Fidelity Research cartridges

Dear T bone: +++++ " Have you ever used/considered the micromini-voltage Micro Seiki MC carts like the LC-80W, which puts out something like 0.0mV? " +++++

Like Jonathan I can't say how good is this cartridge with a today whole analog rig, I heard twice at dealer shop a have no opinion on its performance but about cartridges with really low output ( The LC-80 is almost normal for the next ones. ) the lower I know was the Jeweltone that JC posted with 0.04mv and next to it are the Audio Note IO Limited and the Ortofon MC 2000 with 0.05mv, these two are great peformers, I still have the MC 2000 that it is not only a challenge because its low output but it is too a high compliance MC cartridge!!

Btw, I already posted about the FR-1 and FR-7 but I confirm and agree with JC: I own and owned those FR cartridges the quality performance on the 7 against the FR-1s is totally different, the 7s are way way better and like I posted its prices are way different too.

Agree too with JC on the FR tonearm quality performance. No I don't want to start ( again ) nothing on this tonearm subject.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Hi Dertonarm: Yes, I am aware of that the FR-7 was referred to as "FR-1 MK7" prior to launch. But I am also aware that the marketing department (in many companies) can twist and turn things in a way that may be at odds with the intentions of the designer (grin). It happens all the time.

Admittedly I've made similar mistakes myself, like when I decided to name the Clavis and Parnassus successors as Clavis DC and Parnassus DCt, when in reality they had absolutely nothing to do with their predecessors (other than that the same guy designed them). In recent years this has become something of a problem for me, since the original Parnassus can be used as a donor to create an Olympos, but the later Parnassus DCt cannot. I sometimes receive letters from audiophiles stating that they have been able to buy a Parnassus DCt, and asking me what additional procedures are required to build an Olympos for them. I am forced to disappoint them, but it really pains me to have to do so. If I hadn't called the Parnassus DCt "Parnassus" but something else more in keeping with its radically different engineering approach, life would be easier today.

>you might - if you haven't already done so... - give your Titan i a test in your FR-64s. The combo gives astonishing good results - despite the less great mass/compliance combination.

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. Otherwise the "fx" or "fc" variants are far more friendly to use. By the time Ikeda did the IT-345 and IT-407, he had gained a much better awareness of resonance control as compared to his FR days.

Apologies to T-Bone for derailing his thread.

T-Bone, I will be interested in hearing of what you think of the LC-80 when you get it, what amplification and/or stepup you find works best, and how you like the sound. At least you can't complain about the 10k price!

BTW, are you familiar with the technical audio magazine "Rajio Gijutsu"? I believe that they were offering a rebuild and overhaul service for out-of-production cartridges, with the work performed by one of the former heads of Roundale Research. I have some recollection that the magnet on the LC-80 is Alnico. If so, the magnet would almost certainly benefit from a recharge, and you may get a bit more output voltage if you can have this done.

cheers to all, jonathan carr

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.

Dear Jcarr: I assume you are talking on the Sumiko tonearm wrap device ( or something similar . ) that I used with very good results too with the long SAEC tonearms.

I understand that that product is out of production but was a useful " tool ".

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Jonathan; I also use a Titan I (and two FR-7f) in my FR64s. Could you pls describe exactly the modification you did to dampen the arm better? Many thanks, Marco