Reed Reed 2B
The Reed 2B combines tactile low bass, finely resolved vocal nuance and pinpoint imaging with a four-point ceramic-bearing design built for direct energy transfer. Richard Mak found its vivid soundstage and spacious hall detail competitive with far costlier arms, while its dual magnetic on-the-fly anti-skate adjustment brings unusual setup precision.
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Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
94/100
Build Quality
86/100
Features Usability
68/100
Value for Money
86/100
Pros
Delivers deep, textured bass with strong dynamic contrast and stable orchestral definition.
Reproduces vocals, ambience and instrumental placement with exceptional detail and image specificity.
Dual magnetic anti-skate adjusters allow precise on-the-fly tailoring for the beginning and end of a record.
High-precision ceramic bearings and an included acrylic mounting template support low-friction operation and easier installation.
Cons
VTA and azimuth rely on set-screw adjustments rather than the faster, repeatable on-the-fly systems available on higher Reed models.
No pivot identifier is provided, making precise alignment with tools such as the SMARTractor more involved.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 94/100
The review describes a highly resolved, spatially convincing presentation, with emotionally charged vocals, hall ambience and instrumental images rendered with exceptional precision. Bass is portrayed as unusually tangible and deep, while the arm is said to rival considerably more established high-end alternatives.
Overall Sound
94/100
Richard Mak calls the 2B a favourite within the Reed range and says it can “sit with the big boys.” He heard exquisite vocal detail, convincing hall echo and pinpoint placement, along with organ bass extending to the lowest octave with palpable texture.
Tracking Performance
93/100
The arm is praised for responding clearly to changes in VTF, VTA, azimuth and anti-skate, which the reviewer connects to accurate energy transfer and stable reconstruction of an instrument’s size, position and weight. Its performance is said to closely rival the Schroder and WTL LT, although the absence of a clearly marked pivot point makes installation less straightforward.
FEATURES USABILITY PERFORMANCE 68/100
Anti-skate provision is a particular strength, with separate on-the-fly adjustments for the beginning and end of the record. VTA and azimuth use more basic set-screw arrangements, and the review provides little information about the range of cartridges the arm can accommodate.
Adjustability
87/100
The 2B lacks the quicker VTA and azimuth arrangements offered by Reed’s higher models, relying instead on set screws. However, its on-the-fly anti-skating system is unusually sophisticated, using two magnetic-repulsion adjusters to tailor force at the record’s inner and outer areas.
Cartridge Compatibility
50/100
The review confirms successful use with the Phasemation PP-2000 cartridge, but does not discuss effective mass, compliance matching, headshell options or suitability across a wider cartridge range. The available 9.5-, 10.5- and 12-inch lengths offer installation choice, though they do not by themselves establish broad cartridge compatibility.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
86/100
The 2B uses a four-point bearing arrangement with high-precision ceramic ball bearings, and the review highlights the low breakdown torque associated with this approach. Reed also supplies an acrylic drilling template, a practical inclusion the reviewer considers unusually thoughtful at this level; the review says little about long-term durability or finish quality.
Value for Money
86/100
At €3,450 for the basic version and roughly €4,500 in fully specified form, the 2B is positioned as Reed’s entry model, yet the reviewer says it competes with considerably more ambitious arms in his collection. He also notes that it is the least expensive of his tonearms, though he does not make a stronger direct comparison of value against specific competing models.
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Specifications
- Effective length
- 9.5″ 10.5″ 12″
- Mounting distance, mm
- 223 251.6 295.6
- Pivot to spindle distance, mm
- 223 251.6 295.6
- Overhang, mm
- 17 15.4 13.4
- Offset angle, deg
- 22.9 20.7 17.6
Manufacturer's Description — Reed
Our newest tonearm Reed 2B offers our users three new operating possibilities:
1) A possibility to use heavier cartridges, up to 35 grams. The low-friction, ceramic bearings are used in this tonearm;
2) Tonearm “2B” comes fully assembled; it is only needed to mount the tonearm and adjust settings like VTA, VTF, azimuth and anti-skating;
3) The anti-skating force can be easily changed independently at the beginning and end of the record. This feature is practical for all newer cartridges’ users, exceptionally because of a variety of the new cartridge’s stylus’ shapes causing different friction forces between the stylus and record groove.
Short theory.
As we already know, when a stylus rides in a groove, the friction force provides a forward force which is tangential to the record groove. (Fig.1. Anti-skating)
F = μN μ – coefficient of friction, N – stylus force (VTF).
Whereas the direction of this force F is displaced 90°+ α from the line between the pivot and the stylus O2-A, this force provides a clockwise moment M around the pivots O2 (Fig.1. Anti-skating), which tends to drag the stylus towards the spindle O1.
In case to avoid the force imbalance while the stylus bears against the inner groove wall, moment M should be eliminated completely at any position on the record. This moment can be expressed by the following equation:
While the F, L and D are constant factors, and R varies accordingly to the stylus’ position, moment M can be expressed as a function of R (Fig.2 Theoretical). Practically an experiment was executed to determine skating force at different points of a record. Instruments used for this test were: fully matte and smooth test vinyl and tonearm Reed 3P with a “Phasemation PP-2000MC” cartridge that was subjected to 1.9 grams vertical tracking force during testing (Fig 3. Practical). Differences in skating force are clearly noticeable at the beginning, middle and end of the record.
Theoretically, it is known that moment M can be eliminated by providing equal compensation in the opposite direction (-M). (Fig.1.). In most cases, M is applied as a constant force, therefore the side thrust is completely eliminated only at a few positions on the record. To conclude, a tonearm with adjustable anti-skating force depending on the position on the record (diameter) is highly demanded.
Tonearm “Reed 2B” has the possibility to control anti-skating force by adjusting two anti-skating regulation handles at any time while playing a record.
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- A 10 Audio Room 4 Music — in-store — Amsterdam Nieuw-West, Noord-Holland, Netherlands (website)
- Absolute Audio - Canada — in-store — Calgary, Alberta, Canada (website)
- Absolute Sounds — in-store — London, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Alma Music & Audio — online and in-store — San Diego, California, United States (website)
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- Audio Tempel — online and in-store — Zwolle, Overijssel, Netherlands (website)
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