higher compliance unit than the other two. But your comments on the resonance issues concerns me. Is it possible for you to speculate that the issue might be caused by the variable azimuth correction on the 3P, or is it maybe intrinsic in the basic nature of the Reed arms in general. I know that asking a lot and putting you on a limb. I also am very interested in a Durand Talea2, as it appears, from what I've read and studied to be a world class arm. Do you have any experience with it? I found the OL arms a while back, and I keep thinking they look mighty fine and should be considered. Your comments on the Conqueror are quite enlightening. If I understand your comments correctly, of the arms you have the Conqueror is the cat's meow, STS, and the one you would want to live with. BTW, I wouldn't hesitate to go with the OL 12 inch Enterprise. Their arms do look good, and especially that one. Thanks Thomas for any input or further thoughts you may provide, as it is much appreciated. Also, anyone else, please feel free to offer any input. Again, many thanks. Cheers, Crazy Bill |
Thanks Lewm, I absolutely intend to dial in proper azimuth adjustment no matter which tonearm I am using. I only meant I didn’t need the on the fly adjustment of the Reed 3P which Thomas referrred to. Once I set it optimally with the Feickert program for whichever cartridge/tonearm I’m using I intend to leave it. So adjusting it at the headshell once is just fine with me. It’s good to hear you are so high on the 2A. IF I move away from the FR66s, it is definitely on my short list. I’ll also have to check out the OL arms that Thomas referred to. They look promising. The Moerch also deserves a look. That said, however, if I do make a change, based upon what I’ve read, the Durand Talea2 really looks special. Does anyone here have any experience comparing the Durand and the Reed ? Thanks for your input. Cheers, Crazy Bill |
Hello ct0517, It's clear from your response, and I'm guessing, of course, that the Ct in your name stands for CT in the good old USA, as I am also from CT and experiencing EXACTLY what you describe in the weather pattern. was -13 this AM when I got up, with a wind chill of -34F. A tad colder than we're used to here. It's even to cold to fish ( and that's cold ). I'm going to look into the ET arms. At this point, anything goes. Thanks for the tip. BTW CT0517, I'm trying to be as patient as possible, though it DOES NOT come naturally. Cheers, Crazy Bill |
OK flieb, you asked for it. My grandfather on my mother's side was Norwegian, and he was a fisherman. During my teenage years he would take me fishing for flounder ( upon which he relied heavily to feed his family ), along the Ct. shore between Westport and Norwalk. Our favorite spot was the Sagatuck Bridge on the Sagatuck River in Westport. When the flounder were running, the action was fast and furious. We would think nothing of 100+ fish hauls during the run. Well, there was also eel runs in the river. My grandfather hated to catch them, as they would get up to 3 ft.+ and be 2 inches in diameter. Getting them off of the hook was a major league PITA. Grandpa passed in 1969, and I continued to fish the river. I was fishing there one morning, and two old Portugese gentlemen were sitting in chairs at one end of the bridge, and the eels were running. They offered me fifty cents an eel, no limits to how many. They had a sack, I only had to kill them before I put them in the sack ( which was pretty much necessary to get the hook out of them anyway ). I was making $ 20.00 + every Sunday morning having fun, which wasn't too shabby for a young college student. It was how I spent my Sunday mornings. Well, one Sunday a bunch of my college buddies tagged along, because they didn't believe me about the Portugese gents and the money I made. After watching me have a great haul, and of course killing each eel, ( I used the humane method of a ghillie ( slang term used for a police type slapper used to dispatch the eel by wacking it in the head ), as we walked off the bridge, my buddy Dennis looks at me and said " I hereby name you Crazy Bill the Eel Killer ". And so it began. They still call me that to this day, and it spread ( much to my initial dismay at the time ) around the University of Bridgeport campus like wildfire. You did ask. Cheers, Crazy Bill |
Hello all, Still here and immensely appreciating everyone's contributions. Please keep them coming. And I do mean everyone. I have learned a lot. On another note, my buddy struck again. Regardless of how good the FR66s is, he wanted a more modern arm in the mix. So a Moerch chrome DP8 12 inch arrived yesterday. It will be a while before it is mounted, as I'm awaiting a Mint protractor, and a full set of Wally tool;s to set it up. But eventually I will have to compare them. It is entirely possible that both stay and play. As it unfolds I will, of course, report back, though it will take a while. Cheers, Crazy Bill BTW Flieb, nice to see the olive branch. I have learned A LOT from you. Please keep contributing. |
Hello all, I guess it's time to resurrect this thread and move it in a new direction. My buddy struck again, and the Blackbird has been replaced by an Amazon Grand Referenz. I've got the Moerch ( 12 inch ) DP8 on it. My phonostage is presently a Decware ZP3. The only high output cartridge I've got is an Audio Technica AT150MLX, and that is mounted on the Moerch. Set-up via a MF Geodisc. Got a Mint on the way, so set-up will be better. While I will build a board to mount the FR66s on the Amazon to compare to the Moerch, the Moerch is so sublime ( and it's not optimal yet ), the FR66s has an uphill battle. But I will listen with an open mind. The bass response of the Moerch is superior to anything I've ever heard, and will be tough to walk away from. But I want this to be as good as possible within the following confines. I'm seriously looking at a couple of other arms instead of the Moerch or FR. 1). One of the Reed arms ( 12 inch ). 2). A Durand arm ( either the Talea2 or the Kairos ). Has anybody ever had a chance to compare, or listen to, any of these arms. The Moerch and FR66s are really very good. But if the Durand or Reed arms will elevate the musical experience, I would like to know your thoughts. I'm not getting any younger, and I want to finalize my path to vinyl nirvana. Thanks for any help. Cheers, Crazy Bill |
Thanks Halcro. That clearly is on the horizon. I've always felt the various Denon's I've had here, and the Koetsu Rosewood, would not be my final resting place. While they are good, with both of them I've always felt something was missing. It's entirely possible the problem has been my setup and I need to work on this. I may end up satisfied, but I don't think so. That said, I have a Grado Statement here. It does need a retip. I bought it in 2000, and its got a few hours on it. Its a high compliance cartridge, so obviously the FR or the blue wand on the Moerch need not apply. I'm waiting for Grado to come up with the new Statement and I may upgrade. ( Or maybe a Soundsmith retip ).Problem is, on the Moerch, I would probably need the lightest wand to match it, and that's only available in the 9 inch version, so I would have to accommodate that ( new wand and new mounting board for the Amazon ). I really like what 12 inch arms bring to the table so I probably won't go this route. But it still sticks in the back of my mind as I've got it here. We'll see. If I had half a brain ( and that's stretching it on a good day !! ), I would stick with the Moerch DP8. Sell the Blackbird, the FR66s, the modified Jelco, the Grado, and everything else I won't need and get a very high end cartridge. With a little luck I can probably raise 10K. I'm in the process of building a very high end SET amp, and I still need about 2.5K to finish that. So I'm hopeful I'll have around 7.5 K for a new cartridge. At that price, I feel, the world opens up. The Amazon importer, Sorasound, is very high on ZYX cartridges. I should probably take a serious look at what ZYX will mate well with the Moerch at around that price. More to come. Thanks, as always. Cheers, Crazy Bill P.S. As setup is such an important consideration, I need to address that properly. Now I am using my MF Geodisc. I know that it is not the end game, which is why I ordered the Mint for the Moerch. Again, if I had half a brain, I would get the Smart Tractor and be done with it. If after the Mint is in house and I do get the Moerch set up properly with it, and I still feel something is missing, I may opt for the SmartTractor to try the UNI-DIN alignment. We'll see where it leads. Anyone, please feel free to offer your two cents on what I'm thinking. as I've posted previously, I'm a neophyte compared to most of you and I covet your thoughts and experience. Please feel free to chime in. Cheers again, Crazy Bill |
Hello Halcro, Absolutely nothing, but first a couple of questions if I may. as noted above, I have the AT150MLX on the DP8. I love this combo. While I know it's not optimally set up ( my Mint is on the way ), I could live right here and be happy. It does so many things well. The few things that need improvement I think will be addressed when it's aligned properly. I used the AT extensively on my FR66 when I had it mounted on the Feickert, and loved it as well. I used an old Supex ( I think ) headshell that was light and mated well. I never heard anything amiss from that combo. So my question is this. Since I don't have any biases against using a MM in either the FR or the Moerch, do you think the set-up you suggest would up the ante over the AT. I know I'm asking something very subjective, but I know you have a lot of experience with them. I started taking a look at the various FR cartridges, but I've got a lot of studying to do. I'll keep at it. One last question. A few years back I nuded a Denon DL103r, mounted it on an aluminum plate and had Soundsmith put their best ruby cantilever/stylus on it. Sounded pretty good, but apparently late night listening sessions and more than one martini make strange bedfellows. It never had a chance to break in before I snapped the cantilever, so I'm sure better was to come. Again, I know I'm asking something very suggestive, but do you think here is any merit to upgrading the Denon ? I have a 103r here and the Midas body, and could send it to Soundsmith for upgrading. Or do you think I should seriously pursue the MM cartridge set-up you recommend over the AT, and forget about upgrading the Denon and go after the FR7 ? Thanks Halcro, Crazy Bill P.S. Actually, I would welcome any comments from anyone who has experience with the above. |
To anyone who knows FR cartridges. Would this be a good one on my FR66s http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fidelity-Research-FR-7-cartridge-early-version-with-pure-silver-coil-Ex-RARE... Cheers, Crazy Bill |
Hello Halcro, So much for a few weeks. Decided to stick with Ebay and PayPal, as I have some leverage if something is amiss. Here's where I'm at: These coming: http://www.ebay.com/itm/262667268841 http://www.ebay.com/itm/122091675405 These OK, or did I mess it up ? Thanks for the advice. Cheers, Crazy Bill |
Hello Henry, It'll take me a while to report. I still need to spend some time with the AT to get a good baseline. After I've got a good fix on the AT, I'll switch to the Shure and take a listen with the stock stylus and report back. Then I'll switch to the Jico and report back. Have great hopes as to where this may end up. Cheers, Crazy Bill |
Hello Henry ( and others ) I'm back. FINALLY have some time to play and a lot has happened in the past couple of months. First, made an armboard to mount the 66s on the Amazon. Procured a Yammamoto ebony headshell to add to the mix. Started mixing and matching headshells and cartridges on the FR66s. Initial findings after a lot of playing had the Grado Statement on the Yammamoto headshell and the Shure V15lll ( on the Supex headshell ) w/original stylus very close, with the edge going to the Grado. Then I remembered ( getting old is a bitch ), that I had the JICO SAS stylus for the Shure, and I put it on. No contest anymore. The Shure with this stylus is simply making music the likes of which I've never heard before on anything in my system. The biggest improvement is in the upper registers. A mammoth detail increase with absolutely no stridency or congestion at all. SMOOTH and extended with detail. I'm impressed and immensely happy with this cart. Thanks Henry. I NEVER would have looked this way without your recommendation. That said, I am making a tonearm change. Both the Moerch DP8 and the FR66s will be listed here soon. Something about the Riggle Woody calls me. I've made the deposit to Pete and I've decided on the Woody SPU. I've got some good headshells and want to be able to swap in a mono cartridge when the mood strikes me. I've got a fair share of good mono pressings and I want to do them justice. I'm thinking one of the Ortofon SPU mono cartridges would be a good way to go. But I'll come back later after I've got the arm mounted and set-up. Thanks again Henry. Crazy Bill |
