Which tonearm should I keep?

Dear Nandric: Do you use/know in deep ( sometime/overtime ) that Technics tonearm?

well, I still own it and comparing with the FR's/Hadcock IMHO the Technics is a better choice.
If you never try it my advise is that the next time you see it buy it, you will be surprised how high quality performance show against other top tonearms either vintage or today ones.

The EPA-500 was designed/build on the Technics " golden years " along the EPA-100 and EPA-100MK2 ( as the TT SP-10's ), I admire FR but the Technics on those " days " build a " little " better products, at least is what I already experienced with all those products.

Anyway mine is only an additional opinion and of course like always our preferences are system/ears/own-priorities dependent.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Rich121: The Technics 505 IMHO is the best on those tonearms. Its VTA on the fly mechanism is so unique, precise and " user friendly " like no other, the tonearm too is versatile due that you can change the arm wands that have different effective mass to match almost any cartridge and last but not less important is the whole Technics build quality ( specialy bearing . ): first rate. Yes, this is my " cadidate ".

I owned the FR and are good tonearms too but I prefer the Technics that works well with your cartridges.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Nandric: Nothing wrong with that, as I stated all is about preferences I respect yours and I posted that I " admire " FR, I'm not dismiss it: both designs are totally different and I prefer the EPA-500 that I try it with several cartridges MM/MC ( like the FR's that I owned ), no I don't test it with the " HI FI TEST RECORD " but always performs fine and with out trouble about.

Anyway, like you I'm only trying to help with my opinion at the end Rick is the best " judge " to pull the trigger.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Nandric: Well I say almost all. I own all arm wands on the EPA-500 and I was/am thinking that over the time Rick could find all those. I always say that there is no " perfect " items and the EPA-500 it is not.

About your cartridges I read your post on other thread where you speak about your Phase-tech and the Jubilee,but I was not speaking in absolute terms but to try the EPA-500 to find how good it is.

Nandric, I like you think that till today and in absolute terms there is no universal tonearm, there are several good tonearms with different trade-offs, it happen that I like the ones from Technics over the ones from FR: that's all.

+++++ " then Raul is right... " +++++, Nandric IMHO I think that an opinion here is that " an opinion " with out an attitude to " win ".

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Rich121: I don't know if I miss something but what I understand from what already posted by Bill and you I think that both companies are two different ones.
The fact that both have an agreement on the marketing/customer service/re-design subject to make that job through one company does not means that it is only one company.

Anyway, I wonder/can't see why so " big deal " about.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Rich121: I can't speak on Mr. Gregory but I can say that that type of bad experiences does not means necessary that that is ( always ) the attitude of Mr. Gregory, for example: I buy directly to the manufacturer a TT who give me and excelent service/support and with that self experience I recommended to a very close friend of mine to buy the same TT and he do it and send the money ( full ), well the TT never appear/shipped ( till today ) to my friend: that TT manufacturer " take " the money and from there " dead silence ", he steel the money!!!!

Sad that you already had that bad experience about.

Anyway, I hope that Mr. Gregory could read your post and try to " reverse " the situation.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Rich121: Only for your records: Mr. Hadcock unfortunately pass away in 2007.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.