Origin Live Tonearms

I have become familiar with the Encounter and the Illustrious, through being demonstrated them in use on another's owned system.

I have only heard them in use with a Sumiko Pearwood Cart', but can assure you, there is a very good presentation from this match, one that I class as very engaging and with lots of attraction.

I have a Silver on my Sota Escape and I think it is pretty nice.   It is much better than the Rega RB300 I had in the past.   Five year warranty is pretty good too

@goofyfoot I agree with your thoughts on looking to save for the Encounter.  This is the beginning of the Origin Live arms with their dual pivot bearings.  I have had an original Silver, Encounter, Illustrious, and now have a dual arm setup with a new Conqueror mk4 and Enterprise mk4.  The Encounter can handle most cartridges well that are not low compliance and provides better adjustability IMO.  It was my primary arm for a few years and it performed well with a Cartridgeman MusicMaker3, Benz Ebony H (retipped by soundsmith), and Ortofon Cadenza Bronze.  

@drrsutliff Given you've tried those OL tonearms and have a good opinion of the Encounter is encouraging. As mentioned, my sole purpose for this table is to make it a dedicated mono turntable with a very good cartridge, so I expect that the vertical tracking of this arm will handle grooves that present themselves with much of the difficulty I am currently experiencing. Especially titles involving piano.

@pindac I've also read that this tonearm sounds neutral and tracks effortlessly, giving a very natural presentation. I believe that's what sold me.

@goofyfoot I have heard the Illustrious used with a Garrard 401 and have a long term usage of a 401 under my belt with a SME IV.

I never had a Cart' in use as the Sumiko Pearwood.

From Recollection, the experience of the Garrard 401 built into a Compressed Bamboo Plinth > Illustrious > Sumiko, mounted on a 2 X Tier of Panzerholz Board as a Sub Plinth, is possibly the best Idler Drive I have heard in a non owned system, and I would say this will possibly have been the outcome if the demonstration was in my own system.

The owner of the arm now has it mounted with Cart' on a Belt Drive Schue TT, which has been modified with a Origin Live Modified Motor.

I am yet to be demonstrated this, but the owner is claiming that it is as good as the SME 20/12 that was sold off not too long ago.  

Recently I missed a demonstration of comparisons between the Schue, and Two other TT's.