TESTING DIFFERENT DECKS AND ARM COMBOS

Great Plinth; Great Spinner; Great Arm(s); Dust Cover.

Consider if you want a long arm, will table allow it?

Consider if you want multiple arms, i.e. one fixed MC cartridge; One Removable Headshell for several optional cartridges (yours or listen to a friends). If so, then easy arm height adjustment is desirable.

With help here I went from a fairly common table with one arm, removable headshell, to a superior vintage plinth, superior vintage spinner, and started with 2 arms, then squeezed a 3rd arm on:

one 12.5" fixed MC, (not easy height change, 2 allen screws);

2nd 9" removable headshell, extremely easy arm height, several cartridges mounted in their headshells, overhang/null preset.

3rd 9" fixed Mono (I wish it was removable headshell, but it needs very compact counterweight section in order to fit when dust cover is on, Mission/Jelco 774lc just fits.

It would be rare or impossible to find 3 OEM arms to do what I do. A great arm is a great arm.

Many cars, you can run 'normal' tires/rims or change to mag rims, low profile tires.

Superior handling with the mag/low profile; but watch out for potholes ...the rims damage easily.

Lohanimal, what is your question, actually?

@lewm its more a discussion as to what is a better form of evaluating a component or system 

If for a publication, and if you are comparing A to B, then you ought to keep everything else constant, like you said. If it’s for yourself, then there are no rules. Because you own all the gear, and you would have a sense of how each piece contributes to the total SQ. So you, better than any third party, would be able to assess the effect of a single component, by moving it from one system to another. Also, you don’t have to put your opinion into words; you can do it all in your head and with your own senses.  I have 5 turntables and two completely separate audio systems. By moving cartridges and tonearms around, I have learned a lot about interactions, how a cartridge can be mediocre in one tonearm in one system and then sound exceptional in another setting.  But I wouldn't foist my findings on anyone else, except as a casual observation.