You can probably find an SME 3012R for around that price. Quite a few use that arm. See the thread dedicated to it.
What tonearm for DS Audio Grandmaster
- Thread starter joeling
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You can probably find an SME 3012R for around that price. Quite a few use that arm. See the thread dedicated to it.
FR 64s, get it upgraded to FR66s from Richard Mak
If an FR64s can be had for under 5k USD including return freight and upgrade to FR66s by Richard then I will buy one myself. It costed out far more than this when I last looked online.
I would also question whether a tonearm with extremely high effective mass is the best match for the DS Audio cartridges. Maybe a very lightweight head shell would solve the compatibility issue, assuming it doesn't come at a price in terms of energy transfer.
The cost of a good condition FR64s is around US$1,500, at least it is over here in Asia. A couple of months ago, my friend did the whole AnalogMagik 64s to 66s conversion, tonearm rebuilt, upgrade bearing and internal wiring at roughly US$3,500. So yes, depends on the shipping cost, you can get an AnalogMagik converted FR66s at the US$5k range, maybe slightly higher.
We have compared the FR66s vs 64s, and even with a mid to high compliance cartridge, we preferred the FR66s. And considering the Kuzma Safir 9, with its 60g effective mass, has been successfully paired with many mid compliance cartridges, I wouldn’t worry about pairing the DS GrandMaster EX with the FR66s.
Actually, I have a DS W3 which I have not mounted yet, but I’ll certainly try it with the FR66s, FR64s and the Kuzma Safir when the time comes!
We have compared the FR66s vs 64s, and even with a mid to high compliance cartridge, we preferred the FR66s. And considering the Kuzma Safir 9, with its 60g effective mass, has been successfully paired with many mid compliance cartridges, I wouldn’t worry about pairing the DS GrandMaster EX with the FR66s.
Actually, I have a DS W3 which I have not mounted yet, but I’ll certainly try it with the FR66s, FR64s and the Kuzma Safir when the time comes!
FWIW, I have just mounted the Grandmaster on a KORF medium mass arm. I like.
Ditto, I have done the sameThe cost of a good condition FR64s is around US$1,500, at least it is over here in Asia. A couple of months ago, my friend did the whole AnalogMagik 64s to 66s conversion, tonearm rebuilt, upgrade bearing and internal wiring at roughly US$3,500. So yes, depends on the shipping cost, you can get an AnalogMagik converted FR66s at the US$5k range, maybe slightly higher.
We have compared the FR66s vs 64s, and even with a mid to high compliance cartridge, we preferred the FR66s. And considering the Kuzma Safir 9, with its 60g effective mass, has been successfully paired with many mid compliance cartridges, I wouldn’t worry about pairing the DS GrandMaster EX with the FR66s.
Actually, I have a DS W3 which I have not mounted yet, but I’ll certainly try it with the FR66s, FR64s and the Kuzma Safir when the time comes!
Well, I am just being a bit anal retentive. Once I heard from the designer of DS Audio, I had to have medium mass arm paired with the Grandmaster.
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