2. analog
  3. 179574-83759

What is the best tonearm for a SOTA Nova turntable?

I haven't played an LP for a while now. I've moved from CD's to streaming both Tidal and my own rips from a Roon Nucleus plus. My SOTA Nova with an ET2 arm has been sitting idle along with hundreds of high quality LP's. I've heard that the ET2 is not a good match with the SOTA, and may be the weak point in my analog chain. (SOTA-ET2-Lyra Kleos -Allnic 1201 phono stage- ARC Ref6- PS Audio-BHK300 amps-Reference 3a Grand Veena speakers and unnamed sub system. 

My digital system with a Holo May DAC and Roon with HQP trounces the analog system pretty soundly.

I'd like to resurrect the analog system as I have read that I'm missing out not using it.

My question is, where can I make the most improvement for the least cash outlay?

I'd like to keep the SOTA table, but everything else is expendable.

Thanks in advance for some help.

-John

gyneguy225

Showing 2 responses by sbank

sbank's avatar
sbank
3,378 posts
 

@gyneguy225 before changing 3 things at once, why not just change the arm first, then maybe the cart and phono stage last. It sounds like you aren't comfortable with the ET2, so that's gotta be what goes first. 

If budget is <$2K, Audiomods & Origin Live should be on your list. I am pretty happy w/Audiomods V w/silver loom & VTA tower on my Nova6, paired w/Dynavector XX2mk2. OL is the obvious alternative w/models both lower & higher in price.

If $2500 or more, a used SME V is what Sota recommends more often than anything else on Novas & Cosmos. 

If >$3K works for you the Kuzmas, Triplanars should be on your list. Cheers,

Spencer

sbank's avatar
sbank
3,378 posts
 

@gyneguy225 Yeah, Sota can cut an armboard for most arms. Many brands follow SME or Rega(e.g. Audiomods, Origin Live) geometry. 9" arms all will fit. 12" won't. In between, it's worth asking. Sometimes Donna can hook you up with a trade-in armboard, because plenty of folks change direction. That could save you a few bucks and also time, if you get lucky.  Cheers,

Spencer

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