Dear Pani: Many of us take audio decisions at " blind ", we trust on reviewers/dealers/manufacturers/$eller$ or non-informed " audiophiles and that's why we grow up extremly slow and doing mistakes after more mistakes and we have to pay for each one of those mistakes : not onloy money but the most important part our no-return TIME.
Here we are talking of tonearms and you posted " formidable 64 " and you posted that because is what you learned reading non-informed owners or dishonest sellers.
Take a look on the Koshin Denki Lustre GST-801 design that speaks for it self. You can attest that even today exist no single tonearm with that kind of knowledge level on what a cartridge/LP needs characteristics and the build quality is second to none too:
http://www.vinylengine.com/library/acos/lustre-gst-801.shtml
check the " report and the manual. Btw, Sumiko was the seller in those old times.
Now, if we speak of Technics this are " big big words ". Technics is part of the electronics biggest japanese group: Matushita-Panasonic.
Did you know that the motors in the Micro Seiki TTs came from Technics?, did you know that the DD motors used on the recording proccess ( cut machines. ) came from Technics? did you know that one of the best ever cartridges designs came from Techynics: EPC 100C MK4? did you " hear " about the Technics SP10s? and of course the Technics EPA 100 and 500 tonearm designs.
These people at Technics not only have the desire to build first rate analog items but any kind of resources: enginnering, research, tools, money and knowledge level that no single man can be surrounded for design.
I think that if today Technics or Koshin " revive " and decide to design a today TT, tonearm or cartridge maybe could outbeat/perform almost any other competitor and not because the today manufacturers are not good but because the kind of resources they have on hand. Maybe at lower prices too.
And all that in favor of MUSIC and we music lovers and audiophiles.
Check the EPA-100:
http://www.vinylengine.com/library/technics/epa-100.shtml
In audio ignorance and misinformation is what we all have to improve. We have to be informed: well informed, with true unbiased information.
Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
Happy Thank's Given Day!!! for USA citizens.