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Tonearms: Ripoff?

If you search for tonearm recommendations you'll find an overwhelming amount of praise for $1k and less products. Audiomods and Jelco are the two most mentioned.

The Audiomods is just some guy making Rega-based tonearms in a workshop. Just some guy is putting out tonearms that compete with tonearms that cost many times the price -- from the likes of SME, Clearaudio, VPI, Graham, etc.

So the question is -- are tonearms just a scam? How is it that everyone loves Audiomods and Jelco to death and never talks about / dismisses high end tonearms? Is it because there's no real difference between one of these low-cost tonearms and the high end ones? Is an Audiomods Series V ** really ** the equivalent of a SME V? Some guy in a workshop equals the famed precision of SME? Is that once you have the math and materials worked out all tonearms are essentially the same? Or is it that most owners of record players online are dumpster-diving for vintage gear and simply can't afford to listen to better?

So, what's going on?
madavid0
fleschler
1,919 posts
 
Tom Port of Better Records recommends the Triplanar and uses one.  My SME IV also has great bass, probably not as good as the Triplanar though.
ishis
6 posts
 
Went from a  MG-1.1 Air bearing Linear Tracking Tonearm to a THALES Simplicity II...same Lyra Skala cartridge.

Won't be going back anytime soon!!! lol
fleschler
1,919 posts
 
I really like the Thales concept.  Does it have a similar sound as the SME IV or V is the question?   I wonder if the bass is as robust with those narrow arms and more delicate looking rear assembly.  Otherwise, I prefer it to the VPI unipivot arms.
vair68robert's avatar
vair68robert
592 posts
 
This has tread has sure created some Nastiness ,
over opinions about the cost of tonearms over $1000.00
being a " rip-off " .
I have stated that I don't think they are ,
one might argue that the  Profit Margins  on higher end tonearms
( equipment ) are excessive .

Elizabeth , I disagree with you about the " haves " ruining the hobby .
I believe that they help all levels of music lovers by not only stimulating
the continued advancement with their money but also with simulating the second and third markets for average income audiophiles .
At one time all of my equipment had been pre-owned ,
thanks to people who can afford to buy the latest and greatest .



madavid0 OP
214 posts
 
So, there's a few Durand arms that've come up today. One is a Talea for $5k, and the other is a Telos for $14k -- setting aside the Telos which this guy is asking for an amount that costs more than my enitre vinyl rig including the $1k I just spent on a Hashimoto SUT -- the Talea at $5k seems to be a huge amount for what you're getting. Let's say I drop the seller down to $4.5k...what am I getting with this arm that the $3.5k Helius Omega Silver Ruby with cryo silver wiring won't give me? Or the 3k for the Clearaudio Universal with VTA? I like the Universal because it looks cool, but it's offputting there's no reviews of it out there.

BTW, Durand also sells a record weight for $3.5k.....


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