I used the contact form on his site. I think I did that once a while back for a speaker cabinet idea I had but also never heard back from him. Not sure if it is monitored? I'll send you a DM about both.
How do you feel about the RS-309D? I've seen this pairing once or twice.
Very nice arm, built on old tried and true concepts, with exquisite construction, but at a price! It's telling the Bokrand uses bits of kit from the older versions of this arm, and the results are superb, at a lower cost....though struggles to deliver/meet demand. And i don't understand the prices of audio equipment any more. It isn't just tariffs. But it is pushing the less-than-1% into DIY. Just look at the thread on Lenco Heaven on DIYing a SupaTrak!
The best restorer of SME arms is Alfred Kayser at SME Tonearms in Minesing, Ontario, Canada. SME Tonearms, SME 3009 Turntable Parts Templates & Manuals
It’s funny you should mention that. I was on Artisan Fidelity’s site looking at some inspiration in their gallery and I saw they were retailing that arm. It’s about $2k just like the rest of them. Very intriguing, and I’ve seen no commentary of it elsewhere.
While I get the old economies of scale bringing nice products to people at relatively decent prices, I think much pricing at the higher end today is “because I can”. And the disparity sometimes between the costs for different sizes of arms… it’s like when a gold watch costs 3x the steel one. We are just talking a gold case. Nonsense. Not to conflate these two worlds but it’s similar pricing strategies and often similar customers.
Another owner of his arm described him as "fragile" to me. 🤣
It surprisingly isn't even on his site. I'll send him an email and post what he says here.
Indeed, a Veblen good. Just as there were people who willingly bought Stutz automobiles in the 70s because they were the most expensive at the time despite being dog doo. Or, more charitably: the existence of the Cadillac pushes people to buy the Buick for the perceived value. Yet in the case of tonearms, we are talking a few cents or dollars at most more material versus the unnecessary but nice differences between, say, an E-class and an S-class Mercedes, so it really is inexcusable.
I spent a good deal of time earlier in life in Japan, and I noticed hifi nonsense is one of the few ways salary men stuck in a tiny apartment can flex their cash. Same with esoteric denim and fancy shoes.
Fancy seeing you here! I've been reading all the links you sent me on AK.
Don't worry Dan, there's no limit. I know cuz i haven't reached it yet.
