is tracking force equivalent to compliance. Low tracking force means high compliance and vice versa.No they are not equivalent, but generally low compliance cartridges tend to track better at higher tracking forces and vice versa. Some folk like Halcro are using heavy arms with MM's with medium compliance and get away with it, but the top van den hul's high compliance as well as their short cantilever's like on the colibri are a recipe for disaster with heavy arms as noted on van den hul's website ( see Q&A section ).. So it comes back to whether you want to run the van den hul on your 301 as to whether you choose one of these arms. fwiw amongst many tablesin my collection, I have a 301 with FR64S giving excellent results with suitable cartridges. I have heard the EMTvdh/FR64S combo giving great results, particularly on large scale classical music. SPU's and Koetsu's will of course work well with the 66s/407/66fx. You might be able to ask van den hul to tweak your cartridge to suit the heavier arms but I suspect he would advise against it. I certainly would never run a VDH on my FR64S. Van den huls own reference for listening is the SME V @ 12g effective mass and he tests the cartridges in his workshop on the Technics EPA100. |
FR64S is best bang for the buck. FR66 is better, but expensive to buy. 66FX I have never heard, but is lighter mass and costs less to buy than 66S. 407 has mixed reviews - most folk believe the FR64S/66 are the best built, and sounding. There have been some reports of quality issues with the Ikeda range ( not built by Ikeda, founder of FR ). The FR’s have the lateral weight balance on the side to balance the whole arm/cartridge, which was omitted on the Ikeda series arms. One advantage with the longer arms is that you will have lower tracking error with the fixed headshell cartridges such as the EMT/SPU where you cannot alter the tracking angle. I have had 2 FR64S with no problems. |
The 66fx is very expensive and very rare model with banana shaped armwand (only this model), look here for the specs, the cost if very close to the 66s. I wish i could buy one of them for myself. 66fx goes for about $5000 and can be even more expensive (or slightly cheaper if you’re lucky). While the shorter 64fx can be found for under $2500 NOS 66s goes for $9000 nowadays (or cheaper if you’re lucky) with b-60 vta base. But the 66s goes for about $1700-2000 (depends on condition). The weak part of this tonearm is stock base, it’s garbage, must be replaced with b-60 VTA base (this base is extremely expensive, even for replica, the most expensive is ikeda b60 base that goes for $1500). FX short models comes with much better base, it was made later and finishing is better, tonearm easily can be transformed for use with SPU and FR7f series with optional W-250 superheavy counterweight. This is how i use my 64fx. The difference of the FX series is mix of materials and higher damping factor. 64s is undamped, solid steel, can be used with lower counterweight W-170 to reduce the mass. W-250 is heavy one. Another option is W-210 counterweight from 64 model (compatible with 64s). I just bought NOS. P.S. I have Reed 3p "12 Cocobolo and this is a very nice tonearm, fully adjustable. Vintage tonearms is another passion. In terms of usability Reed 3p is definitely better than 64s or 64fx! You could look for Frank Schroeder tonearms if the price is not a problem. |
Another Reed 3P (with vdH Colibri) and FR user here, although my experience is limited to the 64s and 64fx. In terms of ’adjustability’ I agree with chakster that Reed is most versatile. But my sample of the 3P has a fixed headshell and mounting and/or dismounting the Colibri is not exactly my idea of fun. So for my other cartridges I use the FR arms. Therefore in terms of ’usability’ the FR are better and I do prefer the 64s (with B-60) over the 64fx, especially with the heavy FR7 and SPU type cartridges. There is much information about the FR64/66 series and opinions are divided about which is better. The original price difference between both models was modest (ca. 35.000 JPY if I remember correctly), but apparently most buyers chose the 64s. Consequently the 66s is much rarer, which explains the huge price difference on the current market. This does not seem to be an indication of a major quality difference, so 64s is indeed most ’bang for the buck’. Most folks who had the opportunity to compare them do seem to prefer the 66s. But I guess if they had to pay the current market price they’d want or even demand it to be better. I know I would.... |
My Reed 3p has fixed headshell, but i must say that latest version comes with special headshells that can be changed easily. Nandric ordered custom made shells for his Reed. With my first version of 3p it’s impossible. With sme type headshells it’s more fun to swap cartridges for sure. The difference between FR-64s and FR-66s is the length of the armwand as far as i know. I’m wondering why no one never offered a rebuild of 64s with longer (stainless steel) custom made armwand? The difference in price between 64s and 66s is so huge, but in fact this is ONLY the length of the armwand you’re paying many thousand dollars for (because B-60 can be found separately). It’s so difficult to disassemble one armwand and replace it with longer custom made armwand (same stainless steel material) ? It will save you $3000 at least. @nandric what you think ? |
My version of Ikeda IT-345 is earlier version (matte finishing), not later CR version (they are gloss). This is wonderful tonearm! If you like mechanics you can’t chose just one tonearm, this is a problem, i want to have all of them. It’s really impossible to say which one is better, because they are made for different cartridges (from different eras). And i have two turntables designed for 2 tonearms each, so 4 tonearms in use. I never tried Schroeder, but this is another highly regarded modern high-end tonearm and Frank is a nice guy, you can watch interview with him on youtube (he’s a friend of Peter Ledermann). Another reason why i can’t say one of my tonearm is better than another (Reed 3p, Ikeda IT-345, FR64s, FR64fx...) is because i do not use them for 10 years next to each other, i know that our preferences depends on many factors (including other components in the chain and even our own mood in different period of time). I am still in process. But those 4 tonearms is what i would like to keep. At the moment i am using Lustre GST-801 with Miyabi MCA more often than anything else. Some older audiophiles have much longer experience with tonearms and i believe they can make more categorical statement about which one is the best/better, but still it is just a personal opinion, because our systems always different (often completely different). Reed 3p was my first modern high-end tonearm and i’ve been using it for a long time with MC and MM cartridges, this tonearm is wonderful, the effective mass of my model is 18g and it was the heaviest one. FR-64s mass is 35g, so as you can see they are totally different. Prior to Reed i’ve been using Technics EPA-100 |
I owned at least 10 FR-64S. Since the 80is. Never longed for 66S because I was in love with 64S and consider this one as an beauty and 66 as an beast . I don't believe that 10 " arm is lesser than 12" arm. Besides the FR-64S can be made less heavy with 170 g. weight and lighter headshells. But to get an perfect sample one need to buy many and exchange some parts which lost the spring on fastening screws together with plastic peace on their ''nose'' to protect aluminum scale and steel at the opposite sides. I now own the copper and silver (inside) kinds. My Reed 3 P is , in some way, similar to Dertonarm 'Arche'' headshell. By Arche one can buy additional insert pieces on which the cart is fastened. So one can use the same frame for as many carts one wants .By Reed 3 P one can change in similar way the as ''insert piece'' made headhells and pre-adjust carts on them as if one owns more headhells than one. My experience with Ikeda was an mixed blessing. Not as easy to adjust and use as FR-64S and not better sounding. So I sold Ikeda and kept (both) FR-64 S. Also easy by cart exchange. When FR 64/66 FX was produced the argument (from German importer) was that FR-64/ 66 was much more difficult to produce because hardening steel was much more difficult to work with in comparison with aluminum. The same was the case with SME arms. The first series were made from steel the later from aluminum. I don't want to suggest that the same reason apply for Ikeda 345 or other Ikeda versions (grin). |
Of course there are more 'classic' Japanese tonearms to consider. The Micro Seiki MAX-237/282 series is highly regarded but very pricey. And if it is usability you're after, you might also look at the Audiocraft AC-3300/4400 series (10" and 12" respectively). This system with two point bearing offered a wide choice of interchangeable armpipes: three straight pipes with fixed headshells for different effective mass, an S-pipe with universal SME bajonet and even dedicated pipes for EMT TSD and Ortofon SPU A type cartridges. Also variable oil damping and a VTA tower, similar to the Reed. In my experience this tonearm will accomodate just about every cartridge you can imagine, both modern and 'old school'. It is the most universal tonearm system I own. It's also an absolute joy to use and sounds terrific. I have tried my Colibri in the AC-4400, using the lightest straight armpipe and sonically it is at least on a par with Reed 3P. Unfortunately a 'fully decked' AC-4400 isn't exactly cheap either, but at least you can spread the cost, adding more armpipes and counterweights as you go along. These can still be found in Japan as separate items. The more common (and thus cheaper) armpipes of the earlier AC-3000/4000 series - in black or silver - will fit as well. If I was forced, I'd choose it over the Reed 3P and FR64s. |
Dear @kanchi647 : I can't know why with so many today tonearms designs you are looking for the WORST vintage tonearms ever and I mean it. Today: Triplanar, Durand latest gimball design, SME, Kuzma 4point, Reed, Schroeder, Thales, VPI gimball design, Da Vinci, etc. etc. If you look for vintage then the best are: MS MAX 282, Technics EPA 100 and the 100MK2 or the 501, Lustre GST-801, AT 1010, etc. Any of those tonearms outperforms any of the ones you asked for . The FR are undamped tonearms when all the other I mentioned here are very well damped designs and were designed that way because cartridges ( any ) ask for that damping no matters what. Btw, today exist a lot better cartridges than the SPU or Koetsu and one of them is the Vdh ones. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Dear @kanchi647 : I have not experiences with that tonearm but is an unipivot design that magnetic or nat makes it unstable. Its magnetic antiskating is not something new, the vintage Lustre GST-801 ( that's very good tonearm. ) came/comes with magnetic antiskate and magnetic VTF been a dynamic balanced design: this is design engineering. R. |
