Curved and Straight Tonearms


Over the last 40 years I have owned 3 turntables. An entry level Dual from the '70's, a Denon DP-52F (which I still use in my office system) and a Rega P3-24 which I currently use in my main system. All of these turntables have had straight tonearms. I am planning on upgrading my Rega in the near future. Having started my research, I have noticed that some well reviewed turntables have curved 'arms. My question: What are the advantages/disadvantages of each, sonic or otherwise? Thanks for any input. 
ericsch

Showing 1 response by martykl

As some have already noted, s shaped arms tend be higher mass designs.  The choice of arm  (mass being a key issue) is generally dictated by cartridge matching (compliance), so you're usually nudged toward the curved camp or the straight camp by your cartridge.

Beyond that, there are enough other issues at play (bearing design, adjustability, etc) that the issue is IMO low priority (beyond aesthetics).