Ideal TT & Arm for the following top cartridges...

Raul is absolutely right about tonearm & phonostage matching with the Mc2 Finish. I use it now with a Schroeder DPS, but have ordered a Reference SQ because while the DPS is an excellent match sonically once you've found the right settings, the cartidge really asks to be reset up for 180 gm records, and its a bit of a job without repeatable fine-tuning.

Also re the pbonostage, I can confirm that using a non-exceptional phonostage will loose what is extraordinary about this cartridge. The other problem that is vital is to check that your phonostage/s don't produce any kind of dc kickback, or there is a danger of melting the coils. I use it with a Groove Plus, but turn the phono on for two hours before plugging in cart, and never switch immediately off and then on again. One also has to be particularly careful with valve phonostages. The valve phono that is compatible is the new Tron (which I hope to try), but I fear that there is no SUT I can find that actually sees 845 Ohms (this is absolutely vital with the Finish).

Cmt_cra,
The Finish is certainly worth prioritizing. An exceptional cartridge by any standards. I disagree with your friend. I don't think its so much a question of 'wooden' tonearms or who distributes what. To my ear there is a natural synergy between the Shroeder and Allaerts (though it is true that they both require considerable patience and work to get the best out of the combination). I have heard the Finish in my own arms (6 or 7) and in a few more elsewehere, and would always choose the Schroeder as natural mate. It also likes a good air bearing and the Sme V or 312 (if they are rewired). As a combination the Schroeder / Allaerts can sound flat if not carefully set up. The Finish can sound v. odd and even thin, white/ wintery with wrong SUT or phono.

You can measure DC kickback when switching on a phonostage but it's a complicated matter, and its not clear exactly how many millivolts will initiate damage (40mv?). The symptoms are a loss of some volume or signal in one channel (usually the right) which means a rebuild. The main thing is to be safe than sorry, and i would contact Jan Allaerts directly to ask about specific phonostages. The Tron Seven is completely safe with it, and sounds excellent. The TEAD Groove SRX needs to warm up 2 hours before connection and will sound leaner but incredibly fast. The Kondo SFZ step up/M77 is amazing but needs a resistor to bring it up to 845 ohms. It can be dangerous to feed the Finish an incorrect load as it can snap the very thin/delicate gold coil windings. After all this though it can reward with really wonderful sound.