Who owns/owned a Fidelity Research FR1 MK3F & what is similar but better

Well assuming you also own either FR-64 or FR-66, suitable phono-pre

or SUT, you should try  one of the FR-7 series carts. Preferably FR-7

fz version. There is a thread ''short choot out'' in which FR-7 fz is

compared (among other) with Koetsu Coral stone  with undecided

(2 : 2) result.. I needed 10 years for this discovery you can start

tomorrow. This btw is the sense of our forum: learning from other

members expereinece.

Our versatile old member Dertonarm beloging to the so called ''German

group'' (Syntax and Thuchan) was/is a big admirer of Ikeda san and

his products. In particular the FR-64/66 tonearms and series FR-7 carts.

which he used as his reference till he designed and produced his own.

tonearms and carts. But to me the best tribute to Ikeda san is writen

by our member ddriveman in his post ''mini-shootout '' with comparison

between SPU, Koetsu, Fidelity Research and Ikeda 9 (the catileverless

cart) . Alas I can only provide the date of his contribution in the MM

thread (09-28-2014). The remarcable outcome of this ''shootout'' is

the undecided ranking between an +30 years old cart (FR-7 fz) and

the modern Koetsu Coral stone (2 : 2  votes from the participants

in this experiment). My own ''vote'' is FR-7fz= Ikeda 9 C; I wish I

could afford the Koetsu even without diamond cantilever (grin).

''Any flavor of the week cartridge will do it...''.

Will do what Syntax? ''It'' is not predicative ''by nature'' and means

nothing without further specification. Your comment is more suitable

for the MM thread I think. You should check the question asked by ateal .

Hi chakster, I am, alas, not familiar with Miyajima carts you mentioned

but well with Miyabi Standard. Takeda san the designer is actually

discovered by M. Levinson who ordered ''his'' carts by Takeda and

sold under his own. (firm) name. His ''Cello'' is the most beautiful cart

ever made in my opinion. Krell copied Levinson and sold two models

under his own name. Both made unwillingly P&R for Takeda who later on

produced the same cart under his own brand  ''Miyabi''. Alas not enymore

available but certainly one of the best carts ever produced. I hope I will not

 get reprimand from Raul or Syntax for my opinion?

I don't remember postfix ''f'' after Mk 3 but I compared the FR-1

with my series 7 carts : FR-7f, FR-7 fz and 702. The FR-1 was

very good with piano music but the 7 series are in a different

league. That is why I sold the FR-1. to andremusik. For a ''modest

price'' btw.

Hi chakster, The diffrence between FR-7 f and fz is the higher output

by fz: 0, 2 mV versus 0, 15 mv. The 702 has the shortest cantilever.

The question or the ''problem'' of the stylus shape is not yet settled.

So conical stylus is still relevant. Andereoli (Magic diamond) swears

by this shape while Cotter has chosen  the FR-7f  instead of other

FR-7 kinds. The relationship between the grooves and stylus shape

should be explained by the more technical members in our forum. 

I use at present Denon AU-S1 SUT in my ''lab system'' with SP-

10 mk 2 and Ikeda 345 tonearm. The phono-pre is the improved

Jasmine :LP 2 . The speakers are Verity Audio Fidelio.

In our discussion about FR-64/66 in which the passion was more

important ''argument'' than technical ussues J. Carr mentioned

Ikeda 345 tonearm as ''Ikeda's best'' so far. I still love my FR-64

but use the Ikeda 345. Preferably with FR-7 series carts (fz,f and

702) and the Ikeda 9 (the cantileverless kind). My ''new'' Nakamichi

MC 1000 (re-tiped by Exper Stylus with Paratrace stylus) just

joined the mentioned ''chosen one''.

Who the hell is Nany? Ateal ? What do you mean with his ''superior

taste'' in tonearms?  How are we suposed to ''taste'' our arms.

I love my (steel) FR -64 arms but never considered to ''taste''

them for obvious reasons  (aka ''hardened steel''). Passion does

not need confusion between  ''categories'' to be explained. BTW the

problem of metaphors is that anyone is free to interprete them as he

likes.

Hi Ateal, I have the imression that nobody cares about the

question asked by the thread author. He deed not ask info

about the FR-1 but about some ''similar but (possible) better

cart''. By describing differences between the FR-1 and the Shinon

you obviously overlooked the question asked.

The same apply for chakster: what is the connection with his

new (MM) FR-6SE as well the fact that this cart can be used

with heavy tonearms?

t_bone started the thread ''Fidelity reasearch carts'' in 2009.

(see FR-7 on the net) . In the discussion JCarr recomended PMC 3

while his own preference was the ''fz'' and the ''f''. Does anyone know

what happened with t_bone?