Thoughts on moving from a 1200G to Sota Saphire or above

Don’t overestimate the problem, nearly all modern cartridges are made for modern tonearm. Carts are mid compliance and tonearms are mid mass. Most of high compliance carts are high-end vintage MM and MI, most of low compliance carts are vintage MC. Very few new carts are low compliance (SPU for example), but they are definitely not for Technics mid mass tonearm. This arm is amazing for mid and high compliance MM and MI, and modern mid compliance MC. 

But cartridges are different and for your ears one specific cart can be much better than others. If you did not compare many then your Ortofon can be not the best for your ears (theoretically). 

@lewm , $10,000 is for a Nova vacuum and a Schroder CB. Package price.
My own belief is that even with the Nova's standard AC synchronous drive the difference in speed accuracy will be inaudible but that is a belief not a fact. Perhaps someday you and I can get together and run that study.
I also forgot to mention the Nova's magnetic bearing will also lead to less rumble and blacker backgrounds.

bfoura, that is a fine combo and down the line you can have it upgraded to the new drive and bearing as well as change tonearms if you get the urge. A new tonearm board is always two weeks away.

The one thing that instantly endears people to the Sota is it's near total insensitivity to anything going on around it. Sing, dance, jump up and down, set off an M80. It could care less. For those who are tired of tip toeing around their turntable it is a blessing. 

@chakster , a removable head shell kills it for me. Only Kuzma gets that one right.

removable head shell kills it for me.

For you, but not for me, nearly all Japanese tonearms have a removable headshell (or even removable armtube with integrated headshell), it’s an amazing feature to swap cartridges for those who have many cartridges.

It’s much more difficult on my Reed 3p for example (check my system)

I have a Sapphire on order. I have a number of cartridges and was excited to find a NOS Jelco 750D so that i can easily swap them out.