Found an FR-7f and have tried it out. It is, indeed, a bit nicer than the FR-7. It has, at first trot, more delicacy to it. I am not sure how else to put it yet. Both are very nice, but if I had to choose just one of the two to live with, I'd take the 'f.' More in a bit. |
Thanks Syntax. Which 'Big Thread' is that? Based on the FR-7's performance, I will try to grab an FR-7f if I see one. Any idea how any of them are different from each other? The only explanations I have seen have been quite generic for each (taken from the original catalogs) and don't say much about the differences (and also show no specs to differentiate that way).
My understanding is that the FR-7 was introduced in 1978, but my understanding is that the FR-1Mk3 and the MC-702 were in the line-up later, and all three were in the catalog sometime around 1980. |
Thanks Jonathan,
That table is great. Very helpful. But it shows some ridiculously low impedance for the FR-7. I am at a loss at how to even think about dealing with a 2-3ohm impedance cart. Anything special required? My phono stage has the ability to choose 25kOhm, 50kOhm, 100kOhm and capacitance at 100pF, 200pF, and 400pF. I cannot easily amend anything else right now. It's driving a Jadis pre. I am at 100pF and 50kOhm default levels. Is there anything I need to do to optimize that?
Using a PUA-9 arm with the heavy counterweight allows me up to 33g. Just squeeking in - thank heavens it's a stiff armtube. Wish I had a 506/30 or FR-66s handy but I don't.
I will keep an eye out for the PMC3 (do you think it's worth 40k? Guess it sold pretty quick...) and some of the better FR-7 series carts. |
Jonathan and others, this is off-topic but while we are in the mood for older Japanese carts...
Have you ever used/considered the micromini-voltage Micro Seiki MC carts like the LC-80W, which puts out something like 0.0mV? Was it any good? |
Jonathan, Once again, thanks much for all the interesting information.
Good thing about the Micro (that it's interesting) - just took a flier on one tonight (10k) and landed it. |
I have not a clue. I dug around trying to find info on the cart but found little of use in Japanese or English other than the manual on vinylengine and a spot on a couple of lists. |
Derail away gents!
I am familiar with the mag, though I have to say I have never actually seen copies for sale except at that tube thing which used to take place in the rajio kaikan in Ochanomizu in the fall, and maybe at the bookstands at the Intl Forum. I'll have to dig up a copy somehow.
I will try the LC-80 when I get it in a few days but I am not flooded with stages/SUTs/headamps on the best of days and currently my 'good' stage is at a friend's place. I am using a Sony HA-55 and its accompanying stage - not great, but certainly acceptable, and the Sony cart it was built for was quite low output as well, so it should be serviceable for the Micro. |
Back to our regularly scheduled thread derailment... an initial report back on the Micro LC-80W cartridge.
So far, with about a dozen sides under its most recent belt, I can say that it has a very smooth, and easy-flowing sound, and while some people will call that treble roll-off, I am sure that is not what I am hearing - the treble is really quite good. It gives an impression of a very, very small and delicate stylus (I have yet to look at it under a loup). It seems to have more detail than the DL103R and the FR-7, and the AT33PTG I recently purchased as a medium-high compliance cart, though it will not compete with the UNIverse for detail retrieval.
I will report back when I have a bunch more sides under my belt with it. In any case, it was a good way to spend $110 and I can highly recommend it at that price. |
Steve, Jonathan may be able to shed some light on this but as far as I know, there was no business relationship between Ikeda-san of FR and Sony Soundtec. The magnet structure is different, and I thought the XL-55 and 88 have different coil concepts than the FR-7. The XL-55 is heavy, the FR-7 is even heavier; but lucky thing is, the FR-7 and the XL-55 have the same distance from headshell mount to stylus tip, meaning the FR-7 fits perfectly on tables/arms which take the XL-55 perfectly.
FWIW, I'd be happy to send you an FR-7 in exchange for your XL-88 if you ever wanted to... |
As I have used the FR-7f, I have come to appreciate it a fair bit more than the FR-7. Better treble and far better transient response in my set-up. In fact, it is one of the better carts I have ever tried for listening to jazz.
Furthermore, the other interesting news is that I have just picked up a Sony XL-88D (thanks Jonathan for pointing it out - I ended up picking it up). I am anxiously awaiting delivery and will report back. |
My XL-88D is out of commission. It was almost dead ("just resting") on arrival because of a softish suspension. I have another XL-88 which I may use as a donor motor and try to get the motor transplanted into the 88D, or perhaps more likely the 88D cantilever mounted onto the 88 motor.
I have not found an FR-7fz, but I am happily using an FR-7f on an SME long arm now.
I lost out on an auction for a Micro flywheel recently. Geez they are expensive... |
The MCX5 was in part designed by Ozawa-san who started Shelter in the mid 1980s after spending a few years at Fidelity Research. It came out (with the MCX3) many years after the FR-7 series and was designed for use with the XG-5 and XG-7 transformers. As far as I know, as Dertonarm suggested, it is not anything like the FR-7.
Jcarr above recommended the FR PMC3 as worth a listen. They are not easy to find. |
