Origin Live Alliance tonearm


This is an impressive very inexpensive arm, less than $ 500.  Level below Origin Onyx and Silver.

I am looking at upgrade options:  Would be nice to stay below $ 2,000.

The Wand from New Zeeland

Audiomod from UK

Higher level Origin Live from UK.  Onyx, Silver and above.

All arms look great on paper.  Anything else, prefer Rega mount as the Alliance is Rega mount.  Please share your experience.

dcaudio

Agree Encounter or above with the dual pivot is where you get into a great arm. You may want to consider an Audio Origami PU-7GTS. Drop in replacement for Rega mount. I am a dealer for both OL and AO. Reach out if I can help.

Have owned an Encounter (on a Resolution Mk IV) and since upgraded to the Enterprise. Agree with viridian that OL arms really offer serious advantage when they are built around dual pivot. I have noticed a significant upgrade between these two arms and a further significant improvement with the new counterweight. I believe these tonearms are reference level and hard to beat at their price point. I also remain to be convinced that the even more expensive arms in the range are worth the difference, although I have little doubt that they are somewhat better. It may also depend what turntable the more expensive ones are installed on.

@dcaudio 

Of the three arms you listed, in my view the Audiomods would be the best choice.

I have set one up on my old Platine Verdier and it is excellent, well up with the much more expensive arms I previously had on this TT.

One thing to be aware of is that all the Origin Live tonearms have non offset vertical bearings - which means that when VTA is adjusted ( lift the arm up or down at the back ) on these arms the azimuth goes out - and the cartridge ends up leaning over laterally to one side. For this reason I would never buy an Origin Live tonearm, even though some of them do have adjustable azimuth, because changing VTA between records becomes a nightmare, you have to correct the azimuth every time you change the VTA.