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Fidelity Research FR-64 vs. FR-54

In a prior discussion, I had asked about tonearm suggestions for a Luxman PD-441 table that currently has a Denon DA-307 tonearm and Grado The Reference high output cartridge.  Many suggestions were provided.  A Fidelity Research FR-64 was suggested as a simple replacement.  I'm wondering if the FR-54 would also be good, being that it is mentioned in the Luxman manual in the same category as the Denon arm on there now?
bdunne
lewm
6,770 posts
 
I'm not a customer for anything to damp my FR64S, as I have no reason to believe it's a problem in my system.  (See any or all of my earlier posts here.) I am using a Dynavector headshell on my FR64S and an Acutex LPM320 cartridge, which is a light weight MI type.  This tonearm/cartridge combo is arguably the most neutral of three other tonearm/cartridge combinations currently set up to work on 4 different turntables, in my two audio systems.  If I was having a problem with resonant colorations, I would simply get rid of the FR64S, instead of putting a bandaid on it. (Actually, I would first try the FR64S with a very low compliance MC, which is theoretically a better match than the FR64S with Acutex.)  The problem I certainly expected to have was to do with the mismatch of cartridge compliance (the Acutex cu = 42!) and tonearm effective mass.

Thekong, I have seen those photos by Thomas Schick.  I was thinking about them when I composed my last post, trying to recall whether his photos revealed any stuffing in the FR64S.  It's hard to know whether he removed some inert material before making his photos, so to clarify the situation with the wiring.  One could ask him, I guess.
nandric's avatar
nandric
3,263 posts
 

The German HIFI Magazine ''Das Ohr'' (the ear) was the only one

by which two reviewers commented on the same component.

The FR-64 S was reviewed in April 1984. BTW ''our Dertonarm''

was back then one of the (music) reviewers while his best friend

Renner established this Magazine. The arm got very positive

valuation but with two remarks. The first was the recommendation

to use Bearwald instead of Stevenson and consisted in increas

of the spindle-pivot distance with 1,5 mm (aka eff.lenght of

246mm). The other was a ''small resonace'' at ''higher mid-range''.

The ''higher mid range'' was, alas , not (more) exact specify.

 So what we the FR-64 S owners need is an ''technical guy'' who

 can specify the place and lenght of this ''damping foil'' which

dcbingaman mentioned.

chakster's avatar
chakster
2,482 posts
 
Question for FR64S owners:

If you ever need to replace the original silver tonearm wire (internally) which wire will be your choice? Talking about internal tonearm wire only. Let me know.

I got this problem with my Lustre GST-801 tonearm. When i finally manaed to expand the hole in my luxman armboard to mount Lustre, i was so disappointed when i realized the internal cable is broken. Then i had to disassemble the hole tonearm in pieces like i did with the AK-47 in high school. Actually a well build tonearm, but i have to buy new wires. AUDIO NOTE Silver tonearm wire is expensive ( abut 65 GBP for 500mm), i don’t want the VDh silver wire, but maybe i will just buy Cardas 4x33 AWG copper (12 GBP for 500mm) or Discovery Copper Wire (about 28 GBP for 500mm). Any tips ?

P.S. As for the external cable i was thinking about Signal Cable Silver Resolution when i thought my original internal Lustre Silver Wire is ok, but it’s not ok.

nandric's avatar
nandric
3,263 posts
 

Dear chakster, You should write to my brother Don and ask

where his Lustre is rewired. He got my Lustre 801 as present but

the (silver) wire was broken in one of the channels. He is very happy

with the result and prefer the Lustre above his Graham 2 (?) for

the MC carts. I would not recommend rewire by FR-64. There are

two kinds of the FR-64 S; one with silver wire the other with copper

wire. I own both but can hardly hear any difference. Thekong

mentioned Schick's article and pictures of the dissasembled FR-64.

There you can see how complex this job is. Dertonarm rewired  

FR-64/66 for his fiends with Ikeda silver wire but he is an  FR

specialist .  If one is not satisfy with the wire he owns he can better

sell his sample and buy the other with the other wire.


lewm
6,770 posts
 
I had a go at re-wiring the tonearm on my Kenwood L07D, which has a separate part number, L07J.  I gave up when I found that I could not separate the vertical shaft from the pivot housing, even after all fasteners that might have prevented the separation had been removed. I don't know what was holding them together, but I was loathe to exert total brute force.  So, after several tries with "moderate" effort applied, I gave it up. With every pivoted tonearm, the delicate internal wires need somehow to get past the bearing at the pivot and must be installed so as not to impede the bearing in any plane.  The job was too scary for me.  I have conceived of a "quick and dirty" method, which I intend to apply to the L07J; one could run the wires entirely external to the arm tube but fixed to the arm tube with bits of tape, from above the headshell back to the pivot.  Then fix the four leads right over the pivot point (so not to impede its motion) and run them maybe another foot back of the arm or all the way to the phono stage.  I guess the same could be done with the FR tonearms, but mine has "Silver Inside", and I have no issues with short circuits.  The L07J has Litz wire inside, which is commendable for low capacitance but I have always perceived a sort of sluggish coloration from Litz wire interconnects.  The Kenwood, nevertheless sounds fine, but could it be better with "better" wire?  This is what keeps us awake at night (for 5 minutes).

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