World Debut: Vertere Reference Tonearm

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
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:)

As long as you can attach some vague , difficult to explain , jargon-sounding subjective terms to what you perceive or think you perceive it will remain so... We are into luxury goods after all...Whatever the market can bear ...

Frantz I think Touraj has a lot of cred in the industry based on his years of work with Roksan. As far as the price goes, we're not talking about a mass produced product. In fact, they're probably make one arm at a time in a F1 factory. Ever see what they charge per hour for machining? Ever check the price of materials at that rate? Now sure Sony could bring it down to $500.
 

PeterA

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2011
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USA
Frantz I think Touraj has a lot of cred in the industry based on his years of work with Roksan. As far as the price goes, we're not talking about a mass produced product. In fact, they're probably make one arm at a time in a F1 factory. Ever see what they charge per hour for machining? Ever check the price of materials at that rate? Now sure Sony could bring it down to $500.

Well, I don't think anyone is expecting it to be $500 and if Sony did sell it for that, people would be skeptical about it's performance. If this arm really is that good, he will get more orders and sell more, and then he should take some market share away from the other small arm designers/manufacturers and the price should be more or less in line with the competition. Does this arm really cost that much more to manufacture than the new Schroder LT or other exotic, high performance arms with new technology?
 

garylkoh

WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Sep 6, 2010
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www.genesisloudspeakers.com
Frantz I think Touraj has a lot of cred in the industry based on his years of work with Roksan. As far as the price goes, we're not talking about a mass produced product. In fact, they're probably make one arm at a time in a F1 factory. Ever see what they charge per hour for machining? Ever check the price of materials at that rate? Now sure Sony could bring it down to $500.

They do make one arm at a time in a factory that usually produces parts for F1. There is nothing in the arm that you could make in quantity.

In Roksan, he started off with the Artemiz (the top end) too. When it was first released in the mid-80's, I thought that it was as ridiculously expensive as I thought the Vertere Reference Tonearm is today. Now, at a retail of less than $4,000 with nearly 25 years of evolution and improvement I think that it is a steal compared to other reference tonearms.

Based on what he learned from the Artemiz, he brought out the Tabriz and then the Nima (currently $1,000). He told me that if you don't know what you are capable of, then how do you know what bits you can remove with the least performance penalty?
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Just curious, did the armboard come free with the Vertere? :D
 

XV-1

Well-Known Member
May 24, 2010
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Sydney

garylkoh

WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Sep 6, 2010
5,599
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www.genesisloudspeakers.com

MatthewC

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2014
58
4
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Fascinating.

Any comparison between the Axiom and Vertere reference arm? Am considering either to replace my FR66S...... I believe I read a recent article of the Axiom also on AF1. Wonder how they compare......

Thanks!
 

audioblazer

Member Sponsor
May 13, 2010
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Malaysia
Heard both. Which is better ? Depend who u talk to . Owner usually claim what they have is the best . For tweakability not many tonearm can match . For branding & ownership to the most expensive tonearm, Vertere reference is the arm & Touraj is 1 of the most likable designer & provide superb support if you buy his arm. However pls take note that Vertere Reference is double the price of Axiom
 

audioblazer

Member Sponsor
May 13, 2010
765
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Malaysia
By the way , Dietrich Brakemeir designed Axiom based on Fr66s principle ie rapid energy transfer from catridge to headshell ( interesting ) through arm tube & drain through arm base if I get it correctly
 

MatthewC

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2014
58
4
238
Audioblazer,

Thanks for the comments. Will you be about to share your thoughts on the main sonic differences between the two arms? I met Dietrich Brakmeir last year, and he did mention that the Axiom was inspired by the FR66S, and I guess it shows in the design.

Noted that you are using the AFO and Axiom, which is my target configuration as well (from Micro 8000-II and Fr66). If I ended up with that config, will an interesting (to me anyway) version upgrade of sorts :)
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
16,017
13,347
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Beverly Hills, CA
I will be in London until May 26, after which I will return to LA to attend the THE show in Irvine. While I am in London I will contact Touraj and try to visit his shop and learn more about the Vertere Reference tonearm, and report back.
 

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