Ortofon RS-309D opinions

Dear Curio: Yes the Ikeda is very good too and an option for you.

Ldorio is right the bearing on the Ortofon is a little better than the one on Jelco but is dificult to say its performance differences with your cartridge if you don't have both bis a bis to compare.

The Ortofon and the AT IMHO are " save " choices.

About the AT, there is an item ( from Micro Seiki ) to mount the arm rest in any TT ( including the Raven. ), maybe you can ask about with the tonearm seller. Anyway if you decide for the AT I can send you a picture on the item because if you can't find it some one can build for you, is very simple.

The VTA on the fly that comes in the Ortofon design ( Analog_soul point out. ) is an advantage because no one of the other tonearms name it here have it.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

For the first time ever, I have used the precise combination you are asking about Curio, a moment to savor.
I used the Raven one initially with the basic Jelco arm supplied by the UK distributor. A good combination it was too. Way better then the Origin Live Resolutuion and Illustrious I was using before.
I E-mailed Thomas at TW regarding a final arm choice. He replied in detail, saying he used an Ortofon 309D on his Raven One and felt it gave 95% of the performance of the Phantom at less than half the price, his words not mine. I bought the 309D from the distributor, that he was using on his One. It was clearly a big step up from the Jelco. It is well built, tracks well and improved on all aspects of record reproduction.
At the time I was using a Zyx Airy 3, which I found frankly disappointing. Yes it was neutral, detailed and tracked well, but it was lifeless. The UK distributor of Benz was selling the LP at £500 off, at £1500. I realise this is much cheaper than the US. At that price it is a wonderful. All the detail and transparency of the Zyx, but so much more life, dynamics. I remember the first LP I listened to was Art Blakey's " Moanin", the last one I had played with the Zyx. I jumped out of my chair at the first Saxophone entry, it had so much more life, so crisp.
The LP shares duties now with a Koetsu Onyx I bought cheap and had retipped. Koetsu are not fashionable I know, but it sounds great too, with that magic Koetsu midrange. Arm cartridge compliance is'nt supposed to match with the Koetsu, it sounds fine to me.
So I say, go for a 309D, the deck and arm are the last ones I will be using.
An aside, if you ever want a retip, go to the UK company, the Expert Stylus company. They have been in the business over 20 years and provide a very good, cheap service, of high quality. Yes I know purists will say a retipped Koetsu is no longer a Koetsu, but it sounds OK to me.

Wow David! .. thanks alot for your post .. super helpful
Thank to your post we know the Ortofon RS309D is a very good choice for Raven One and BenzLP combo.

Now dear Raul ..the doubt about the choice between Ortofon RS309D and Ikeda IT-407 CR1 .. pratically I pay the two arm the same price .. which one to buy?

Dear Curio: I wish to have the 309D on hand for I can be precise on that tonearm choice.

Both tonearms are really good but there are at least tree " factors " that like me on the Ortofon over the Ikeda: VTA on the fly, counterweight at the stylus cartridge level for better cartridge tracking and the Ortofon support/knowledge/skills.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Uhmm.. really three interesting points .. Raul
Thanks , I 'll think about