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Tonearms: Ripoff?

If you search for tonearm recommendations you'll find an overwhelming amount of praise for $1k and less products. Audiomods and Jelco are the two most mentioned.

The Audiomods is just some guy making Rega-based tonearms in a workshop. Just some guy is putting out tonearms that compete with tonearms that cost many times the price -- from the likes of SME, Clearaudio, VPI, Graham, etc.

So the question is -- are tonearms just a scam? How is it that everyone loves Audiomods and Jelco to death and never talks about / dismisses high end tonearms? Is it because there's no real difference between one of these low-cost tonearms and the high end ones? Is an Audiomods Series V ** really ** the equivalent of a SME V? Some guy in a workshop equals the famed precision of SME? Is that once you have the math and materials worked out all tonearms are essentially the same? Or is it that most owners of record players online are dumpster-diving for vintage gear and simply can't afford to listen to better?

So, what's going on?
madavid0

Showing 4 responses by cdavids449

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cdavids449
6 posts
 
I had a rega 250 on a townshend rock 7,just purchased a helius omega and noticed an improvement and it wasn't subtle. More so than moving from 1000 dollar preamp to a 7000 dollar preamp
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cdavids449
6 posts
 
I bought the silver ruby version. I was hesitant because the oil trough on the table is supposed to equalize all tonearms. But I noticed a substantial improvement over the rega arm. 
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cdavids449
6 posts
 
I found that tonearms make a difference. however, if you're not going to sit in the sweet spot, with the right room and speakers placed where they should be placed, you might be wasting your money. I can hear an improvement with a better arm but you have to be listening fot it. Also, paying attention to 'synergy' between arm and cartridge is a factor, I don't think it makes that big of difference if you stay in the middle of the road with each
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cdavids449
6 posts
 
Boxer12...I agree! I meant to imply if you put on an album and use it as background music while you're doing chores, cooking, etc. I was skeptical about spending money on an arm because the rega has decent reviews. I have swapped amps, preamps, cables, etc..and have noticed slight improvements or maybe just a lateral move that sounds different. But moving from the rega to the helius it was a large difference with everything being better in every category! 
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