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.
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
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- 65 posts total
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!
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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? |
@gyneguy225 Yeah, Sota can cut an armboard for most arms. Many brands follow SME or Rega(e.g. Audiomods, Origin Live) geometry. 9" arms all will fit. 12" won't. In between, it's worth asking. Sometimes Donna can hook you up with a trade-in armboard, because plenty of folks change direction. That could save you a few bucks and also time, if you get lucky. Cheers, Spencer |
I do MC most of the time. The OP was leaning towards a Hana and keeping his Allinic 1201 so clearly not in the mindset to spend a lot on either cart or phono. So in that case a best in class MM might make more sense. Not saying they are better overall.
As you know I am in the trade and sell MC carts but they more costly than a Hana... ;) |
- 65 posts total