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LO MCs carts with RM-9/Shindo pre?

I'm a relative vinyl newbie currently running a Pro-ject RM-9 with a Blackbird. Rest of the system is a Shindo Monbrison, (usually, now) Fi 45 monos, and Lamhorns.

I am captivated with this sound and have no reason to change anything, but am interested in trying MC carts. I would like some advice on what would be worthwhile to try with the RM-9 and the Shindo (which has a tranny MC stage). Other than the Koestsu Black, I have nothing else in mind at this point (and I don't know if this cart is a good fit with the Monbrison or not).

As I said, no weaknesses to the system, but if I could nit anything I would say that the bass is a bit round. It's not with CD, so I know it's the analog front-end. Just a might pudgier than I'd prefer (but only on some stuff - Village Vanguard is one, and the CD version is tighter). Also, while very detailed and dynamic, it's not the last word in microdynamics. The microdynamic nuance is what mainly has me interested in MC carts.

If there is anybody that thinks it's not worth it for me to try MC I'd like to hear that too. I've never heard any MC cart, much less a good one.

Budget is around $1200 used max (not sure if I'd buy used or not either).

Paul Folbrecht
Norvinz Field Rep
paulfolbrecht

Showing 5 responses by paulfolbrecht

paulfolbrecht OP
603 posts
 
"Of course you also need to figure out whether your Blackbird arm is up to controlling the high weight and low compliance of the SPU cart."

Can anybody answer that? :) I figured I might need a new arm. Right now, this is all tentative...
paulfolbrecht OP
603 posts
 
Hi Patrick,

I did write Jonathan, but I'd really like to stick to carts that will work well with the Shindo's trannies, which I'm betting just have to be pretty darn good. (The rest of this thing - that is, the MM and linestages - are so drop-dead stunning that the 1st stage just has to be too.)

The SPUs you mentioned - these are Ortofon? Same thing? Unless I am mistaken, no longer made?

Lots of stuff to investigate - Lyra, Dyna, Shure (?), etc. You can read about this stuff for days on end and still feel like you don't know half of what there is to know. Of course, it's in the listening, but trying carts is the biggest pain in the butt there is.

I think you are correct about the arm as well and that is another expense. The whole venture may need to wait a bit. I still love my current setup but every time I think "it can't get any better" I am proven wrong.
paulfolbrecht OP
603 posts
 
Am now considering the Orotofon, Dyna 17D3, Shelton 901.

I also think it's entirely possible I'll like the Blackbird better than any of them, but only one way to find out.
paulfolbrecht OP
603 posts
 
I should have said any LO MC. Yes, the Blackbird is MC (high output) and, no, I was not really considering the Denon and would not expect it to compete.
paulfolbrecht OP
603 posts
 
Thanks for all the thoughts. Thoroughly sick as I am, I decided that the carts I'm looking at outclass my table/arm and I'll just upgrade the whole shebang.

I am looking at going to the Merrill MS2 - a Norvinz product, yes, and apparently an extremely good one. Will get to hear at RMAF.

Cart recommendation I'm getting is the Ortofon Kontrapunkt which is also an extremely low impedance cart that should work very well with the Shindo step-ups.

Arm might be a Triplanar or a more modest Hadcock or a Graham 2.2 I already bought.
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