Ikeda 407 Tone Arms - New or Vintage

I wouldn't trade an old IT-345 for 64s 

I own two and just listed one with B-60 replica on the German

site ''audio-markt.de''. The arm for 2000 euro and B-60 for

700 euro. 

My problem is that I like all of them and this is only one turntable on the image (with 66fx and 64s), Ikeda is on my Denon DP-80.  

Dear @mcmprov : I don’t know if you finally pulled the triger for the FM Acoustics phono stage to mate which some of your really good cartridges you own.

I know you own FR arm(s) that I owned too and now you ask for the Ikeda 407 that I owned too.

Both tonearm designs are very good looking items but nothing more than that and with all my respect to Mr. Ikeda he was very good cartridge designer but certainly not a good tonearm designer.

What mean I with this? the FR and Ikeda tonearms were designed and builded with out take in count the specific aND COMPLEX CARTRIDGE NEEDS ( ANY CARTRIDGE. ).

The Ikeda designs set up VTF is a balanced one where Ikeda uses the traditional but " stupid " spring to make VTF set up. This sole characteristic is way resonant and goes against MUSIC reproduction: no matters what.

Maybe you don’t care about and is what you like and I’m not questioning you in any way but I care where I mount any cartridge for it can shows at its best and tonearm developed resonances is not in my " equations ".

The 407 is a long EL design and way more resonant than a shorter design and other disadvantages and not as the people think that longer is always better and certainly it’s not. Heavy mass means higher inernta moment in the tonearm and this a disadvantage too.

Both Ikeda designs are almost undampened and during play the arm wands rings/resonates as a bells.

Vintage or today the Ikeda tonearms maybe is the worst choice other than unipivots tonearms designs.

Lyra designer posted on FR/407 resonances:

" Yes, I’ve already done so with the Titan i. Likewise the Olympos. I agree that the results can be quite OK - as long as you wrap a damper strip around the armtube or take measures to dampen it better. "

"" I agree that the FR-66S would be somewhat better than the SAEC, but truth be told, I’m not overly enamoured of the "S" family either (and I say this as the long-time owner of a 64S with Elevation Base and Arm Stabilizer). The stainless steel is great to look at, but less great to listen to, and when I run mine I prefer to keep a compression wrap around the tube.

FWIW, I’ve known Isamu Ikeda for many years ""

"" And as Raoul suggested, I use the Warren Gehl armwrap, which is far more effective than heatshrink. It dampens the resonances of the armtube by compressing it radially, and works on a similar principle to how you play harmonics on a bass or guitar.

The armwrap’s radial compression of the armtube makes the 64S and 66S operate a bit more like Ikeda’s later arm designs like the IT-245 and IT-407, although these added interference damping by force-fitting multiple concentric tubes of various materials together. ""

All those does not means that with the arm wand compresion everything is ok, NO it’s not.

I repeat what you like is your privilege but if I was you I never mount any of the great cartridges you own in either tonearm designs but everything is up to you that are the gentleman that must live with and with what you like. Period.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.

Fidelity-Research tonearm like the FR-64fx is one of those great vintage tonearms anyone can use today, the arm can be used with high compliance cartridges with stock counterweight and with low compliance cartridges with optional W250 heavy counterweight. Dynamic tracking force is a super user friendly feature. With an additional N60 stabilizer nut the performance can be improved. This is really amazing in my opinion. You must be an annoying snob to not like the FR tonearms, especially the latest FX series from the 80’s, the FR-66fx is the best of them (predecessor of the IKEDA 407). Any FX tonearm is better than 64s, because the common problem for 64s is dried up grease in the VTF mechanism and in the arm lift. Also the base of the 64s is a joke, compared to the base of the FX series. So the 64s is much harder to find in a good condition simply because it’s older tonearm, but after replacement of the arm lift and arm base (with B60) it’s a great tonearm!

The first bunch of IKEDA tonearms also have stainless steel arm tube. Never triend the latest IKEDA, but old from the early 90’s are amazing. It’s a rock solid tonearm, I love my IT-345.

For the owners of the mighty FR-7f, FR-7fz and IKEDA cantilever-less LOMC cartridges those are the best tonearms. And this combination will give you the sound of Ikeda. People who don’t like this sound are from the parallel world for me (I wouldn’t take their thought seriously), because the FR-7f + FR-66 fx is mind blowing combination in direct comparison to a dosen of vintage and new tonearms and cartridges.

I never tried the 66s, but I believe it’s stunning.

I love the 66fx in my system and I would be happy to find an early version of the Ikeda IT-407 for a good price.