Dear Tvad: +++++ " When it comes to my Technics table, I am inclined to leave the Technics tonearm on it. My instinct is that another tonearm would sound different...." +++++
IMHO the tonearm is not a " stand alone " audio item with an own sound.
Any tonearm needs its couple: the cartridge, where when some one wants to evaluate the quality sound reproduction what you can/could evaluate is the sound generate for the couple: tonearm/cartridge. When we are testing a tonearm/cartridge combination we don't say: that tonearm sounds great/fine/dull/or what ever, we test and hear the couple.
The good match between a tonearm and the cartridge is of paramount importance in the quality sound reproduction. When a tonearm/cartridge combination sounds bad we can't say that is because the tonearm poor performance or because the cartridge poor operformance ( of course that could be but.... ), what we can/could say is that that tonearm/cartridge combination makes poor matching, maybe that cartridge with other tonearm could sound very good and that tonearm with other better match cartridge could sounds very good too.
A big advantage in tonearms like the Technics ( removable headshell ) is that is more easy to match almost any cartridge to the tonearm changing the headshell for a different one ( different weight, build material, headshell shape, etc, etc ), something that you can't do with the Rega one. You can try the same cartridge ( in your Technics tonearm ) with two-three different headshells and you will hear two-three differents kind of sound where you can choose the best one combination., at least all these are my experiences about.
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
IMHO the tonearm is not a " stand alone " audio item with an own sound.
Any tonearm needs its couple: the cartridge, where when some one wants to evaluate the quality sound reproduction what you can/could evaluate is the sound generate for the couple: tonearm/cartridge. When we are testing a tonearm/cartridge combination we don't say: that tonearm sounds great/fine/dull/or what ever, we test and hear the couple.
The good match between a tonearm and the cartridge is of paramount importance in the quality sound reproduction. When a tonearm/cartridge combination sounds bad we can't say that is because the tonearm poor performance or because the cartridge poor operformance ( of course that could be but.... ), what we can/could say is that that tonearm/cartridge combination makes poor matching, maybe that cartridge with other tonearm could sound very good and that tonearm with other better match cartridge could sounds very good too.
A big advantage in tonearms like the Technics ( removable headshell ) is that is more easy to match almost any cartridge to the tonearm changing the headshell for a different one ( different weight, build material, headshell shape, etc, etc ), something that you can't do with the Rega one. You can try the same cartridge ( in your Technics tonearm ) with two-three different headshells and you will hear two-three differents kind of sound where you can choose the best one combination., at least all these are my experiences about.
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.