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Reed 5T Opinions

I think the Reed 5T is a brilliant design. I have seen many negative comments out there but one very positive review.
It is a tangential tracker with only one negative factor and that is that it has a second but isolated horizontal bearing.
The bearing is of the sleeve type which is like a small version of a turntables spindle bearing. There would be essentially no laxity other than in the horizontal plane. It is driven by a very slow linear motor so virtually no vibration. That motor is controlled by a laser aimed at a sensor array.  The tonearm wand has brilliant needle bearings and has almost the same horizontal effective mass as vertical. There is no skating force at all. There are several arm wand materials of various effective masses so you can use any and all cartridges. The arms change out in seconds and you only need to adjust VTF. See it in action here  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q-Ai35XZsE sorry for the shaky camera. Comments? What am I missing?
128x128mijostyn

Showing 2 responses by thekong

thekong
203 posts
 

For discussion on high effective mass, it would be interesting to take a look at the following paper by Kuzma on their new Safir tonearm with a 60g effective mass. In contrast to the common believe that cartridge / tonearm resonance frequency should ideally be in the 8-12hz range, Kuzma stated it would do no harm for the resonance frequency to get down to 3hz. 

https://www.kuzma.si/media/uploads/files/SAFIR%209%20Technical%20aspects%20220409(1).pdf

thekong
203 posts
 

@mijostyn , I am no engineer, so I can't even start to argue with Frank Kuzma on his design and viewpoint. I posted the link not because I agree or disagree with it, but just thought it would be an interesting viewpoint for discussion on effective mass and resonance frequency.

 

I have been using a Rockport 6000 for nearly 20 years, and when set up correctly with appropriate cartridges, I can't hear any problem. Can I get better sound (to my ear) with another tonearm? Who knows? But then I also have one of your beloved Schroder CB, and a 4Point 14". Both of these arms, as well as the Rockport, have their own sets of characters that I like. For audio equipment, I usually based my judgement on actual usage and listening, rather than on theories!

 

What I found interesting, as Dover has stated before, is you seem to keep changing your stance from post to post! In a recent thread you started, you stated the new Kuzma Safir looked like a winner, and you thought the 4 Point 9" was a better design than the SAT. Now that I posted a link on Kuzma defending the high mass of their Safir arm, all of a sudden, according to you, Kuzma just " has moments of genius but he will make whatever people think they want to buy so, he makes one of everything and is committed to not much. "

 

Not sure if you aware, the Kuzma Safir, which you thought looked like a winner, has a 60g effective mass. While it is still lower than the horizontal effective mass of the Rockport / Kuzma Airline, it is higher than that of Dover's ET. So, if you think the ET would bounced around at 2-3 Hz, the Safir would be even worst.

 

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