Fidelity Research FR5e


Does anyone have experience with this cart. I just picked one up but it is coming from Japan and won't arrive for a couple of weeks. 

I know know it is low compliance but not sure what it's sound signature will be. Lush and smooth or hard and detailed??? 

Any comments are welcome. 

Thanks 
ateal

Showing 1 response by chakster

This cartridge is so cheap so i bought many of them and in my experience the low inductance FR-5E is better than FR-6SE.

The versions of the FR-5 are Conical (5), Elliptical (5E) and also 5SE which i have never tried.

The weight of the cartridge itself is very low, i’ve had the best result with ZYX LIVE-18 headshell.

But this cartridge is nothing special compared to the Grace F-9F,AT-ML150, Garrott P77, Stanton 881s and the higher models of those Grace, AT, Stanton are on another level. If i remember correct even the Ortofon M20FL was superior to the FR-5E and FR-6e, but they are impossible to find for such a low price as the FR MM cartridges.

Later i have discovered the sound of Ikeda-San’s MC cartridges and they are indeed very special in my opinion, much better than his MM design. The champs are FR-7f and Fidelity-Research PMC-3

The best thing about FR-5E is the price, which is often under $60 if you know where to find them. It’s hard to imagine anyone can find some other MM cartridge at this price. I think you’re already have much better cartridges, so i don’t think you will be impressed much.