New turntable: TW or Obama?


About to take the plunge on a table to replace my venerable SOTA Star/SME V.

Top contenders: TW Acustic Raven LS or a Kuzma Stabi R with wood base.  Arm options are the TW 10.5 on the former, or something else.  Would likely get the Kuzma 4 point for the latter.

Anyone with experience and an opinion on these analog tables?

Cost wise they are similar, both under $20K.

Thanks!
bobbydd
Geez, I’m not the brightest bulb often....

Thread title and "Obama is the Chopstick capital of Japan."

This is a double jeopardy knowledge association...huh?
Had a Sota Cosmos upgraded to TW AC3 much better bass detail and impact better midrange detail and much better highs.Using TW 10.5 arm with top Transfiguration cartridge,Enjoy!
Went through this decision last year and was almost unanimously encouraged  by Audiogon members to refurbish my SOTA Star/SME V combo, so that's what I did (it's nearly ready).  However, I was looking at a replacement price range well under the gear you're considering. 

We have probably both gotten used to the low noise floor of the SOTA.  I figured "you don't know what you got 'til it's gone," so I kept the rig.  I see another poster has expressed the same sentiment re: the virtues of the SOTA/SME V. 

Thanks for starting this thread.  I'll be watching, but I can't give you any input on these tables and arms, and I'm not trying to sway you one way or the other.  Just thought my very similar experience might be of interest.

Specifics of the $3k+ renewal (I wasn't interested in packing and shipping everything to SOTA, so I took the TT to my local high end shop where I bought the table long ago):
  • new TT bearing and springs (motor is still good - who knows how long?)
  • sent SME V to Alfred Kayser in Canada for disassembly, cleaning and new bearings, as well as new internal wiring - continuous length from cart to preamp
  • new Audio-Technica ART9XA cart (had to switch out preamp's internal MC resistors to get more gain for .2mv output)