Interface: Cartridge-Preamp or Cart-Tonearm?

Used Rolls is not that expensive, cheaper than many stereo systems that people here have. Not cheaper than mine though. And the service would cost you dearly; but they last for at least fifty years so it might be worth it.

Inna, You totaly spoiled my methaphoric meaning so 'my'
Rolls should be read as the 'new one'.

Regards,

Didn't mean to. For some reason I just wanted to be very concrete.

It is interesting to read the responses here. Having used various analogue set ups over 30 years or so, from garrard onwards. I have tended to go with the TT manufacture's arm(eg. sme 20+V arm) as it has been very difficult to audition alternative arm/TT combinations. The assumption being the manufacture's gear must be compatible.
Being in the uk I had the usual Linn + naim set up. When I decided to move on from this I had to go to extreme lengths to to REALLY improve on the built-in naim stage.
Turntable and arm improvements have been the most positive means of upgrading for me. No matter how good the phono stage is if the TT and arm are not getting the information to it then it will not give of it's best.
I have found the same with cartrides, the arm is more important. The cartridge will sound better in agood arm, a modest cartride will give better results in an exceptional arm than than the other way round.
Of course it is essential to ensure the cartridge is set up optimally so the arm must accomodate this. In recent years the adjustment of azimuth prooved to be a critical factor for me in addition to the usual VTA and tracking offset.
I now use an oscillascope to help check this.
Experimenting with cartridges I have come to the conclusion there is no one best cartridge, they all have strengths and weaknesses in different areas so I now use two arms to partly cover this. I know looking at the posts above there are plenty of systems with more, I guess for the same reason.

To Dctom,

Thank you for responding to this thread. Could you give more detail on your use of a 'scope to evaluate cartridge setup?

Regards,

David