Refurbish Fidelity Research Tonearms

I would like to recommend Robert Graetke of Analog Tube Audio, located in Germany. He did a great job on refurbishing my 64S.

@chakster no big secret as far as I'm concerned. I looked up the invoice of Robert Graetke of Analog Tube Audio, which amounts to €559,15 including tax and shipping. This quote was for a complete overhaul of my 64S (#051198), including new pure silver wiring (diameter 0.20 mm). Obviously the bulk of this total was labour cost (6 hours of work). In the process he also refreshed the grease of the dynamic balance spring. However, two years after the fact the VTF dial has become increasingly difficult to operate again. It's a common issue usually contributed to aging, but my experience now suggests a design flaw or else a problem with my sample. Either way I've found that static balancing sounds slightly better, so I stopped using it altogether. By contrast the dial of my 64FX has always been very smooth as well as more accurate.

@mijostyn, you say there is nothing special about ’boat anchor’ tonearms and low compliance moving coils, but exactly what modern technology and wisdom are you referring to that have rendered them archaic? The only real advance in cartridge design is the availability of more powerful magnets, enabling a better output/impedance ratio that potentially translates to better sonics. As you say modern technology and wisdom move on, but in vinyl playback it’s mostly towards ever more ridiculous pricing.

Also, your comment that high mass arms and low compliance carts induce accelerated record and stylus wear is a myth. My own record collection consists almost entirely of previously owned records from the late 50’s to the early 70’s. What do you think these records were played with in those days? Yet well kept copies (in NM to EX condition) have survived these guerrilla circumstances admirably and usually sound infinitely better than records pressed today, which 'benefit' from this latest technology and wisdom.

Of course you are entitled to believe that new is always better, but please don’t try to sell it as fact. And what’s the purpose of doing this in a thread about refurbishing one of these boat anchors you obviously don’t care for?

You say you want the best sound and don’t care what it takes. This suggests an open mind, but in the same sentence you contradict this by saying you try not to go backwards. Which suggests a closed mind towards anything not new. Why?

@rauliruegas I’m neither in the ’new is always better’ camp, nor the ’vintage rules’ one. There are great designs to be found in both. In phono cartridges there’s little real design innovation, yet ’archaic’ technologies are shamelessly reintroduced as new innovations. For example, several years ago Audio Technica presented the ART1000 as a major breakthrough. Of course the identical direct couple design was already issued by Victor in the 1980’s with the MC-L1000 (so they even ’paid hommage’ to the model number). As far as I know AT never acknowledged this, nor did any reviewer bother to mention it. Similarly, diamond cantilevers are now marketed as an innovative feature, but in the 80’s were commonly used in top end cartridges. These were certainly not cheap back then, but current pricing is just absurd. Last time I checked Namiki sells diamond cantilever/stylus assemblies B2B for ca. €1000, yet Koetsu charges its customers €4000 extra for this privilege (which is no more complicated to fit than their standard boron cantilever).

I agree with you that more innovation has happened in tonearm design. While the somewhat older Audiocraft AC-4400 is still my favorite tonearm, I can appreciate my ’modern’ Reed 3P for its refinement and versatility and certainly the 5P for its audacious design (unfortunately never had the chance to hear it). But for some of those ’archaic’ low compliance cartidges like SPU’s, FR7’s and yes, even current Koetsu’s and Miyajima’s there’s a special synergy with boat anchors like FR64/66. To each his own, but there are cases where those with a closed mind on ’old stuff’ are really missing out.

@syntax mostly agree with your post (which I hadn't seen before posting mine), except that I slightly prefer my 'modern' top carts like vdH Colibri XPW Blackwood (platinum coils, nla), Transfiguration Orpheus and Proteus, Ortofon A90 and A95 in the Audiocraft. But with SPU, FR7f(z), MC702, Ikeda 9 Rex, Miyabi Standard and Kiseki Lapis the FR64 rules!

@rauliruegas thanks for the info on the Xquisite cartridges that were unknown to me. I have no doubt that removing the joint pipe from the part list will make an audible difference, but as an innovation it's nowhere near as radical as completely removing the cantilever (like original Ikeda 9) or putting the coils directly above the stylus (like the Victor direct couple). The 'ambitious' price level is typical for this day and age, so I will pass on the 'privilege' of hearing it. 

@chakster perhaps I’m mistaken, but reports have suggested that the coils of the Victor MC-L1000 were not printed, like MC-1 and MC-L10. 

It all depends on the condition of the arm. I bought my 64fx with silver leads inside in mint condition and I wouldn’t dream of sending it to anyone for refurbishing as there’s nothing to refurbish. My 64s with copper leads inside had a longer, more intense prior life. Refurbishing as well as replacing the inside leads with silver has clearly improved its performance, so this was worth the investment.

I do have reason to believe that the importance of an uninterrupted tonearm cable is sonically overrated. Besides you will lose flexibility and if nothing else the resale value of your 64/66 will presumably drop like a brick. To each his own, but I’d never go there.