I’ve never been enamoured with Nottingham’s tonearms, but I can recommend Jelco’s 750 and 850 series arms, Micro Seiki MA-505 (I know you stated no vintage, but a well-kept MA-505 is hard to beat in terms of price/performance) and most of all, my current Thomas Schick 9 (actually a 9.6" arm).
I don’t know how 1500 Euro sounds, but to me it feels almost like a bargain. The bearings feel better than any I’ve operated before, the arm works equally well with a wide range of cartridge weights and compliances (depending on choice of headshell of course) and for the first time I feel that no compromises have to made in regards to any of my cartridges whilst using just a single arm.
The Schick is mounted on an Ace Spacedeck, which I frankly can’t see myself ever swapping out. I’ve listened to the Hyperspace, Space294 and Dais extensively without hearing any improvements worth shelling out for, not to mention at least a metric ton of other turntables through the years.
All fairly subjective of course and YMMV.
I don’t know how 1500 Euro sounds, but to me it feels almost like a bargain. The bearings feel better than any I’ve operated before, the arm works equally well with a wide range of cartridge weights and compliances (depending on choice of headshell of course) and for the first time I feel that no compromises have to made in regards to any of my cartridges whilst using just a single arm.
The Schick is mounted on an Ace Spacedeck, which I frankly can’t see myself ever swapping out. I’ve listened to the Hyperspace, Space294 and Dais extensively without hearing any improvements worth shelling out for, not to mention at least a metric ton of other turntables through the years.
All fairly subjective of course and YMMV.