The main function of a tonearm is to register the cartridge in the record groove, and to maintain this registration as the stylus transits the record.
This is accomplished by allowing fine adjustments to be made, and having those adjustments remain stable. Resonance is also an issue.
Enter Trans-Fi Terminator air bearing tonearm, a superb tonearm within your price range. I own two of them, both on high end turntables, one a commercial product, one a DIY air bearing. They are highly adjustable, stable, and exceedingly "tweakable". I have had good results with a light MM and with a higher end Koetsu, just by changing the tonearm mass with weights and adding damping.
The only problem is that the tonearm does not work with a suspended turntable, because the beam of the tonearm must be absolutely horizontal for the air bearing to work. Since neither of my TT is suspended (they sit on a concrete foundation bedded in rock far from heavy equipment), the Trans-Fi is ideal for me.
Good luck!
This is accomplished by allowing fine adjustments to be made, and having those adjustments remain stable. Resonance is also an issue.
Enter Trans-Fi Terminator air bearing tonearm, a superb tonearm within your price range. I own two of them, both on high end turntables, one a commercial product, one a DIY air bearing. They are highly adjustable, stable, and exceedingly "tweakable". I have had good results with a light MM and with a higher end Koetsu, just by changing the tonearm mass with weights and adding damping.
The only problem is that the tonearm does not work with a suspended turntable, because the beam of the tonearm must be absolutely horizontal for the air bearing to work. Since neither of my TT is suspended (they sit on a concrete foundation bedded in rock far from heavy equipment), the Trans-Fi is ideal for me.
Good luck!