Reed tonearm w/ Raven One table-how's the match ?

Vertigo...Sure, I'm aware of what you're saying, and I do agree with you. And others'positive impressions about equipment will not necessarily guarantee the same for me or anyone else. We've all been through the mill, some more than others,with the experience of taking our chances on what others have said. This still doesn't entrely stop us from soliciting impressions. Short of actually hearing the product in question in our own system, what else do we have to go by? As a retiree,I don't exactly have the freedom and/or nearly unlimited funds to spend like some others in this hobby do. Notwithstanding, as you say, I will have to take the plunge on something if I want to move in a new direction. But, at least for the time being,I can continue to enjoy the relative comfort of remaining where I am until or when I'm reasonably secure about making the move, at which time the apprehension will return. Such a "tough" life coming and going with these "toys".

Mikelavigne: Both for sale? Where to from here?

Opus 88 Yes I would say the sound is essenially neutral. Certainly I find the Benz neutral to my ears and yes, I think the Ortofon is a neutral arm I have used the Benz, Koetsu Onyx and Zyx Airy 3 with it and what character the cartridge had, seemed to show through. The Koetsu was'nt a good match and I did'nt happen to like the Zyx. I know others are fans of Zyx, but I found it neutral but lacking some life, dynamics, compared woth the Benz.
Thomas said he felt the Ortofon was within about 5% of the grahams performance, at a bit over 50% of tha latters price, at least in the UK.

David12: I previously owned the Zyx Airy 3 also. My feelings about it were exactly the same as yours, and I ultimately became fatigued with its sound.

Opus 88,

yes, selling both Reed 2P arms.

i have (had) 5 arms on 3 turntables; the 2 Reeds, the Rockport linear tracker, and the Durand Talea 1 and Talea 2.

i made a decision to have one turntable and 2 arms.

a month ago i sold the Rockport. i've put the Beat up for sale and the 2 Reeds up for sale, and the Dobbins Garrard 301 will be up for sale shortly, and i'm keeping the 2 Talea arms and monuting them on the Wave Kinetics NVS turntable that is on the way.

i love the Beat tt, and love the 2 Reed arms. the only shortcoming of the Reeds is that they are not quite as good as the Durand Talea's. i was merrily going along with the Reeds and my friend Joel Durand decided to design and build a tonearm and used my room and system from time to time as a test bed. eventually i had to buy a Talea and then a second one.

i still wanted to keep the Reeds but find i just don't use three turntables and 5 arms, so it was time to cull the herd.

in fairness to the Reeds, the Talea is more money; the Reed is still the best arm i've heard other than the Talea. i strongly recommend the Reed tonearms....and will continue to do so after mine are gone.