Tonearm/Cart Matching Assistance - SAEC 407/23

I had the Saec ceramic headshell back in the 80’s using it on a Saec 407/23 and 506/30. These were on my Micro Seiki RX-1500VG table. I tried the Saec ceramic headshell on several MC cartridges including Highphonic, Saec and others back in the day. I could never get a good sound with the ceramic headshell for some reason.  Always seemed too bright and hard sounding.  Always a bit too edgy. 
I got out of vinyl for many years and just a few years ago got back into vinyl and man I’m so happy I did. Really loving it again! Now I have a Micro Seiki BL-99V with the Saec 407/TM and a Technics EPC-205C mkIV (compliance 12µm/nm).  Bought a Jico SAS stylus for it and loving the sound! The 407 is a medium mass arm and likes low to medium compliance cartridges. I just picked up an old Stanton Epoch II HZ7S cartridge which is a low compliance cart. (compliance of 18µm/nm). Haven’t received it yet, but I hear they sound wonderful. Hoping it comes close to my Technic’s sound as I’m looking for a cartridge that I can slightly tweak sideways in the head shell a little bit to get better alignment whereas the techniques is an all in one headshell/cartridge. From what I’ve read a cartridge with a compliance below 20 would be best with the Saec 407 arms and probably no higher then 25µm/mn.

Very interesting!   I had never heard this.  I’ll have to research that. 
Hoping the Stanton Epoch II HZ7S cartridge performs well in the 407/TM.  

So I’ve been looking for information on this Dr. Sa Win and the manual you speak of.  I am not able to find anything on Dr. Sa Win or what you speak of about knife edge chatter.  Could you refer me to this information please.  I’ve also never heard of the Saec arms having any issue like this.  Thanks!

Thanks.  I used to sell Micro Seiki turntables and Saec back in the 80’s.  One thing was the Saec double knife edge bearings were much better then most other companies.  Even Micro Seiki used them on their turntables and even at the audio shows when demoing.  Anyway I’ve always had high regard for the sound quality from them.  Not saying they are the best or anything but extremely good.  
But after installing my Technics EPC-U205C mk3 (headshell is very critical to the sound. Lighter the better & wood seemed best) and a EPC-205C mkIV on two different Saec arms.  A WE-308L (fonolab upgrade) which was on a Thorens TD-125L (very modded) and a WE-407/TM on the Micro I kept having tracking issues.  I’m quick burst, whether vocal or instrument, I would hear a kind of thump which I finally realized was miss-tracking after working on every area forever.  So yes I tend to believe there is an issue between the cartridge and arm.  I’ve done literally ever to try to remedy this.  
I got ahold of an old Signet TK-6020 cartridge analyzer and test record and no matter what I did, seemed like combinations of adjustments and tweaks and dampening  even, I couldn’t get rid of the tracing issue.  I have gotten it to sound absolutely wonderful otherwise but that “pooffpp” sound sometimes on quick dynamic parts is annoying to say the least.  That’s the best I describe the sound it makes.  It’s kind of like the sound of a turn-on thump but very quick.  
All this to say yes I do believe what you are saying.  I really love the Saec arm but if I don’t find a cartridge that can give me the sound quality that I like from the Technics using the 407 I’ve considered maybe looking at the Technics arm to use with the 205C mkIV. 

Never owned an EPA-100 arm but thinking I would like to!

Yes the store was on Wilshire. I had a small store in Orange County, CA and sold Micro, Saec and many other products like Quad, Counterpoint, Music Reference, etc. Those were fun days before digital but then everything just became another black box.

Managed to purchase a Technics EPA-100 mkII to match with the Technics EPC-205mkIV cartridge on my Micro Seiki BL-99V table.  So far so good.  Not perfect yet, still tweaking.  The tonearm is very light and easily adjusted with VTA and anti-skate on the fly and the ability to adjust for compliance is very nice.  The arm seems to be in very good condition but will probably have it rebuilt soon to make sure it’s perfect.  Getting much better tracking and the imaging is very good with the EPA-100mkII although still not quite to the overall sound quality o was getting with the Saec 407/TM.   But as I said still tweaking. The bass is still a bit light compared to the Saec arm but have a lot to play with still. 
I did get a Stanton Epoch II HZ7S is excellent condition that I mounted on the Saec and wasn’t all that impressed with.  It’s OK, nice overall sound but lacks detail and imaging compared the Technics 205/IV.  Also have a Pickering XSV-4000 on the way to play with.  That should have a very nice midrange quality.  Mainly hoping to get the Technics 205/mkIV sounding its optimum with the EPA-100mkII arm.  The 205/mkIV with the Jico SAS stylus is just so good I just want to get it to sound its best.