Fidelity Research cartridges

Diggin’ deeper in Fidelity-Research products from the past I finally received the latest models. It’s MCX-3 designed by Ozawa-San for FR in the 80s, later in 86 Ozawa established Shelter.

Look at the images of my NOS MCX-3
This New Old Stock sample has been stored for over 30 years and I’m a second owner. Opened the box yesterday, what a beauty!

Some interesting facts from his webside:

“Born in Tokyo Ozawa-San was fascinated from boyhood by the timbre of music instruments and started self-designing audio products to realize high fidelity sound reproduction. He designed many tube amplifiers when he was in junior high school age, and majored in electrical engineering at the university with aiming an amplifier designer, but he found the charm of analog pickup which can practice the whole design of sound reproduction that he imagines. In 1982 he joined Fidelity Research (FR) and started his career as a phono cartridge designer. He participated to design MC phono cartridges of MCX-3, MCX-5 and other products during his work at FIdelity-Research.”

Few month ago I bought my first Shelter, it’s model 5000. Same style of packaging, very nice display case (similar to PMC-3, but bigger).

So many great cartridges in the vaults now. I’m excited

Discovered an interesting sample of the Fidelity-Research FR-7f

The cartridge body is silver color just like older FR-7, but the model is FR-7F (which is normally black). 

Silver body version of the FR-7f must be rare, probably from the first bunch with low serial numbers. 

The difference is only color (since visually it's FR-7f) ? 

Anyone ? 

Dear chakster, I was only teasing you. On the Balkan we have very
exciting folk music. It is more popular than classical or jazz. 
But what do you mean with ''My age is also way different''? 
 I see that you admire many carts which I also admire. Those
are primary MC kinds but our consensus suggest no relation to
age (grin). 

However those ’’old scold’’ regarded your kind
of music as noise not as music. Comparing funk with, say, Bach
is a kind of sacrilege. No wonder you like MM kinds (grin).

@nandric

Impressionism in Art was considered as rubbish in the beginning, so what?

Different strokes for different folks.

I was working in Saint Petersburg Philharmonia for half year and was listening to classical music live on stage, not on the records. This is one of the best place for classical music in Russia.

But my musical taste is different than yours, what’s the problem? My age is also way different.

For me and for many others the 70’s is probably the best period of time for music in many genres, no matter is it rock (which i don’t like) or jazz-funk and soul. If i stuck in 20th century then where you’re, in the 18th century?

P.S. I like both MM and MC cartridges, but i do not listen to classical music at all, sorry.

I have Bach LP, local pressing from the 60's, never played it, the cover looks very nice :) 

Dear chakster, there was an thread about ''old school tonearms''
or similar. There are of course also ''old school  gentlemen''.
Your kind of music was (back) then not considered as ''decent''.
Decent was only classical music with exception of national (folk) music. The excuse was of course patriotism. 
Curious how ''decency'' can change as function of time. I got
so to speak an reproach in the sense ''those old people like only
classical music''. However those ''old scold'' regarded your kind
of music as noise not as music. Comparing funk with, say, Bach
is a kind of sacrilege. No wonder you like MM kinds (grin).

IMO if it’s good cartridge MC has to be superior. Don’t get me wrong - it’s my opinion, it’s subjective to my hearing apparatus :)

It depends on the choice of MM/MI, i don’t use ordinary MM cartridges at all, after a years on audiogon i realized that some people never tried a good MM and don’t know about certain models. I’ve mentioned convenience earlier, this is the goal of MM (when we have many spare styli with different profiles, different cantilevers). Actually MM/MI can be very good even compared to top MC.

But anyway, i like both types (MM and MC) and it’s interesting. In my system i have two identical turntables with 2 tonearms on each turntable, so i can compare everything. FR-64fx with N60 and FR 7fz cartridge is always there in use.

I do not listen to classical music as Nandric, jazz, funk and soul from the 60s/70s is what i listen to (mostly).

I can't compare MM against Ikeda cartridges against MM -transient response and and fluency of orchestral passages is in another level.

Thus if MC cartridge is in pair with any MM/MI cartridge I am skipping it.

It's not limited to Ikeda - I like SPU Gold Reference especially for jazz vocals. 

Also I have heard some prototypes MC frontcoil with electromagnet which was very special. 

IMO if it's good cartridge MC has to be superior. Don't get me wrong - it's my opinion, it's subjective to my hearing apparatus :)

My Gosh what an romantic picture. If this picture say something
about you than I understand your problem. But there is this 
prosaic saying : ''love make people blind''.

The only way to understand is actually HEAR/USE the cartridges.
I don’t want to change/swap cartridge or toneam utill i understand the sound character, the reason why some carts waiting in line. It’s the process, time consumming. I am stuck with Miyabi because it’s a pure pleasure to listen to it, so nice that i don’t even want to change anything. On the right side last night there was my Glanz 61 on EPA-100 and it was also great, but different. 

Dear chakster, comparing apples with pears is curious business. 

But he may think that provided the cart
is new or NOS it will function for the rest of his life.

No, i don't think there is any cart in my collection that i will use for the rest of my life, still searching for "my sound" and this is the reason to try so many. Each MC i compare to my best MM. 

Yes , special  for ''choose chakster'' . I am wondering why he
bought Ikeda 9c, III without insurance that the precious can
be repaired in the West? But he may think that provided the cart
is new or NOS it will function for the rest of his life.

That is good news, thank you Nandric, now I do have plan B.
 

Addition, I forget to mention the following. The stylus by Ikeda's
9 series cantileverless kinds are fastened in different way to their
''holder''. This means critical reg. stylus length. However ''Expert
stylus'' also produces styli and can cut them at the right length.
This may imply that other ''repair services'' can't provide the
right styli. To me the repair possibility is necessary  pre condition
to buy any cart.

bukanona,  the new stylus  for Ikeda's cantileverless 9 series
cost 278 GBP by ''Expert stylus''. If other repair possibilities
are available is unknown. But, as I already mentioned, the
owner of ''Expert stylus'' is good friend of the Decca owner
so, possibly, they can figure out what can be done. 
BTW their own stylus is called ''Partrace'' an version of micro
ridge.

just try to push it a little bit more - up to 2,3-2,5g. It will be OK for you and your records. 

Hope it will be ok with my records

If to sum up records not convenient at all. Takes too much place and if to use cantileverless better no wraps and they have to be clean.
Hard life.

 You should chose some other hobby . Say stamp collection (grin).

I already collect records 

Dear chakster, ''not so convenient?'' You should chose some other
hobby . Say stamp collection (grin). 

bukanona, the biggest worry of us both (my friend Don and  I )
was if and where possible repair can be done. It is nice  to have
 two repair services. I will ask Don about the price of his repair
for comparison sake. 

@bukanova interesting, i know Nandric blame me, but my Ikeda 9 III still on the shelf along with FR64s + b60. I like the convenience of conventional cartridges like the FR7fz and Miyabi. It seems like cantileverless Ikeda is not so convenient? 

If you speak about Ikeda cantileverless yes it's difficult to get it as new. Mine CV had some distortion in left channel. Not much but after a while it was evident that I have to look for service. In Ikeda canleverless is you start to get distortion ussually it doesn't mean that diamond is worn it means that magnet gap is filled with debris and coils can't move freely. You have to keep your very records clean if you want to use it for a long time without worries. Cleaning isn't the service which changes sound or Ikeda ideas. Also Ikeda used quite tricky method to align coils and to void vobble of stylus but it can be adjusted quite fast if it is known what to do.
Em price in Yahoo japan was circa 200 eur so I was too curious not to try. This time it won't be easy as master will have to do new coil but for such peanuts it's worth to try. Diamond is good. 

Was it problematic to find fully working original sample?
I use only original cartridges, all my FR and Ikeda are like new, fully original. I wouldn't do any rebuild of any special cartridges handcrafted by masters like Ikeda. I would rather find another original sample in mint condition if something wrong with those carts, but luckily mine are good. 

If there anyone else who will rate Miyabi cartridges over FR-7f and Fz ? 

nandric, my CV was rebuilt by my friend ~ 1 year ago, if Expert stylus will fail ask him:  service et cartridgeretip dot com

As about suspension - EM has hollow white neoprene balls as part of suspension. Not balls to be exact it’s more looks like short white mushrooms.

In my 9 CV it’s less complicated - no "mushrooms" present.  

Suspensions are different.

Dear chakster, We in Europe are very fond about those ''Encyclopedia's''. They cover 3 m in one's library and testify 
about ''high ranking'' of the person involved. ''High ranking'' in academic sense. Lucky us we don't need to spend so much
money on ''books''. We have chakster as our ''encyclopedia''.
Obviously Russian internet should not be underestimated. 
My brother Don got the other model with a shell called ''Supremo''
but without stylus. However Don also owns Decca and knew that
the person by ''Expert stylus'' is a good friend with the new owner
of Decca. So his speculation was that both will figure out how to
fix his Supremo. They deed so Don got his Supremo much cheaper
than Nandric his Rex. Both carts are bought in Japan . I hate
their intermediary. All of them charge fees for totally unknown
services...

1) Ikeda 9 EM @bukanova:

■ Price: 170,000 yen in 1986
■ Power generation method: MC type
■ Output voltage: 0.2mV (5cm / sec 1kHz 45 °)
■ Tracking force: optimum 2.5g
■ Load resistance: 3Ω
■ Needle tip: Special ellipse
■ Own weight: 15.7 g (main body) 18.5 g (shell)
■ Replacement needle: Unit replacement
■ Release April 1986


2) Ikeda 9 CV:

■ Price 81,000 yen in 1984
■ Power generation method: MC type
■ Output voltage: 0.18mV
■ Needle pressure: 2.0g optimum
■ Load resistance: 3Ω
■ Needle tip: Special ellipse
■ Weight: 14.5g
■ Exchange needle: unit exchange (64,800 yen)
■ Release July 1994


3) Ikeda 9 C III
(this is what i have, mice came with Ikeda shell of the same color)

■ Price: 69,000 yen in 1989
■ Power generation method: MC type
■ Output voltage: 0.17mV
■ Tracking force: optimal 2.0g

■ Load resistance: 3Ω

■ Needle tip: Special ellipse

■ Weight: 14.5 g
■ Replacement needle: Unit replacement
■ Release: October 1989

Direct coupling power generation mechanism without cantilever.

*There is also a model with a shell

4) Ikeda 9 REX @nandric:

■ Price 225,000 yen in 1993
■ Power generation method: MC type
■ Output voltage: 0.18mV (5cm / sec 1kHz 45 °)
■ Tracking force: optimum 1.5g
■ Load resistance: 3Ω
■ Needle tip: Special ellipse

■ Own weight: 16g

■ Release October: 1993

*There is also a model with a shell (230,000 yen)

@bukanona, My friend Don Griffiths has one FR-7f for sell
(dgriffiths et gmail dot com). 
What do you mean with ''different suspension''? All cantileverless
kinds have the same suspension. You may mean compliance? 
My Rex can be used with 1.5 g VTF the other version 2.5 -3 g. 

My two cents about Ikeda 9 EM
Better than 9 CV. Different suspension design. Better sound. Very even and fluent. Even in mono mode :)
Although as one channel shot (open coil), I'll see final image after repair.

So will hunt next for 9 REX and  FR-7f

Dear dover, ''the holly grail'' is metaphorical name for the
relation of comparison. The schematics is : a is beter than b,
b is better than c, etc.: R (a,b,c...n). Your statement was that
(your) Nova 13 D sounds better than my REX and your own
Kiwame. Because I do value your opinion I thought : ''Nandric
you must try this 13 D!'' But my Dutch background advised:
''ask first'' before buying. Your ''refurbishing story about 13 D''
needed nearer explanation. So I made ''some savings'' 
by asking. BTW the Dutch have the reputation of being the best
traders in the world (grin). 

@nandric 
I'm not so naive as to think there are not better cartridges out there of the new generation than what I have, but they come at a high cost. You have some pretty nice cartridges in your collection. There is as much to be gained from optimisng the synergy between arm/cartridge and cartridge/phono than there is trying to find the holy grail. 

Thanks again dover, I nearly bought one increasing my MC collection
to 41 samples (grin). Difficult to accept the situation with 40 carts
while Nova 13 D seems to be the best but outside of my collection.
At last I learned from the Dutch to be more careful by spending...
They have an saying like: ''think before acting''. My translation was
''ask dover before buying''. 

@nandric 
My Dynavector Karat Nova 13D is no longer standard.
It has higher output than the original and the stylus profile is now micro ridge. On each of its rebuilds by Dynavector it came back with revised specs. I would be wary of buying one now, as they are fragile and not serviceable any more.

Dear dover, Does your praise reg. Dynavector Nova 13 d apply
for 13 d in general or for your by Dyna ''refurbished'' sample in
particular? Before I buy one more cart I would like to know. 

@dover  : 3 eggs?, that's where comes your overall misunderstood.

R.

Dear @dover  : FR as Technics and other vintage japanese tonearm designs took Stevenson alignment as their sample alignment and seems to me that all of them did not matters to much ( in those times. ) about accuracy critical importance on the alignment set up parameters but FR took Stevenson too:

The FR66 specs says: 16.8° as offset angle and ST is 16.84° and for the overhang FR says 12mm and ST 11.8. If you make the calculations for the FR 64 is more or less the same.

FR choosed by ignorance Stevenson. The Ikeda IT-407and 345 are the same as the FR tonearms.

From where came/comes your statement that they don't took as sample Stevenson alignment?

AZ: ther FR headshell integrated cartridges has not an azymuth mechanism to change it when it needs.

R.

Thanks chakster, I had no idea that there are so many. Anyway I am glad to see that Ikeda admirer are growing (grin). As you can see
even choosy Dover is one of those. While I decided not to buy any
new cart anymore this ''damn Dover'' caused me to search for the Dynavector Nova 13 d. I found one in UK in NOS state and hope 
that is still  available. 

Ikeda-San passed away last year, find all his legendary cartridges here.
There are 14 different versions of the cantileverless Ikeda 9 handmade by Isamu Ikeda himself.

@nandric 
As you know I have an Ikeda Kiwame, having previously had the original Ikeda 9. I like them very much, they are quick and very open through the mids - easily the best cartridge for me back in the 80's.

The Decca London Gold with Garrott Microscanner - very quick but the Ikeda at its best has more flesh and bones through the mids.
I first had the Ikeda back in the 80's - at this time it was very rare outside of Japan and certainly no magazine had reviewed it. This is why it is relatively unknown. Rowland Complement was the only version known in the US.

The main issue was variability, some tracked beautifully, others were difficult.

Subsequently, my Dynavector Nova 13D which I have owned since the early 90's, has more resolution than the Ikeda particularly in the mids to upper mids and tracks beautifully since it was last upgraded by Dynavector Japan with Microridge stylus and other tuning.

I dont have much experience with the new Ikedas, I have heard the Kai, preferred it to the Air Tight cartridge on the same TT. In some ways I think the Ikeda 9TS is more musical than the more expensive models - but thats only an impression from very brief listening in desparate systems.

Thanks dover, Do you mean that the ''new owners'' produced this new ''9 series carts''? So I can still admire our ''old Ikeda'' (grin).
BTW what is your opinion about those ''cantileverless kinds''?
I am wondering why  those Decca  admirer never discovered 
this MC kind of dynamic wonder?

@nandric 

No wonder Ikeda returned to the ''old kind'' in his latest 9 series.

Actually Ikeda never returned. As far as I am aware, Ikeda had nothing to do with the current range of Ikeda cartridges.

@rauliruegas 

Dear @edgewear : """ but I don’t hear the sonic benefits compared to Stevenson, so I decided to stick with Ikeda’s original specifications.."""
It’s weird, for say the least, that you can’t be abble/aware of the quality performance in cartridges running with Lôfgren A alignment and Stevenson alignment when the last one has way higher tracking distortion levels in all recorded LP surfce but the lAst 3mm.

The reason @edgewear cannot hear the difference between Baerwald & Stevenson on his set up is because Ikedas original specifications are not Baerwald.

@rauliruegas 

unfortunatelly Ikeda was a follower of the ignorance of almost all tonearms japanese manufacturers whom choosed by ignorance Stevenson alignment, was like a wrong " fashion " in those times

Ignorance is like beauty, it is in the eye of the beholder. Ikeda did not use Stevenson.

@rauliruegas 

additional to that fashion Ikeda made other mistake when left fixed the AZ alignment parameter too.

Have no idea what you are trying to say here. I did ask Brenda, but even though she laid 3 eggs today, I still could not understand what point you are making.

IMO Ikeda took a as sample  Empire tonearm and made it better. As I understood he have improved it further after Fidelity Research. So he was follower of Empire. 
As about geometry my Saec 308sx works with weird geometry. So to stick to geometry as the holy grail isn't easy path.
I am till today feel embaressement about Saec due to bad geometry and yes I don't feel safe with it. Although it works so I will keep it despite bad math. 
 

Dear @edgewear:  """  This is clearly what Ikeda had intended. """

unfortunatelly Ikeda was a follower of the ignorance of almost all tonearms japanese manufacturers whom choosed by ignorance Stevenson alignment, was like a wrong " fashion " in those times and additional to that fashion Ikeda made other mistake when left fixed the AZ  alignment parameter too. 


R.

Dear chakster, With MM kinds we have had the luxury of Raul's
investigations and recommendations. But those who prefer 
MC kinds were on their own. This was an much more expensive
search. So the only way was to sell ''some'' in order  to buy 
some other. That is why I kept FR-7f and sold all other. With 
Ikeda's series 9 cantiverless kinds the situation was even more
difficult because of lack of information. Incomprehensible to my
mind but Ikeda obviously deed not spend much money for P&R.
So there are only few who are familiar with this series. No
wonder Ikeda returned to the ''old kind'' in his latest 9 series.
I own 9 TT but , alas, the FR-7fz and REX are in different league.

@nandric FR-702. According to Syntax this one
is made for European market. I am also not sure about that but
well that this one has shorter cantilever than the rest.

Probably refurbished sample if it’s shorter, just guessing

@edgewear On visual inspection the cantilever of the MC-702 doesn’t appear to be any shorter. This can be deceptive, but it is confirmed by the fact that it exactly hits the three ’o’ points of the Stevenson alignment on the Feickert protractor, just like the other three.

Dear @edgewear : """ but I don’t hear the sonic benefits compared to Stevenson, so I decided to stick with Ikeda’s original specifications.."""


It’s weird, for say the least, that you can’t be abble/aware of the quality performance in cartridges running with Lôfgren A alignment and Stevenson alignment when the last one has way higher tracking distortion levels in all recorded LP surfce but the lAst 3mm.
Something is wrong down there with your room/system resolution levels or even with your ears sensitivity or the overall analog rig and set up.

R.

Dear bukanonas, Probably because mammoth tusk are found in 
Russia I confused the producers (grin). I love FR-fz as much as
the 9 REX. The REX is latest in the series 9 cantileverless kinds 
with unbelievable compliance. Recommended VTF 1.5 g. I use
1.7 g. Wish you luck with 9EM. 

Dear Nandric, if you mean Aidas brand cartridge, he's not Russian (I mean master) and it's mammoth tusk.  If you do mentioned 9REX could you compare it with FR-7fz? Which VTF you use for 9REX? 

I will try to revive Ikeda 9EM soon.