Phantom Supreme to 4Point-14?

Glad you talked with Thom.  I was also thinking the 11" hybrid Kuzma he sells would sound amazing on a Technics setup.  Thom is also very good at getting tables drilled correctly for arm installation. 

Also very much agree with Mijostyn's points about the SmarTractor. Wally Skater and Wally Reference tools. I use them all the time. My USB scope is the typical Dino-Lite version.  With a good "stage" it gets the job do and I can reliably double check SRA. My Lyras, SoundSmiths, Ortofons and Koetsu have always been very close to 92 degrees when the Wally Reference sets the tonearm to parallel.

The Kuzma 4P9 VTA adjustment is very good but it is intended for set it and forget it.  Sounds like you are working through that!😎

Dear @wrm57 : Both EPA 100 are really good tonearms and in any case both needs an internal rewiring. Japan vintage analog items or Yahoo could be the best sites to look for either one.

Differences in between depends of the cartridge you mount and the system resolution but your A90 will perform lovely in either one, the MK2 is more hard to find out.

Now you could look too for the EPA 500 where exist with at least 2 arm pipes, one astraigth and the similar to the EPA 100 S shaped. Build material is similar to the EPA 100 but came with the truly best VTA on the fly tonearm ever made that's the same that comes in the 100MK2.

Differences with the 100 mainly are: bearing is not " ruby jewels " as both 100's but gimbal where the bearing friction stated lower than 7mg instead the 5mg. on the 100. I owned the 500 too and the S shaped pipe is the 250.

R.

@rauliruegas, I missed an EPA-100 Mk2 by an hour yesterday on HiFiDo! It was scarfed up almost immediately upon being listed, and at a good price. Dang!

Many thanks to all who contributed to this thread. I have a lot to think about as I plan my next move, be it to a new cartridge or tonearm--and perhaps into a whole new VTA paradigm. I much appreciate all the patience and wisdom shared.

EPA 100 (both versions) is not suitable for MC carts. BTW Ikeda-san deed

not trust ruby bearings. Reed kinds also use saphire bearings  which have

limited (counter) weight  possibilty. Vidmantas refused to provide me with

heavier kinds because if this ''saphire limitation''.