I look at a Tonearm as a Permanent Device (not deteriorating) which is an enabler for the Cartridge to carry out it's function.
I have owned over the years Cart's with/without removable Headshells. I did not have too much concerns for a removable Headshell as my Journey with a Tonearm Venture was aspiring to the SME IV or V, of which the I was acquired and used for many many years under the guise the investigation to discover better was over.
I was using LOMC and HOMC with this Tonearm mainly with ID TT's.
An invite to meeting with ID TT enthusiasts resulted in my whole mindset being changed. A discovery was made about a Tonearm Design used on a TT being demo'd at the meeting.
The TA was a removable Headshell design which later underwent the removal of the SME Bayonet to a Interference Fit Design.
The follow up A/B of the pre/post modified
TA's using identical TT and Cart' showed the Pre modded version was superseded.
I have been involved with other design changes to the TA and am left with a different mindset to what a Cart' can be.
A Cart' is sacrificial, it is not a design that through typical use can maintain a condition that is supplied from the factory.
The Cart' is also quite reactive to the device it is mounted to, or part it is directly attached to.
My experiences have shown a Tonearm with a removable Headshell but with a bespoke design for bearings and machining tolerances through removing and adding materials, has shown what might be considered a lesser design, due to the H'shell, create a much improved performance on a Cart' over a SME IV.
The changes made to the removable H'shell's connecting to the Wand method brought about additional betterment.
I advise to learn what is best to be in place on a Tonearm and do ones best to fully learn if the philosophy is implemented in a TA that presents itself as being of interest.
A TA put to use, that incorporates a design that actually does what it is claimed to do! When coupled to a Cart' that is properly set up, will be formidable as a generator of a Signal.
A much more expensive Cart' on a not so well functioning TA, will not compete in the overall quality stakes, it's short coming will quickly be found out and become a detractor.
As said the TA is the enabler of the Cart', it is not in reverse order.
