The issue when 2 arms are actually not the same
can also be found with the Micro Seiki MA-505.
When MS sold table models including this arm
it was actually not the same arm when bought separately.
No guessing which one is superior.
Exactly what i'm trying to say. It's a good example of the obvious difference between something that comes as a package deal with turntable and something that offered as a separate unit for audiophiles for use with any turntable (from the different manufacturers). Micro Seiki did it many times with their OEM tonearms, one of them is Luxman TA-1, same name, but two completely different version made. The stand alone version with removable armtube and stabilizer is so much better engineered and pimped up compared to the simplified version that comes with the table only. The price difference between two versions is huge, but the model number is the same.
Only blind man can't see two different versions of PUA-7, the cheaper and simplified version is the one that offered with SONY turntable only. Some people who comment on here may never had the original PUA-7 i am talking about. No questions that the arms are different and better design.
And only a much better version has been offered alone in the box for high price. This tonearm is better engineered. Anyone can look at the armlift (see how it works?) and at the mounting base, this is what completely missed or simplified in the cheaper version. I have this PUA-7 and my previous SONY arm was the 1600S (NOS).
The PUA-7 has its own geometry, different alignment method and their own Sony protractor. Stand alone PUA-7 version is 4 times more expensive than those arms removed from the turntables.
I use mine with stock internal tonearm wiring.