Fidelity Research FR-14 or Michell Tecnoarm?

[audio39]

If you were tasked with this choice which way would you choose.

I have an absolutely mint Lux PD-300 awaiting an arm. I'm using a LOMC so my beloved G-704 unipivot has to go...the FR-14 was my target from the beginning. I actually prefer the FR-14 to it's bigger brothers, I find it more "sensitive"...and the arm I may purchase is the silver wire version.

Now the contender, the Tecnoarm. I have had quite a number of folks suggest I would really like this arm, and they would have me believe this arm would fit my Lux quite nicely.

Now I'll tell you that I am not a Rega fan, I've just never had an appreciation for their arms, but I have been told repeatedly that the Michell arm is unlike the stock Rega in all ways that matter.

So what say you?

[Ammonite Audio]

You will either love the Tecnoarm or hate it. I would expect it to be more dynamic and sharper sounding than the FR-14, eg closer to a "CD" sound, but it's so dependent on the cartridge used. One possible course of action is to buy mine ;) See http://www.theartofsound.net/forum/showpost.php?p=170620&postcount=5

[The Grand Wazoo]

Hi there Rick,
Welcome to the Art of Sound, it's nice to have you here.
I think I vaguely remember driving through Kanata some years ago when we had a family holiday in East Ontario - it was the summer after you got the really bad ice storm. You've got a lot of lakes in your part of the world!

Anyway, would you mind dodging over to the Welcome area & giving us an introduction to yourself, your system & musical tastes please? When you're ready, we'd love to see you posting up some photos in the Gallery.

Good luck with your arm, though.
Cheers!

[DSJR]

The Techno-arm is boring like all the ubiquitous Rega clones - take a cheapo RB250 and try to make it better than it was intended to - yawn - :lol:

I really think you should give the FR arm a good home, as it can only climb in value. Another good but variable (:() arm which I heard and recommended for the PD300 is the old Mission 774 - a good one sounds sublime here, but a bad-un will need completely re-building....

[audio39]

The Techno-arm is boring like all the ubiquitous Rega clones - take a cheapo RB250 and try to make it better than it was intended to - yawn - :lol:

I really think you should give the FR arm a good home, as it can only climb in value. Another good but variable (:() arm which I heard and recommended for the PD300 is the old Mission 774 - a good one sounds sublime here, but a bad-un will need completely re-building....

Very good point regarding the FR value...it is an arm that many would like to own.

The 774 arm is a beauty...way back when the 775S table first came out I bought one. I loved that table, the only drawback being the damping trough...I lived in Northern Ontario back then and the temperature extremes were hell with that damping trough.

I think I'm going to pull the pin on the FR...assuming I haven't delayed too long!

Thanks for the input.

[Rare Bird]

Ah yes i bought the 775'S' silver hammertone finished turntable with the original '774' tonearm & (i think the high output version of the: '773' cartridge)..Was a brilliant combo & still one of my favs, i absolutly loved Mission at this period.

[audio39]

Here's an update...I bought the Fidelity Research FR-14 with silver wire and already have it mounted and running. I don't think I could be happier.

I'm a major tweaker so I'll spend at least a few weeks dialing this arm in, but already the synergy with my Lux PD-300 is amazing. This arm is far quieter then the unipivot I had mounted on this table prior to...the Ortofon MC is quite happy to go along for the ride with this arm.

I'll keep you posted, but this is a fine arm...even better than my memory had served me (what's left of the memory, the 70's were hard on me :lol:)

Rick.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Well done! You always know deep down when you've made the right choice.

[DSJR]

A good investment I reckon. Well done and happy listening :)