What is the best tonearm at about 3000 budget?

Definitely the Breuer Typ 8 or the Brinkmann!

I'm so glad the Breuer and Brinkman tonearms are being manufactured again after a decade's absence. I wonder if the new arms capture the Swiss essence of the original: fine chocolate, cuckoo clocks and polite federalism, which when experienced simultaneously are often mistaken for neutrality. That said, the Type 8's rendering of acoustic accordion will make you weep. Really.

Ummm...because of the chocolaty, precise, polite presentation or because you're listening to accordian on a $3,000 tonearm?

Now, all you accordian zealots don't flame me...my tongue is firmly in cheek.

I know this is an old post but it's probably a question that people are still asking, especially as a lot has happened in the Tonearm market since 2002. As I write, that's 17 years ago!

So I am extremely impressed with the Viroa tonearm from Tien Audio. Tien is currently doing a giveaway of this $2,500 tonearm. You can get the chance to win on here https://giveaways.rateyoursound.com

If sweepstakes aren't your thing and you want to read more, see https://tienaudioltd.com and read a full review of the Viroa tonearm here https://www.rateyoursound.com/reviews/tien-audio-viroa-best-audiophile-tonearm-under-3000

Haipo, there is one arm that stands out from all the others in this price range and that is the Kuzma 4 point 9. I has the best bearings of any pivoted tonearm ever made, the same bearings used on the much more expensive 4 point 11 and 14. It has a removable head shell and its effective mass is perfect for medium compliance cartridges. It has a fat, stiff and tapered arm tube. It has been favorably compared to the $20K SAT arm. Read about it!