Another “How to choose an arm” question

Dear @mijostyn  : Yes, you are rigth but when you can't mount a second tonearm in the same TT then the arm pod is an alternative.

I can tell you that I had a long first hand experiences with external arm pods when I was using my Denon's in naked fashion and maybe I was not aware of a detectable kind of distortions with, but this is me.

Now, as we can always we have to take the orthodox road with TT/tonearm mount.

R.

Dear @mijostyn  : SAEC tonearms are in the high mass range but the real problems are that's an undamped design and the knife bearing .

We can think that knife tonearm bearing is almost frictionless and a dream for that job but it's not and it's not not because I say it but truly experts as Dr. Sao Win puts a warning against knife bearings with his cartridge designs ( I owned his cartridge LOMC. ) and in indirect way SME did it too. Remember the old 3012? well came with vertical knife bearing and fortunatelly when SME ( that knows everything you can imagine on tonearms/TTs. ) was designed the V they just disappeared that knife bearing for very good reasons between those reasons is that at microscopic levels the knife tend to rattle.

holmz likes the 317 so is up to him at the end is him who needs to be satisfied not you or me.

R.

Many years past I went through the motions of purchasing a new Tonearm.

As for all the experiences I encountered in demonstration rooms the TT's in use were always belt driven.

At some events I attended there were a broader range of TT's in use using the Tonearms had shortlisted.

Off which a SME IV and V were both candidates.

I was fortunate on one occasion at an event to be able to receive a demonstration of the SME V and IV used on two of the same decks.

I can't recollect if the Cart's were matching, and I am not even sure if I would have considered this as important at this stage on my interest in HiFi, too many years have passed now to even think about the smaller details.

The decision I made was because of the impressions made on this system and the choice I made was to purchase the SME IV Tonearm.

I still own this Tonearm today and a Tonearm I purchased at a later period being the Audiomods Series Five Micrometre.

These two Tonearms have been compared in my system on a PTP Solid Nine and each are very similar and each does not excel in front of the other in perceived performance or in how a music replay is able to be engaged with and enjoyed.

The SME IV has been loaned on a few occasions and the most recent loan was to a friend who was comparing it to other Tonearms, as they were looking to make a Tonearm purchase.

The SME IV on this occasion did not win their favour as a purchase item, even though they said it was not too far behind a few of the other Brands in the line up being demonstrated.

I no longer use the IV or the Series Five micrometre, I have a Tonearm in use that has surpassed both of these as a performer and comfortably wins my favour for how the music is engaged with during a replay.  

  Audio Seri        

I think if you want to go with a low output cartridge you should upgrade your phono stage.

That is my upgraded phonostage 😋

The old one (currently in use) is a 42dB ARC PH2 for MM only at 47k ohms..

I no longer use the IV or the Series Five micrometre, I have a Tonearm in use that has surpassed both of these as a performer and comfortably wins my favour for how the music is engaged with during a replay.  

I am afraid to ask… ?

@holmz 

Soundsmith have a range of medium output cartridges that suit phonos with 48-54db of gain. Some are low compliance, some are medium compliance.

https://www.sound-smith.com/cartridges/317/medium-output

https://www.sound-smith.com/cartridge-compliancearm-mass-chart