Used TechDAS Air Force III vs New Feickert Firebird with Kuzma Safir 9 vs SME 20 MK 2


Sorry so many ideas.  Looking for help on a used TechDAS vs some new options. 

Used TechDAS Air Force III with used SME IV.VI Arm

vs

New Feickert Firebird with New Kuzma Safir 9

vs 

New SME Model 20 MK2

vs

New Kuzma Stabi R or Ref 2 with New Safir 9

 

chauncey

Thank you thr1961.  I too like a lot of Jazz and a great deal of my audiophile grade recordings are Jazz.  But I'm 43 and will play rock music and just bought some Billie Eilish.  Female vocalist are probably my favorite.  

My setup is Wilson Alexia V with Dan D'Agostino so pretty revealing.  

I plan to have two tonearms and one might run through a tube phono to make those poor recordings sound a little easier to listen to!

I also play rock at times, ranging from Steely Dan to Foo Fighters to Pearl Jam to softer stuff like CSNY or Van Morrison. All of it sounds more present with the Safir (and my current cartridge which is a Koetsu Rosewood Platinum.)

For what it's worth, I know of someone else who planned to add a second tonearm, but after a month with the Safir, simply didn't see the need. 

@thr1961     I am not clear how the choice of a purely mechanical component out of direct contact with the signal, like an arm (or a turntable) can have a differential effect on sound when playing different musical genres.

Do please explain.

I like the idea of the Kuzma Safir arm. I like the look of the AF3 TechDAS better than the Stabi R.  I also like the idea of the vacuum system....

But the Stabi R comes in white which I like!  

I wonder how the Safir Arm on a Feickert would be compared to the Stabi R....