The arm question looks relevant to me because the net cost (after selling an Ekos 1) is £1500 - £800(-ish). If I can hear one and it is markedly better to my old ears and if we can sort out a proper lift-lower (like Cymbiosis' Lifter) it looks worth considering - but there are other ways of spending money.
Arms? Supertrac at £1500 (I am assuming my Ekos is worth just over half that).
AO PU7 - £2800-ish
Vertere SG-1 - £2300
RB3000 - £1200-ish
Aro - ££ ???
Any more?
I am quite happy with what I am listening to now and I have changed lots already in the last year or two. However, if I come across a way of potentially hearing quite a bit more music for not much cash, I’ll always be interested. having said that...
My Krystal is over 5 years old - it’s ok so far, but probably won’t get through 2023. A new one is £1400 before trade-in, a Kendo is twice that (just more than a Kleos SL), and a Kandid is £3800 (which is a lot of £), and an Ekstatik definitely won't happen.
I have a Kore, but could swap to Keel (or TA Phoenix or Stack). Stack is cheap, but the others aren’t.
I have a standard (but not from the 80s) Linn top plate. A TA Karmen is £1400, and highly regarded by most, while a Stack Alto is £550 (but hard to hear)…
That makes me think spending a net c.£700 on changing my Ekos could be sensible if the upgrade is anything like as big as some suggest and we can sort out the lift-lower issue. A PU-7 or SG-1 would cost a lot more in net outlay, and an Ekos SE would be even more.
At the moment, my best guess is that I will get a new Krystal and a Karmen (for the same combined cost as a Kendo or Kleos SL). Or I may just get Kendo/ Kleos and keep my top-plate.
I also guess that I will keep my Kore, whether I not I change the arm for anything with a sub-£1000 net cost. Even if the arm is good, it may still have less impact than a Kore-to-Keel switch, but then that costs a lot more to do.
I think all that means looking at this arm is not a daft misallocation of time and money - if it sounds markedly better than an Ekos 1 and if there is a lift-lower solution (probably adapting the Cymbiosis Lifer), it could be a good Buy.
However, if others who have been down this road think any of the above suggests concussion/ senility, I’ll be happy to listen to reasons.