So if it is very problematic to determine the sound of a tonearm what were the goals of the manufacturer's? Did their engineers go for improved tracking?, easier adjustments?, cost variables? Then there is the question of marketing and subsequent reviews. I would side on simplicity and reliability above all.
Comparison of sonic qualities of some tonearms
I’m relatively new to the world of vinyl, listening seriously for probably only 2 years. Of course, many big picture items (e.g. turntable, phono stage, cartridges) are discussed extensively on this forum, but I haven’t seen much discussion comparing different tonearms. I would be interested to hear about different people’s experiences with different tonearms, mentioning the audible advantages and disadvantages of each tonearm, realizing that there is no perfect sound, although from what I read about others’ experiences, SAT tonearms may come closest, albeit at a very high price.