Why will no other Tonearm beat the FR-66s?

Sorry to be responding to an old post, but I just stumbled across this. I have an Ikeda arm, which is claimed as an improvement over the FR, but I am guessing that you must have found it not to be the case. Would love to know your thoughts as to why the same designer might fail to do better than his newer effort.
I think you also like some Ikeda carts, and I loved mine too, before they all mysteriously died on me (all three). I have had good experiences with Decca, although not the Reference, and am thinking that maybe the lack of a cantilever is the magic. I played classical with the Ikeda but mostly pop and rock with my Deccas (Garrott, Maroon), so can't make the claim with certainty.

Yep John, the Decca/London’s lack of a cantilever is definitely a major contributing factor to it’s unique sound. I’m about to mount mine on the Zeta I just acquired, an arm reputed to be a great match with the Decca/London. Not as high mass as the FR’s (they actually possess too much mass for the cartridge, pushing the resonant frequency lower than optimum), but with a very stiff tube and great bearings, which the Decca/London’s require.

Hi bdp24, Have always wanted a Zeta. And a Syrinx too. As a school boy with no money these were the stuff of dreams back then.

FR-66s is still the benchmark
The newer Ikeda is cheapo and you can hear it easily with the right records. FR was done in the prime time of analog, when there was a market for superior units.
The later Ikeda was a cost controlled unit, marketing replaced "done right"

Dear Syntax, Thanks for your honest insight; a little shocking given I own it (along with Phantom, Triplanar, Ittok, SME V), but you are right in that golden era of analog probably produced all the best turntables, arms and carts that economies of scale and brains could produce.