Reed tonearm w/ Raven One table-how's the match ?

Lewm, you are right but in a way, all the combinations from Reed make it rather confusing. Some of the wood have to same effective mass so it is really hard to figure out which wood to choose. I went by what Reed suggested for my particular cartridges since I could not afford to buy 2 or 3 arms with different material to try.

I am not sure if there is any particularly good reason that the wire has to be attached to the base of the tonearm. I would love to be able to swap out different arm using one base unit. I would not mind that the phono wire has to stay with the arm itself. It would still be cheaper than buying 2 or 3 Reed arms and it would make experimenting with various wood more economical.

"...you pick your tonearm to match your cartridge..."

Lewm, did you mean, pick your cartridge to match your tonearm? That seems easier. But since each component has its own makeup and sound, it's still a complex issue. I had an interesting experience several years ago. At that time, I had the same table I have today, the VPI HW-19 Mk3. I was seriously considering the purchase of a new table. Without mentioning its name, I was given the opportunity to audition it in my own system. I'll only say it was and is no stranger to a number of Audiogon members who have owned it or one of the other models in its line. And, it cost at least four times the price of my VPI. With this table I was supplied the armboard and hardware to mount my SME IV.Vi tonearm with either one of two cartridges I had at the time, a mid priced Benz and the low output Grado Sonata. I did let the table run in for some time. I heard what I felt were the same basic sound characteristics using both cartridges with the same tonearm. I'll mention only one that was quite prominent--a lifeless quality. I did not hear these things at all using the same arm/cartridge combinations with my VPI table. I returned the new table. There was verifiably no mechanical problem with it. This experience seems to confirm though a table "does its job well", it will also contribute to producing some different sound or sounds with the identical arm/cartridge combo.

Of course, you allude to the Reed's many different combinations. This is why I wrote to those at Reed, asking what kinds of sounds are imparted by some of their wood parts and copper versus silver wires. They also offer Eichmann silver and copper bullets as plugs inputting into one's phono preamp. I have previously done my own research as well as listening comparisons with both types of Eichmann plugs on the same cables. In addition, I've compared and presently continue to compare the sounds of different types of internal tonearm wire. It is very obvious to me that these different plugs and wires contribute to audible differences that are in no way[s]minor.

We are almost continuously reminded of the complex interrelationships between different components and the variety of sounds they produce. Most of the time, unless we're able to actually audition something in our own system, we take our chances based on the impressions of established reviewers and/or non reviewers. Typically, turntables and tonearms are among the most difficult components to secure auditions for. Considering the big sum of money one might be spending as well as the realization that though the chief reason we're looking to buy something is because of its sound, it is troubling to say the least that we often can't get an idea as to whether or not we will be satisfied with what we're anticipating shelling out a healthy sum of money for....Well,'nuff of all that for now.

Dear Opus88, I guess I meant it either way. If you own the tonearm, then pick your cartridge to match it. If you own the cartridge and are shopping for a tonearm, it's vice-versa. The important point is that assuming the tonearm can be mounted on your preferred turntable, based on the available geography, then more attention should be paid to matching tonearm and cartridge than on matching tonearm and turntable. However, now that I think about it, there are some basic tenets that seem to be repeated and so may be true. For one example, many say that using a unipivot on a suspended table is not a good way to go. Linear tracker on a suspended table may not be a great idea, either. Never tried either match.

Yes, it is near impossible to know what choice of wood and wire is going to sound the best a priori, which makes those choices difficult when one is ordering a new Reed tonearm. But that situation is no different when shopping for any tonearm where typically one has no choices available. I would suggest that one could choose the wood based on the expected and desired effective mass.

Dear Suteetat,
The makers of the Reed are very true to their beliefs, and one of them is that elimination of connectors in the signal path between cartridge and phono stage is a "good thing". Accordingly they are reluctant to violate that principle by offering the user the option of playing with different phono cables. This came up on another thread where someone was agitating for interchangeable arm wands on a Reed (which I would welcome too). In any case, if you really want to be able to play with different phono cables, you could always terminate the leads coming from the tonearm into a box, with female RCA or XLR jacks on the output side. Triplanar offers this option direct from the factory. IMO, Reed are correct in their preference for a straight path to the phono stage, however.

For anyone interested, check the chart at the bottom of this site page for information regarding type of wood used with and effective mass of Reed tonearms with or without an azimuth adjuster:

http://www.reed.lt/research/58-wood-vs-the-rest-testing-armtube-material

According to the Reed own R&D the Red cedar, Pernambucco and Panzerholz have the best measured 'properties'. But because of the different (wood) mass the choice of the wood kind should be made as Lew described. All the Reed tonearms
are hand made by Vidmantas ( the owner/designer) but he assumes some consultation with the customer in advance. So one can sonsult the Reed (Vidmantas ) in advance about his/her 'desire'. The Reed tonarms are made on order so side by
side with the national dealer one can also consult the Reed (ruta@reed.lt).
Regards,