Comparison of sonic qualities of some tonearms

Well, I just tried to post a long and thoughtful response, including experimental data plots, but it was blocked. No good deed as they say.

Suffice it to say, you are right to ask a very good question. Don’t fall for the bland assertions made by those who cannot conceive of a universe in which their intuitions and tastes are not laws of nature. Sapphire can sound good - I’ve made one. But I can make a better one from natural fibre composites. Panzerholz too is very good - just as good as it measures - see my virtual system - no, better not, it’s ugly as h-ll.

Ebony, by the way, measures so badly that it should never be considered. IMO.

Is that not the irony, Talk Measurements to death and disregard all data at the expense of aesthetic. 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but some beauty is the outward expression and not the coating that is seen. 

P'holz has oodles of outward expression 😍

@terry9 

Interesting statements about natural fibers and tonearm composition.  Do you have listening experience comparing various natural fibers (by which I assume you mean wood?) with carbon fiber or magnesium or other element on a similar base?  Any take home differences in your comparisons?  

No its not impossible if you compare using the same cartridge on 2 different arms

Why do so many cartridge manufacturers and after market modders (e.g. Zu) offer different cartridge shells? If certain pundits in this thread were correct that a tonearm can only be neutral or degrade the sound than what is happening when the wood, choice of stone (Koetsu, Etsuri), composite, or alloy cartridge shell is applied to a given motor? The answer is rather obvious; the manufacturer understands that for any given motor assembly a shell choice can compliment and not detract.

Nothing is more imperfect than audio reproduction via vinyl records! It is laughingly crude. Think of The Flintstones and Barney putting the bird’s head and beak down to a record rotating on a round rock. A mere harmless cartoon and yet ironically not far from the truth.

The fact that there is so much beauty, love, and enjoyment to be had from playback of vinyl records is testament that the process is part science and a very healthy part art.