"Nicole Kidman" wrote in message
5

I'm puzzled at why this supposedly amazing turntable would come with a
tonearm that used a plastic headshell.

Plastic headshells weren't that unusual in inexpensive turntables and
changers of the day.

Considering that plastic
perhaps vibrates less than metal could that be a reason? Any thoughts?

The plastic headshell was the least of the AR turntable's tonearm problems.
Leading issues related to friction both horizontally and vertically. The arm
was sorta competent at 2 grams tracking force and above, but quite
incompetent below 1.5 grams. When it was introduced it was marginal, but as
cartridge technology advanced it became problematical.