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Tonearm paralysis by analysis
So, I'm shopping for a tonearm to match with my MSL eminent ex (10 compliance, 9.5g).
I've been using with a Kuzma stabi s unipivot, which technically is too low mass for the cart. Does sound good though.
I'm pretty new to tonearm shopping and I've been reading, and reading, and reading and I feel like I'll never make a decision so I thought it would be a good time to ask for people's thoughts.
Budget maxes at $5000csn (3500usd) and I like buying used as I'm a deal hunter.
Obviously, I would prefer to keep thousands in my pocket for other fun stuff, so a $5000 arm really has to be worth moving from a $3000 one, for example.
My cartridge I think would like a big heavy arm, and having had a unipivot for 8 years or so I hanker for a big, solid sexy arm.
I'm really looking for any and all thoughts, anything to make me feel good about making a decision...I just don't know enough about tonearm design to be able to really analyze and imagine what it will sound like so need to rely on reviews and advice.
Main contenders:
EMT 997 ($3500cdn) 1 year old
Ikeda 407 $4200 cdn pretty new and light use
Moerch dp8 $3500 - 1 year old
Older Reed - $3500
Fr64s from Japan, probably around $2500cdn. My concern here is I don't know if I will need to rebuild, or if I'm qualified to determine that. That said, they really appeal to me
Graham Phantom ii supreme $5500cdn
8 responses Add your response
Dear @superchunk : In reality your MSL cartridge is a medium compliances and does not needsa heavy effective mass tonearm. Japanese measures the cartridge compliance at 100hz, so those 10cu in true are around 16cu. Do it you a favor and don'tmates it with heavy tonearms. Any Reed tonearm wand is very good mate for the MSL you own and the Reed tonearms are very good designand first rate quality excecution to its design.
Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R.
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I wanted a LOOOONG arm, found this 12.5" effective length from Russia New Art Vinyl Blackbird 12.5" 5 pin din only $817. usd plus shipping ..... Luckily I bought a Square Deal 3 Year Warranty for it, my early model with loose litz wires did not have the 5 pin din. Insulation wore off where the wire exited the arm base. Used the warranty to have VAS re-wire it with a VPI Mini-Din/RCA Junction Box.
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Then you just want a new tonearm with a high effective mass. You've listed a few, except that with the Moerch, you need to specify one of the heavy arm wands, and with the Reed, you want the cocobolo or panzerholz arm wands. The other Reed wood options are not necessarily high in effective mass. The FR64S is terrific for very low compliance cartridges, if you pair it with a high mass headshell and NOT the FR headshells, which are for some reason not so good. I use an Ortofon LH9000 with my FR64S. The LH9000 weighs 18g. And you want the optional B60 base with the FR64S, because it adds mass damping. Also, if you don't want simply to add mass to your present tonearm, ANY other tonearm can be made high in effective mass by adding mass at the headshell. |
