I have a Marantz TT-15S1 which came with a Clearaudio Virtuoso Ebony Wood cartridge. I was using it with a Sutherland KC Vibe phono stage.  

I upgraded to a Hana ML moving coil cartridge and a Sutherland TZ Vibe phono stage.  I don’t recall if I tried the Hana with the KC Vibe. I pretty much swapped them at the same time. Huge improvement with a capital H. 

I actually preferred my Goldring 1042 cartridge to the Clearaudio. 

It’s well respected, belt drive, she may not be using it.

Vlad has this manual/full auto JVC, removable headshell, I don’t know any more than his description

Vlad has Pioneer with Long Arm with removable headshell

@elliottbnewcombjr 

I do love the look of those vintage Japanese direct drives. I had a Micro Solid 5 back in the day that I gave to my sister. Maybe I should borrow it for a few days.

Change Cartridge, or OPTIONAL multiple arms?

You need to think long, knowing your level of interest, you mentioned enough that I think you have or will have some excellent Mono content. Instantly ready to play Mono is vital to me.

I went for a JVC CL-P2 with their TT81 spinner, with removable arm boards for two tonearms, then I found a compact Jelco 250st/Mission 774 and squeezed it on, so I have 3 arms:

fixed stereo, removable headshell stereo/mono and fixed mono ready to play in a single listening session, my Fidelity Research FRT-4 SUT has 3 front selectable inputs, and PASS for MM as well as 4 impedance/xfactor windings to choose from.

I bought it from Vlad in Ontario, I highly recommend him, he has many items for sale

https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/userads.php?user_id=10089

I helped my friend with a Luxman PD-444 two arm table and a pair of long and short Micro 505 arms. This shows a pair of SME arms, I owned one, I prefer the 505

I like it so much I put some info on this site

I gave a friend a Technics SP-15, 3 speed QLDD, and we changed the grace arm and arm board to the EPA-BP500 tonearm base which allows easy change of arm wands, costs more that way, but maintains a compact package whereas the Luxman needs more width, and my JVE needs more depth than standard.

Here's one with straight arm, fixed cartridge

 

here is an S arm, removable headshell armwand in the B500 base

 

btw, the most compact, and excellent sounding TT I have owned, also most features, is the Technics SL-J33 Programmable Linear Tracking which was my spare/loaner until I gave it to my son.

 

 

 

OP,

 

For exploration... great. Have fun.

These days at most budget levels you can achieve parity between digital and analog for around the same investment. In the lower tiers it might require say a 20% to 50% increase in the digital side. So say $3K for analog $5K for digital because at these levels the amount of design effort and part choices to avoid the digital pitfall of cheap solid state cannot be easily avoided (but very dependent on your ability to choose components). But the level where there is a difference is dropping rapidly. Only a few years ago analog was much cheaper up to say $25K or so and vinyl ruled at the top and bottom... vinyl is getting squeezed out completely. Probably even now, with real careful research you can probably achieve parity in the $2K... I just haven’t tried recently.

I just brought this up, because of my own inclination to make my system to sound as good as possible and not divert funds on side projects. But, that’s me.

@ghdprentice 

I think nostalgia is part of it, but it is also comparing analog and digital. This is the first time I have had both options available to me and it's something I would like to explore a bit. It is fine to say that digital can achieve the same level as analog, but can I do that without the type of budget you have at your disposal and can I do it without having an analog system as a reference point?

OP,

I am trying to be helpful here... I promise. You said, "But, it’s not about improving my streaming setup. It’s about reacquainting myself with analog." It sounds like you are implying there is a unique sound there.  If you mean the nostalgia... no problem.. great. I get it. But if you are talking about sonics.. .then, today, you can get digital that sounds like analog and analog that sounds like digital. It is all in the choice of equipment. So, if the pursuit is the best sound, then investing in only one technology will net you the best possible sound. While for decades it was thought that analog had its own sound... it was really more that solid state and digital had such great flaws that analog was preferred musically. That has gone away over the last ten years or so.

I have heard several VPI tables with JMW 9 arms of different generations.  All have sounded good with an Audio Technica OC9 II, III or OC9XM:.  Short of spending maybe 4X on other cartridges, it's not likely to find a better cartridge.   Ignore the earlier reports of the cartridge being bright.  It was not likely the cartridge was set up correctly. 

I had a VPI Aries with the same tonearm, I think you are likely to not find anything comparable to what you have table and arm wise for your budget so I’d say keep them

I think a new cartridge is a great idea. Buying used is a bit of a mixed bag , you never know what you’re going to get or if the reported play hours are accurate or not. Not worth it unless it’s a great deal. The suggestion of the Hana SL is a good choice. I had the original one, not the Mark 2. It was great value for the $ and worked well on the JMW 9 arm.

I eventually upgraded it to one of the Benz Wood Micro SM cartridge that I liked way more. 6 months into ownership, the suspension collapsed. Got it replaced under warranty and that was it. 

 

I wouldn’t be too concerned with the JMW arms lack of antiskate , I never heard any degradation of sound due to the lack of it.

BTW Once I optimized my digital front end to an Auralic G2 with a Musician R2R DAC, I sold all my analog stuff and albums. The freedom to have access to all that music and explore some much new stuff with equal or better sound quality was the turning point for me. Granted my playback benefits from an all tube amplification chain and sounds just great and still very musically "analog like". Just sayin...

Heads up to Tomic601...yeh the trout should be biting well by then ,can’t wait.

Thanks for putting Rocks in my head, lol….

Spinning it right now.

OP i’m heading your way in May to chase fish… please PM on records. 

the ML is a very nice cartridge 

Jim

+1 @jasonbourne71 - change the cartridge

Hana offers great/bargain price/performance

Soundsmith offers quality sonics and bargain priced low cost retip replacement

@rsf507  I am in

I am in Vancouver, Canada.

Records are in good to excellent condition.

@bassbuyer 

No Aerosmith yet.

Oscar Peterson, Linda Ronstadt, Tool, Friday Night in San Francisco, Mark Knopfler with Emmylou Harris, Tim Buckley, Roy Buchanan and others.

For 1500.00 USD I’d keep the VPI. You aren’t likely to beat it for that $$.

@tony1954  500 albums to sell? What condition and where are you located? 

Many of us have been there.  Now that you are back in the saddle I hope you’re spinning Rocks.  One of Aerosmith’s best albums and a great song.  

@tooblue 

Finally, an actually answer to the effective mass question. 8.7 seems about right.

I did try to get an answer from VPI, but they have had a flood at there business, so no response yet.

Not too sure about doing a stylus replacement myself, but if you can send a link I will check it out.

Thanks again.

@2psyop 

Thank you for the recommendation.

The Soundsmith might be out of my budget, but who knows. I am selling about 500 records, so circumstances may change. Cheers.

As someone who upgraded recently from an Aurender N100H to an N200, I endorse the idea that this represents a huge improvement in sound. 

@elliottbnewcombjr 

First. Thanks for the detailed and on topic response.

Funny that you mention the Quartz Locked Direct Drive option. Until a few months ago, before I decided to sell everything, I had planned to build a new turntable. To that end I had picked up a Technics SL150 Mk II and a Jelco SA750DB, but now regretfully ended up selling both.Thanks for the recommendation on the AT 33PTG/2. It fits my budget and I will add it to the list.

Regarding the snapped cantilever on the Supex. I would love to blame my cat, but it was totally my fault and one more reason to avoid overindulgence.

If I do sell the VPI, do you have any suggestions for direct drive turntables with removable headshells?

Look at the Soundsmith Zepyhr III cartridge. It's very nice with VPI turntables. That is what I have.

I too own one of the early models of the VPI Scoutmaster  and use it in my headphone setup, keep that table and arm as they are really the sweet spot of the VPI line. My notes show the effective mass of our arms are 8.7 grams. I would also keep that Virtuoso cartridge, this cartridge is derived from a AT95/VM95 generator cartridge, just buy a stylus assembly for the AT95 which sell for $50.00 to $150.00 for the ML diamond and cut it down per the videos available on line. The changing of the stylus is really simple and after doing it once you just wonder what all the fuss was about. I run a Teo Audio CBP which is also a reworked AT95 and just replaced my stylus again last week for the second time, BTW it sounds great in that arm. Good luck and welcome back to vinyl. Enjoy the music

back to listening, that’s exciting:

I would 1st get the VPI working, ascertain after a few months how much you are using it before spending any real money.

IF you stuck with it, Think Long: I would sell it, go for Quartz Locked Direct Drive, dust cover, one or two tonearms, anti-skate, removable headshell(s), add a real Mono cartridge, end up with a few cartridges, depends on how much you get hooked.

do you have alignment/calibration tools and skills? that’s a big part of both success and satisfaction. If not, who will change the cartridge now? and in the future?

cartridge: I would get a moderately priced new cartridge, MM, with user replaceable stylus, no re-calibration needed, one you could listen to with confidence, and easier to sell with the TT.

AT VM540ML microline on aluminum, excellent starter MM, $280.

AT 33PTG/II microline on boron, excellent MC $600, can be found for less on eBay

 

then either stick with it, and/or repair your two existing ones, I highly recommend Steve Leung and his son Ray at VAS. He will give you advice about your existing ones to help you decide

https://vasnyinc.com/repair-service/

You could have 3 nice cartridges, 1 new MM and two repaired, but you have an arm with fixed cartridge, so again, 1st ascertain how much you will play vinyl.

That arm, some early VPI, did NOT have anti-skate, then a separate anti-skate device was added, that is one reason I would plan on selling the VPI after a while, get into a TT with removable headshell, anti-skate capability, and ability to change cartridges.

Jazz, many greats recorded excellent sounding Mono LPs before stereo came out partially in 1958. A true Mono cartridge makes a little, some, a lot of difference, depends on the recording and condition of the LP.

////////////////////////////

Used cartridges: yes, for me, but not for everyone. 1st, who broke yours?

My (and my friends agree) new favorite cartridge is a used one I just took a chance on, when Beryllium was the most advanced lightest/stiffest cantilever material, I bought two used AT160ml that came with headshells that allow azimuth adjustment

Here’s a loose one from the seller I bought from

used AT160ML, $352 delivered

My Shure V15Vxmr with Beryllium tracked at 1.0g (range .75 to 1.25g); It has a Jico SAS on boron now. These AT’s with Beryllium track at 1.25 grams, a user here tracks his at 1.0g, the bottom of their 1.0 to 1.5g range. (I always use the middle of a given range)

Considering both stylus and groove wear is reduced by increasing the amount of contact surface (the ML MicroLine profile provides the largest contact area), combined with successful light tracking, thus even more extended stylus life,

And, then, just thursday morning, I broke my recently acquired NOS V15V-P beryllium/hyper-elliptical cantilever while working on the pivot end of my long tonearm. Ridiculous, it’s a removable stylus, I just forgot, until, when done, OH SHIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTT, oh well, you must look at the big picture. It will go to my son to use in the Technics SL-J33 Turntable I gave him, either a NOS beryllium stylus will pop up one day or I’ll get a Jico SAS on boron for it.

 

 

 

@hickamore 

But, it's not about improving my streaming setup. It's about reacquainting myself with analog.

Not to discourage vinyl system rehab in any way, but simply upgrading Aurender N100 to N200 would provide an order-of-magnitude improvement on the streaming side.

@tony1954 "The Hana SL MkII was on my short list." 

@jasonbourne71 

That makes sense. The Hana SL MkII was on my short list.

I also have a Supex 900 Super with a snapper cantilever that I could get fixed as well. Unfortunately I have no idea if it would be a good match for the arm.

@ghdprentice 

My digital end is just fine for now. That is why I was selling the turntable and records.

Aurender N100 to Denafrips Iris DDC to Denafrips Pontus II.

Retipping the Clearaudio cartridge is certainly the least expensive option, but would render me analogless for however long the retipping would take.

@yogiboy 

The 10.2 effective mass is for the later version of the JMW9, not the 2006 version.

 

" If I keep the VPI, can someone please tell me the real effective mass of the JMW 9 (2006 version) I have? I have read it is anywhere between 7.7 and 10.2. Which doesn’t really help."

JMW 9 UniPivot Tonearm 

• Bearing Type: Uni Pivot
• Internal Wire: VPI Copper weave
• Pivot to spindle: 223mm
• Effective length: 240.7mm
• Effective Mass: 10.2g
• Overhang: 17.7mm
• Offset angle: 22.85 degrees
• Average RMS distortion: .36%
• Material: Aluminum and Steel
• Product Notes: Adjustable Drop Counterweight, Azimuth side weights, VTA, and Limo Connection.

 

Get a new cartridge. A Hana SL would be a very good affordable choice. Keep the turntable.

Or you could improve your digital end so it sounds as good or better than your analog. That is not that difficult to do at most investment levels these days. 

Or upgrade your phono stage as opposed to upgrading the table. You could retip the cartridge. All this would improve the sound. 

The beginning of your first sentence is the key to understanding the correct course of action. But only you can know.