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

To say that I love, love, love this cartridge is a gross understatement. In fact I love it so much I now own 2 - one I had rebuilt and one I just bought which is virtually unused.

The sweet tone of the music and the life like performance of both instruments and vocals is outstanding. The delivery of music is totally immersive and mesmerizing. Whilst the high frequencies are detailed yet silky smooth and the bass is low reaching but solid, it is the midrange where everything comes alive.

It is in this midrange zone that the voices of Nancy Wilson, Jacintha, Vanessa Fernandez, amongst others, become incredibly real, intoxicating and seductive. It is also in this range where trumpets, saxophones, snare drums, bass guitar & piano sound so palpable you feel like you can reach out and touch them.

To give the above statements some context I should point out that I have owned and / or demo'd some reasonably desirable cartridges such as Technics EPC-310MC, Audio Technica OC9 III, AT 32e II, AT 150 MLX, Denon 103 with aluminum body and soundsmith rebuild, Signet TK 100LC, Linn Adikt & Grado F1+, and I can honestly say that based on my taste, none of these cartridges come anywhere close to providing the sheer enjoyment I get from the Fidelity Research.

So what do I do now??? Have I reached vinyl nirvana???? In the short to medium term I say yes wholeheartedly and I am content to focus my $$$ on expanding my record collection with a massive smile on my face.

However, and there is always a "however", what happens when I am ready to consider going to the next level or I get that itch that we all get no matter how high up the food chain we get. What cartridge, (vintage preferably), would offer a similar sonic flavor but provide a little more of everything I love about this magical cart.

This request for information is purely out of curiosity at this stage as I have no desire to spend more $$$, but I am keen hear from those members who have owned the F version of this cartridge and find out what they did to take it to the next level. 

Thanks in advance for any observations y'all may have.


 
ateal
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
What's the difference between F and FZ models, Nandric ?
Seems like FZ are the rarest and more expensive.

I believe those FR-7 with spherical tip is not interesting compared to F and FZ with advanced stylus profile (which some with different coils as well) ?

Tonearms designed for low compliance Denon or SPU should be good for Fidelity Research F7 cartridges?  
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

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.

andremusik
2 posts
 
There is a FR-1 Mk3 (without 'f' and red print on the cartridge body) and a FR-1 Mk3f with version number in white print. The 'f' version is with silver coils and supposedly the better sounding one, though I'm just quoting a statement from another thread and have not compared both versions against each other. All I know is that I have the "f" ... thanks again to nandric 😀
Ag insider logo xs@2x
unoear
141 posts
 
ATEAL, sorry for the delay responding to you. FR1-mk3f, yes, I have two, it is a wonderful machine. Even watch.e above loves his, even more than his others. Either of Ikeda-san inventions will work well with the cartridge, some like the previous Fidelity Research tonearms, while others, prefer the extra experience that he has placed into the design of the new, and currently available, Ikeda tonearms...simply superior to most designs out there. If, and when, you will need the cartridge looked over, I understand that Axel is your man.

Cheers!

nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

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''.

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