Top 5 Tonearms Newer or Vintage Under 2500 That Will Beat anything above/below 2.5k?

"VTA adjustment on the fly" is perhaps the most over-stated feature of any tonearm.  Who here has ever tried to adjust VTA while playing an LP, which is presumably the meaning of the term? Unless you don't care about the LP or the cantilever, this simply cannot and probably should not be done, without trauma to either component.  The phrase should be more like "VTA adjustment that is not a pain in the ass".  I don't know what's up with the SME V, but I Iong ago adopted the policy of not using any tonearm that relies solely on a set screw in its base (and gravity) to adjust and maintain VTA.  That to me is the main point.  I use Triplanar, Reed, Dynavector tonearms, etc, because they all allow for precise and repeatable changes in VTA, up or down. That's the best you can hope for in my opinion. But I would never think of changing VTA "on the fly".  By the way, this feature was introduced by Herb Papier in his original design of the Triplanar. (The name is meant to suggest that the cartridge position can be adjusted and stabilized in all 3 planes of spatial orientation.) The Triplanar made it difficult for other tonearm manufacturers not to offer a reasonable method for precise adjustment of VTA.

cleeds, 
"This is mistaken. Of course it's difficult to do on a lightweight turntable or one with a very compliant suspension. But something like an SME V on a heavy plinth turntable such as a VPI TNT does allow for the safe adjustment of VTA while a record is playing."

OK. go for it.  But my opinion is not "mistaken".  It's just my opinion based on my experience, and none of my 5 turntables is lightweight or suspended. You yourself just cited some other factors in favor of not adjusting VTA while an LP is in play, but you're entitled to your opinion in favor of VTA on the fly, as well.

Vinny, I am a bit tired of being included in your little war with Raul.  

I’ve got one too. It came "free" along with my Dp80 and a Denon plinth for both. I am leery of that rubber joint in the arm wand and have never used the tonearm due to that. But it does receive a lot of favorable comments and perhaps I’m being too dogmatic. Moreover I admit that there is absolutely no flex in the joint. It might actually be very effective in preventing mechanical energy from the cartridge from reaching the pivot.

Was referring to Denon DA307 as per rob.

Chakstr you must have misspoken when you wrote that the FR64 is best suited to light, high compliance cartridge s.

to who ever wrote that silver was not made for audio, are you serious with that line of thought? Copper and silver are both conductors of electricity. Period.

meantime, what happened to the OP's question ? 

I think Raul is trying to say that the tonearm, per se, does not create these specific sonic qualities, that the tonearm always has to be considered in concert with the cartridge.  So, the better question is whether tonearm X can get the best possible performance out of cartridge Y.  (And of course, the table is the major determinant of rhythm, timing, and pace.)

Since this properly phrased question immediately tells us that there are hundreds if not thousands of combinations to be considered, the question itself seems open ended.  But I agree with Raul if he means to say that it is folly to describe a tonearm per se in the terms suggested by the OP.

Nandric, In the context of my post where I tried to re-state Raul's critique of Vinny, I of course agree with Raul; Vinny's question was badly phrased.  But I think Vinny is a "troll", from beginning to end.  So, in that way, his question was well put. He got what he wanted out of it.

As you also know, I and Raul disagree on many other issues.  I refuse to take it very seriously.