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Developing A List Of Tonearm Candidates For A SOTA Turntable

So this month i sent my SME V off to a new home, and that leaves my SOTA armless. My other table has a schroder CB-1L on it and I have run either an Ortofon Verismo or Transfiguration Proteus on it. I did put both those same cartridges on the SME on the SOTA and it always had a disappointing presentation of harmonics and texture. A monochromatic sound could be the best description I have. Time for another arm.

The SOTA armboard restricts the type of arm that can be installed. The arm types that have a VTA tower and separate pivot point take up too much real estate to fit. So fitting something like a Wheaton, Reed, or Durand does not seem possible. I wondered about elevating the arm board so its level with the top plate, but I am not sure if there is enough room for the want to pivot without removing the dust cover. It is a possibility, but I wonder how it effects the travel of the suspension. and if there are unintended consequences. I have yet to read about any SOTA owners doing this.

So I am trying to put together a list of candidates. I do know some folks appreciate the Origin Live arms, but I am not very well versed in their lineup. I have wondered about the Groovemaster arms also. I have looked at the Moerch, but its kind of a fiddly thing. The point is the table is on the sidelines at the moment because there is no arm in place. I typically shop the used market, but I can be patient and wait for the right arm to come along. The benefit of having more than one table i guess. 

Anyone else have any suggestions. Appreciate your thoughts and experiences.

neonknight
pindac's avatar
pindac
2,533 posts
 

 

audiodidact's avatar
audiodidact
63 posts
 

I have the entry OL Onyx which replaced an RB300 for my Rega P2 (Groovetracer modified all the way down). Everything was instantly more transparent and full bodied (if I can use that term). The downside was after a month of happy listening I began to have channel cut-out somewhere halfway through a side or variable volume playback. It was awful. I went to the Origin Live website for trouble shooting and they had the issue and the remedy listed. I had to dismantle the arm and end plug. The teeny-tiny wires in the arm needed to be untwisted and the ground wire reseated. It took about 30 minutes and the problem was erased. Everything back to sounding 100%. However, I worry all the time now about those little wires twisting again.

vinylshadow
438 posts
 

Supatrac's Nighthawk. Or Blackbird for less cost. Great review by Fremer on the Blackbird. 

dover
2,199 posts
 

Sumiko MDC-800 The Arm, which SOTA's David Fletcher designed to partner with his table. 

Yes - and David quit making the Sumiko arm when the SME V arrived.

There's a reason for that.

I'm familiar with the Supatrac. Whilst it's quite good value, not. in the league of either the Schroeder CB or the Kuzma 4Point which are probably the best options given that the OP wants to upgrade from an SME V.

 

 

 

vinylshadow
438 posts
 

@dover   I've heard that Dohmann recently stopped recommending the Schroeder CB series as they found that there are better sounding arms; yet do recommend the Supatrac Blackbird and Nighthawk, which they feel "are a revelation with reference level performance"

The Blackbird is a solid value for the cost but I'm going for the upgraded Nighthawk myself, which was just released so I doubt you've had the chance to evaluate it. 

There's a YT video where The Dohmann Helix One MKIII is playing a Nighthawk and it sounded amazing. 

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