Quote,
"A true bargain (under $1200) is Technics EPA-100 and many more vintage Japanese tonearms made by SONY, JVC Victor, Denon, Micro Seiki, Audio Craft, SME etc, but people love to talk about some new ugly arms made in garage by some enthusiasts, seriously, the Audiomods is one of the ugliest tonearms ever made, do you think it’s better sonically than EPA-100 for example or better engineered than producsts from Victor Laboratory? Rega is another example of the ugly tonearms on the market. And why do you think the Audiomods is better than new Technics tonearms that comes with GAE?
Yes , as a matter of fact I most certainly do. Better isn't always a complexity or just highest cost thing, its how effective it is vs the cost input used to do the job. In this case, yes , clearly the Audiomod arm is a better performer at a better value , period. It has solid engineering in its design to reduce many issues that effect all arms and offers great adjustability for the price of most static entry level arms. The fact you feel the need to belittle something by calling it "made in a garage by some enthusiast", in a negative shade or base its ability on your subjective opinion of looks , like it or not shows a child like bias with no experience to back it up. Its about performance and value when it comes to this end of market, and some , this being one of them embarrasses some pricier arms and competes with many of the prettier, known and accepted better arms.
Some of the better sounding no bs products have often been designed and built by enthusiasts out of the garage fed up with price and performance levels. The popularity and praise the Audiomod arm receives from not only professional reviewers but a sea of happy owners, well kind of makes your view less on experience and more a blind bias. Its nice to see the appreciation for some of the engineering of the past when sales justified investment by manufacturer ( and many with large losses in a brand name war, something many fail to recognize its impact) and then passed on to higher end consumers, but, reality speaks a different view in the era we now live in. Looks are a very subjective thing and I'm pretty confident given the choice of looks or performance but not both , here, all would choose performance .
To remind you , this is exactly what I did say about the new SL 1200 GLE...
"I have seen and heard the new SL 1200GAE , and other than being made to look like a MK11, it ends with the looks. Substantially better table in *all regards*"
Looks were used as a comparative to the original, not a slight to appearance. Most vinyl users I know always consider looks an added bonus, certainly not mandatory because it is after all in the eye of each. Its humorous in my view when products and companies not made in decades by companies no longer around in an era likely never to be repeated are brought up to support belittling the products of today. Always the cost of today's being "overpriced". The irony or humor , for me is , most that float that dream, is they have no idea just how much it would cost to remanufacture those yesteryear units today. The same prices for the better tables scoffed as overpriced, now! Add, a fraction of interested consumers to buy them in this century,and no brand wars going on to pour money into them at a loss as most are owned under a few umbrellas of "name brands".
That and most who tout the bygone vintage units never bought them when current because they were "too expensive and not worth it" , then. But now , alas , they are better and far cheaper than what's new currently. The argument never changes, just what side people land on over time it would seem. Sorry , its irony and hypocrisy makes me smile being one who owned the units of old when current. They were very good then, now in my opinion , very overpriced used and unless fully refurbed both mechanically and electronically they are not anywhere near their capability or reliability and many one chip away from the waste bin. When they are, properly done, the price puts them against current, slightly used offerings that can outperform them. I like the fact that some have really taken the effort to keep some vintage units working to spec and also modified, isolated , and bettered these units. Those enthusiasts eh, out in their garages and basements, the guys mocked and belittled when its not something that pro bias of ownership would change ones view with actual experience, or so it seems. Lets not forget, it was those same "garage enthusiasts" that brought mods forward to the table in title here taking out much of the weakness's possible making it a better option for some looking for Direct Drive and reasonable performance at a very reasonable price and ease of use to own. Like the Audiomod arm brings to the table. These two mated are actually pretty reasonable sounding at costs less than some mid level entry tables.
Why knock effort, value and undeniable performance for a segment of the hobby you likely are in at yourself..............Options that bring value and performance are a good thing especially when its not just a perceived or biased thing that a section of consumers seem quite happy to own and happily use. You don't have to be biased by ownership or preference to appreciate value and effort as an option as one more choice for those looking now, or belittling those that are and who's experience trumps ones opinion based on of all things, looks...............
Kudos to all the "garage enthusiasts" who bring products to market that bring value and performance forward. Many of the best products in audio started out just like that...................
The drive method argument is an old tired one. All methods have their virtues and their faults and their own sound. Its a preference as to what sounds best to the owner and what faults can be overlooked, not heard by some or massaged out and what faults will be over embellished from non ownership bias......
