Best Tonearm and Cartridge for 4K or under for restored Garrard 301


I have a good set up for digital audio and would like to venture into analog audio. My digital set up is
Cary DMS600 -> Cary SLP05 -> Cary CAD211FE -> KEF Blade. I love the sound!

My first and only TT is a Thorens TD126 with TP16 tonearm and TMC60 MC -> PPA990 and phono stage is Cary PH302.

I bough an old Garrard 301. Planning to get it restored by Jim Campbell. Have a slate plinth. Now I am looking for a tonearm and cartridge that will justify my set up. I am thinking 4K. I could go lower or higher depending on the feedback, cost/value. I am looking for a good bargain. If I don't like it, I can easily sell it without much loss. I listen to classical, jazz, rock, indian music. 

I have never setup a tonearm before. But I looked extensively on the internet and Michael Fremer's how to set up videos. I understand all the different angles, VTA, SRA, Azimuth, Zenith. 

Looks like Michael likes Kuzma 4PT, I liked his review of the tonearm.
I am also looking at linear trackers like Transfi Terminator.
Woody, Triplaner Mk VII, SME 3012R, SME 312, Ortofon RS 309D, Dynavector DV 505/ 507, Reed 3P, Stogi reference, FR 64S, FR 64 FX, Sumiko 800.

kanchi647
@chakster Thank you for the high mass tonearm suggestions. I am not 100% sure if I have to go the high mass tonearm route. Most 301 users suggest high mass and low compliance carts. If they are cheap and best, then its a win win. 

This is all new to me. There are so many variables and I am trying to get as much info as possible. Thanks again. 
@fsonicsmith please help me understand. I have read both sides of wood vs granite plinths. They say shindo is the best which is layered cherry. Then peakhifi sells granite plinths and Oswald Millls Audio made granite plinths and I spoke with the owner and he swears by it. I went with granite bcos of the logic of not coloring the sound by the TT and keep it neutral. However I like the idea of complimentary components as well. Then I read CLD is not a good idea for garrard. I am very open minded. 
What tonearm and cartridge do you use. Did you upgrade the plinth and bearings? Thanks
@kanchi647 I have two Jim Campbell plinths. Slate and birch-ply. Both AudioGrail 401 tables. One early twin spark, the other later.
Look at my system in my profile. Go with 12" tonearms. Make sure you replace the idler with an AudioSilente one and look to replacing the bearing with a SPH. I’ve also replaced the platter. All this has brought the performance to a level unrecognizable from the original.
@chakster which TT do you use? Thanks for all the suggestions and combos. I will start looking for them on hifishark

All linked pictures above are my own, so i use all those tonearms.
Reed 3p "12 and Schick "12 was on Technics SP-10 mkII as you can see.
My main turntables right now are two Luxman PD-444, here you can see FR-64fx with FR 7fz on the right side.


Most 301 users suggest high mass and low compliance carts. If they are cheap and best, then its a win win.

It’s a classic combination for Garrard, Ikeda and FR tonearms are about $2-3000 each depends on condition. For low compliance cartridges i doubt you can find anything better even for higher price.

But i think Tomas Schick "12 is under $1500 new, very elegant tonearm designed for low compliance cartridges like SPU.


Kanchi;
First, to respond to your response to Chakster, I have a 12" Cocobolo Reed 3P on my Thorens TD124. It is not a high mass arm. Reed markets the different woods as having different masses and there is both an element of truth and an element of misleading marketing there. All of the Reed 3P's regardless of choice of wood are medium mass afaik. Every cartridge I have mounted on my 12" Cocobolo has absolutely sang-including my two Benz Glider LO's which frankly never sounded good on three different VPI arms I used to own. I am currently using an Ortofon Cadenza Bronze on that arm and it sounds great. 
Now as to plinths. Of course Oswald Mills is going to tell you that there granite plinth is best. I believe they will also sell you a cast iron plinth that got press in S'Phile not long ago-though that may only be for the SP10. You read that constrained layer damping is not a good idea for Garrard? Well, how do I respond to that? No offense but you can read all kinds of things on any subject-but they are often not true. Plus, there is no right or wrong. It is a matter of taste. Do you want your Garrard 301 to sound fast, clean, and sterile (admittedly this is somewhat of an exaggeration but I need to express characteristics associated with such high mass inert plinth materials mated to the 301) or do you want it to do the best possible job conveying tone and texture? 
I will give you an analogy; take a look at Jason Victor Serinus's system and his reviews in Stereophile and compare it to Art Dudley's. Or go listen to a system with Magico's powered by CH Precision electronics and compare it to an all-Audio Note UK system. There is no "perfect", there is no "correct" and there is no "does everything the best". You have to choose what you want and what you are willing to give up. Just as with loudspeakers to use yet another analogy. You can't have it all.