What Does It Take To Surpass A SME V?

Since you will have 2 really nice cartridges, an S tonearm with removable head-shells would be convenient. With SOTA, you have to be very careful that an arm will fit within the arm board, won't bump into the dust cover, and won't be over-weight for proper balancing of the suspension. My Fidelity Research FR64fx (S with removeable head shells) weighs ~ 2.2 lbs, and comes in just under that weight limit. It's a very nice match with SOTA Nova :) 

Of course when swapping head shells, VTA adjustment is a concern and most arms with on-the-fly VTA will be a difficult fit for SOTA. But in practice, the only cartridge I've yet encountered with a wildly different height than others is Van den Hul Colibri (much taller).

@dogberry I know 😎, the bait is laid.

I am totally adhered to the Rigid Coupling Methodology, I was offered a option to have a Armboard Machined, which I declined for the One Plinth Material only philosophy.

The individual offering me the option has chose the Machined Armboard Option to mount Two Tonearms up to 12". This is to be used with a TT>Tonearm Identical to my own go to TT Set Up, as well as a selection of other immediately available Tonearms.

Where the two above Plinths now separate further, is that the producers second owned TT of the same model, is now in a condition that is to be used with a P'holz Chassis, that will also mount Two Tonearms up to 12" 

Another TT owner, with the same family of TT, has as already made known, chosen a Standalone Tonearm Pod.

I get to be demo'd all methodologies and that is great for me and others who choose to be present when the demo's take place, no reason why one of the pair of owned Identical Tonearms don't end up on the Standalone Tonearm Pod, as two near usage identical Cart's are ready for this Trial, and will be used on all Tonearms being compared.

All philosophies for mounting a Tonearm are pretty much exposed to be subjectively assessed.

I am to be open minded, but as a initial thought on the upcoming trial, I really don't see much to be discovered if the TT Plinth, Chassis and Standalone Tonearm Pod are mounted with a same Tonearm>Cart on a Densified Wood Sub Plinth.

'Standalone Tonearm Pod' is looking such a lovely morsel to be picked at on the set Traps Plate.

Lets see which are those, whom choose to tell another how to mount their own Tonearms in conjunction with their own TT/TT's in their own Home.

Dear @neonknight  : Do you took a decision about?

R.

I’m hoping that the SME VA tonearm will become available for sale without the new SME 60 turntable, and that it’s within my budget.  A definite improvement over the SME V.

I haven’t really made any choices. I had an unexpected opportunity come my way at the end of December. A person bought a new Ortofon Verismo and at the twenty hour mark decided to dust the table and ended up removing the diamond from the cantilever. The cartridge is fine otherwise and is at VAS getting ready to receive a new diamond. Once it gets back it will go on the SOTA for an evaluation, and then we will proceed from there.

I find it interesting that arms get suggested that have dimensions that make it impossible to fit on the SOTA. To be honest, a good portion of the thread is not very applicable.

I have not decided on an arm, I am seriously considering doing it this year. But really do not have a short list of candidates. For the time being the V will stay in place. I spent a lot of money the second half of the year by buying a pair of Classe Omega monoblocks, Trinov Amethyst preamp, and found a nice Ortofon T2000 SUT.

As a curiosity though. Who is refreshing V’s?