Comparison of sonic qualities of some tonearms

Is that not the irony, Talk Measurements to death and disregard all data at the expense of aesthetic. 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but some beauty is the outward expression and not the coating that is seen. 

P'holz has oodles of outward expression 😍

@terry9 

Interesting statements about natural fibers and tonearm composition.  Do you have listening experience comparing various natural fibers (by which I assume you mean wood?) with carbon fiber or magnesium or other element on a similar base?  Any take home differences in your comparisons?  

No its not impossible if you compare using the same cartridge on 2 different arms

Why do so many cartridge manufacturers and after market modders (e.g. Zu) offer different cartridge shells? If certain pundits in this thread were correct that a tonearm can only be neutral or degrade the sound than what is happening when the wood, choice of stone (Koetsu, Etsuri), composite, or alloy cartridge shell is applied to a given motor? The answer is rather obvious; the manufacturer understands that for any given motor assembly a shell choice can compliment and not detract.

Nothing is more imperfect than audio reproduction via vinyl records! It is laughingly crude. Think of The Flintstones and Barney putting the bird’s head and beak down to a record rotating on a round rock. A mere harmless cartoon and yet ironically not far from the truth.

The fact that there is so much beauty, love, and enjoyment to be had from playback of vinyl records is testament that the process is part science and a very healthy part art.

@drbond Theory?? No tracking angle error and very little if any skating force? Those are huge benefits, not that you can ignore other aspects of tonearm design. Schroder and Reed arms are otherwise well designed and built with only very minor quibbles. I have no doubt both will handily outperform any offset pivoted arm including the SAT and Saphir. I would and will bet my own money on that. IMHO the only reasons that the SAT and Saphir sound so good is the looks and the price. The Mark Levinson Rules of Audio Performance. In order to sound good a unit has to look sharp and cost a fortune. 

@pindac Panzerholtz attractive? Fancy plywood? There is so much beauty in nature and natural wood that is every bit as functional as panzer holtz. The only problem is these woods like Ebony, Cocobolo, Lignam Vitae and other rosewoods are expensive a h-ll. If you want constrained layer construction it is child's play to throw an aluminum layer in there. Panzerholtz, yuk!