2. analog
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What is the best tonearm for a SOTA Nova turntable?

I haven't played an LP for a while now. I've moved from CD's to streaming both Tidal and my own rips from a Roon Nucleus plus. My SOTA Nova with an ET2 arm has been sitting idle along with hundreds of high quality LP's. I've heard that the ET2 is not a good match with the SOTA, and may be the weak point in my analog chain. (SOTA-ET2-Lyra Kleos -Allnic 1201 phono stage- ARC Ref6- PS Audio-BHK300 amps-Reference 3a Grand Veena speakers and unnamed sub system. 

My digital system with a Holo May DAC and Roon with HQP trounces the analog system pretty soundly.

I'd like to resurrect the analog system as I have read that I'm missing out not using it.

My question is, where can I make the most improvement for the least cash outlay?

I'd like to keep the SOTA table, but everything else is expendable.

Thanks in advance for some help.

-John

gyneguy225
sbank's avatar
sbank
3,378 posts
 

@gyneguy225 before changing 3 things at once, why not just change the arm first, then maybe the cart and phono stage last. It sounds like you aren't comfortable with the ET2, so that's gotta be what goes first. 

If budget is <$2K, Audiomods & Origin Live should be on your list. I am pretty happy w/Audiomods V w/silver loom & VTA tower on my Nova6, paired w/Dynavector XX2mk2. OL is the obvious alternative w/models both lower & higher in price.

If $2500 or more, a used SME V is what Sota recommends more often than anything else on Novas & Cosmos. 

If >$3K works for you the Kuzmas, Triplanars should be on your list. Cheers,

Spencer

gyneguy225 OP
93 posts
 

 Hey Spencer

I'm just exploring all the options at this point. The SME is a really good recommendation and I thank you. I may give Donna at Sota a call on Monday. She's always been pleasant and very helpful. I honestly don't know much about the SME arms. I do know that the Cosmos armboard on the Nova would have to be changed out with the ET2. Every tonearm requires its own specially drilled armboard. At least the geometry is already worked out at Sota, and the arm and board are basically dropped into place and fixed with 3 screws.

solypsa's avatar
solypsa
462 posts
 

OK real talk time. Maybe try great MM cart. The SUT is not the strong point of your Allnic. Keep everything same and try a Nagaoka MP500 or whatever else floats your boat similar? 

Hana is OK too, not great but very even handed.

gyneguy225 OP
93 posts
 

I've used moving coil cartridges since 1975 when I bought a  Denon 103C. Supex was next. I had a Naim preamp with MC phono card. For a while I was happy with a Linn turntable-Grace 707arm- Supex E+Super feeding my Naim preamp. Then along came ARC preamps (SP10 to start) which changed everything.

I won't be going back to MM cartridges, but I would like to get back my ARC ph5 which I traded for the Allnic. -stupid move!

 

 

  

holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

 

OK real talk time. Maybe try great MM cart. The SUT is not the strong point of your Allnic. Keep everything same and try a Nagaoka MP500 or whatever else floats your boat similar?

Hana is OK too, not great but very even handed.

As we know I have a cartridge to pick up and, some arm board drilling and tonearm setup.

But…

What other MM/MI carts do recommend? Or are they all OK - and just different flavours?

I had pretty good luck with the Garrott Bros p77i, and some of the SoundSmith carts caught my eye, but I did not get a listen to any of them.

Or do you mainly do MC and prefer not to opine?

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