Why will no other turntable beat the EMT 927?

Dear Lewm,
yes, I still have the TT101. And do use it in my bedside system. Wonderful DD. 
Clearaudio is a good company, especially in the higher region. The Goldfinger, from the V2 version is just a great cart.

best
E.

pcosta,

I purchased a 927 and the restoration was expensive.  I did not have the 139st, which I really wanted.  I have heard the 139st and it is just superb!  I don’t hear any shortcoming in it at all.
I was using a 3012 and my 1966 Denon 103.  Even with these compromises the results were outstanding.  I have a highly modified Dual 1229 with a Grace 747, and a Garrard 301 with a SME 3009, and the EMT was so superior it was laughable.  Keep in mind, I love the sound of my Dual and Garrard, but the EMT seemed to provide so much more information and solidity to the music.  The 3012 is a good arm, but as Eckart has told me it’s really not the best choice for the EMT.  
I regretfully sold the big EMT (my living room is my listening space and the EMT in its broadcast frame doesn’t blend well with furniture - my wife hated it).
Eckart (thuchan) can recommend a proper arm/cartridge combo for you.  He was extremely helpful to me as his knowledge of the table setup was priceless.  
If you have the space, this is the last turntable you will ever want.  It’s such a joy to operate, and is a listening experience I wish everyone could have.  I miss my 927 every single day.

Norman

Norman
My 927 came with a Ortofon RF 297 arm.  I was told by the people at Dusch in Germany it was made for mono use and I would be better off with a RMA 297 or the EMT 997 arms to use with the TSD cartridges.  I am not sure what I want to put there.  Dusch offered me an exchange for a 997.  
I will most likely send them my 139st to have look at and make sure it is operating at its best.  
I want to mount a second arm on mine like Eckart(thuchan) did with his,  I just need to fabricate something.

Too bad you couldn't keep you EMT.  
Any advice from anyone is always greatly appreciated.

Paul

I still think that the question is impossible to answer as stated except
if we believe  that clairvoyant is possible. The question should be put
in present tense:   ''The best TT at present''. 

Pcosta, “Made for mono use” when applied to a tonearm can only mean that it is wired for true mono, with only two signal carrying conductors between headshell and the tonearm output single RCA plug.  That situation is easily rectifiable by any of several persons who are competent to rewire tonearms. I see no reason to discard the tonearm that you have just because it is said to be mono. Even if there are only two contact points between the end of the arm wand and the headshell, even that can be fixed. One can purchase a replacement plug that is capable of stereo, with four contacts built into it.