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

Holmz, you could change the predicate of that sentence you quoted to …”constitutes a miniature voltage generator “, and the sentence would be equally correct or incorrect. It’s the impedance at the interface that determines whether you’re in current mode or voltage mode, and apart from the special case of a LOMC cartridge with very low internal resistance driving a current mode phono input with an even lower input impedance, downstream devices drive a high input impedance, in voltage mode.

I doubt that a new table or arm, or phono stage is going to fix these deficiencies unless I spend a whole lot of money.

@gyneguy225 I have not heard “Cantata Domino” but I have the other one on both LP and later I got the CD.
I would be listening to those at shops with TTs.
Which is what I did back in the day when I was shopping for gear… going from shop to shop with some LPs in hand.

i suspect that you are correct with the whole lot of money part, so it may be better to not pursue it. Digital can sound great.

 

Holmz, you could change the predicate of that sentence you quoted to …”constitutes a miniature voltage generator “, and the sentence would be equally correct or incorrect. It’s the impedance at the interface that determines whether you’re in current mode or voltage mode,

@lewm

Yeah - but technically it is a current device. I does not become a voltage device until we apply Ohm’s law and force the current across an impedance.

… and apart from the special case of a LOMC cartridge with very low internal resistance driving a current mode phono input with an even lower input impedance, downstream devices drive a high input impedance, in voltage mode.

I agree… but down at the speaker that is also a current device.

I get how they are voltage controlled, but I always pondered the fact that a dynamic microphone and cart are current devices on the incoming side, and a speaker is a current device on the outgoing side.

I am only saying that it makes me do a chin-scratch.

I decided to try a PS Audio Stellar phono preamp and decide whether Michael Fremer was right with his glowing review. I can't lose. PSA gave me a $3000 trade in on my Allnic 1201 phono preamp, with $700 applied to the purchase and the rest in my account at PSA. I have 30 days from delivery to decide which sounds better. If the PSA preamp doesn't measure up it goes back. Nothing compares to an in home audition. I consider that a great deal.

Typical speaker is 4 to 16 ohms. Any SS amplifier will have an output impedance <<1 ohm. That’s voltage drive, mainly. Tube amps are inherently voltage producers. That’s why they can have problems with four ohm speakers and particularly with speakers that present an impedance below 4 ohms at mid range frequencies or base frequencies..

I listened to my new PSA Stellar phono, playing my used Kiseki purple heart cartridge last night. It's a keeper and confirmed my suspicion that the Allnic 1201 phono preamp was my problem. The Kiseki cartridge is a real winner and it's obvious why it's sold out and unobtainable on the market new at present. It's smoother on the highs and surface noise is almost unnoticeable. It betters my old Lyra Kleos by a lot. I was pretty much blown away, and will probably stick with my old ET2 arm and Sota Nova table. The Stellar phono plays way above its price point, and I don't regret not spending more on an ARC product. The savings will probably  go into an upgrade on the Sota table.