Fidelity Research FR-64 vs. FR-54

lewm

....As to the FR64S, I am reporting my listening impressions, NOT my opinion of its design.  You say (elsewhere) that you are always learning.  How can you learn anything from anyone else, when your mind is so closed to all other opinion? In fact, can you name one other knowledgable audiophile who derides the FR64S/66S as much as you do?  Perhaps you can name one other than yourself.  I can name 10 who disagree.

Now you can name 11 who disagree with Raul. ;|
I used an FR64S pickup arm for years, originally mounting it on an Oracle Delphi III turntable. It was an outstanding pickup arm, perhaps one of the best arms that also include an interchangeable headshell. I sold it to a friend who still uses it, and I'm amazed whenever I hear his system - the FR64S still  stands up well to even the best arms of today. I replaced it with an SME V - a move I've never regretted - but I still think highly of the FR.

Of course, the FR arms are long out of production. Perhaps Raul's sample was bought used and has issues. Perhaps it's not a good match with whatever else he's using with it. Regardless of the explanation, Raul's indictment of the FR64S ,and his repeated criticisms of it, reveal much more about Raul than they do the arm. There are reasons why well-preserved samples of this arm command top-dollar today, and it's not because it generates distortions that listeners like. In fact, the truth is the opposite: the FR64S is a remarkably neutral arm ... even though it's not perfect.

Dear @lewm :   """  How can you learn anything from anyone else, when your mind is so closed to all other opinion?  """

I don't know why you can think that in the subject of FR undamped pivot tonearm design your opinion and other one opinios are rigth and I'm wrong.

Why can'not it be the other way around?

Makes no sense to me and let you explain my take here:

- my MUSIC/audio main target is to listen/hear what's in the recording. If this is not your main target then we have nothing to talk on that and any other home audio subject.

- all of us are distortion lovers. To what kind of distortions?, the ones on each one home audio system.

- what kind of parameters take I in count to evaluate any home audio systems and its differences in between?: mainly the distortion levels, every kind of internal/external home audio system distortion.

- almost every " decent " audiophile  use some way or the other different kind of home audio system damping depending where is used that damping.

- we can name some of those damping system tools: 

   room treatment,  TT footers,  TT platforms,  damped racks,  TT mats,  TT clamps, daped headshells, damped tonearms by design like: VPI or Triplanar and several others,  cartridge suspension dampers, cartridge body design shape to " kill "internal resonances/distortions, damping on tonearm boards, damping on speakers, damping on speaker crossover, damping on electronic chasis/box, damping on tubes it self, damping footers on any kind of system electronic item/link, damping on cables construction,   damping,     damping,   damping,    damping,......... damping everywhere in a home audio system: this is the rule and it's not for " free ".

- that everywhere damping has a sole/unique reason: TO HEAR WHAT IS IN THE RECORDING and not to all generated home audio system distortions.

The main target in that very hard work of system damping is to " kill " all kind of distortions or at least mantain it at " extremely " low/minumum levels.


AND, AGAIN AND AGAIN, YOU AND ALL THE OTHER LOVERS ( including the " 11 " one. ) OF FR NON DAMPED TONEARMS  SUDDENLY " DISCOVERY THAT THE FR DESIGN REALLY DAMPS THE DISTORTIONS THAT TRAVEL  AND SOME THAT ARE GENERATED BY THE NON DAMPED DESIGN ! ! ! ! 

and    YES AND: NO ONE BUT ME AND J.CARR DETECTED THOSE DISTORTION LEVELS????


As I said: makes no sense to me. Makes sense to you?

If yes then that's why I said that we are distortion lovers. I'm too but with way lower distortion levels than you. At least I'm aware of it.


Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

- what kind of parameters take I in count to evaluate any home audio systems and its differences in between?: mainly the distortion levels, every kind of internal/external home audio system distortion.

Raul,
Always talking about distortion, but can you even prove the distortion level of your system is lower than any of our by any measure, other than the convenient saying of “I know because my ears are trained” ?

After after years and years of Raul's posts, I've learned it's best just to take them with a grain of salt. 

Alongside a slice of lemon and ounce of tequila. 

Raul, For the Nth time, I am only saying that MY FR64S sounds very good in my second system, which is very low in distortion and includes mostly solid state components in the chain from cartridge to speakers.  Not that I agree in any way with your other diatribes, against vacuum tubes.  But let's stick to the FR64S: My saying that I like my FR64S in this particular set-up does not mean that I think you are categorically "wrong" in your critique.  Got that? I do recognize the theoretical importance of "damping".  Until I put the stylus in the groove for the first time, I had no idea whether I would like or dislike the FR64S.  I only knew that if I disliked it, I would have no problem re-selling it.  But... I like it.

There are many cases in this hobby where components go against this or that widely held belief and nevertheless work well, and it is not always the case that they are perceived to work well only because they produce euphonic distortion.  I understand that you hate the FR64S/66S.  You are entitled to your feelings. Peace. Out.