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Shelter 901 with VPI JMW9 Signature

Taking the advice I got at Audio Revelation, I got the 901 after upgrading to the signature arm. The tracking problems I had with the Blackbird / Regular 9 arm are a thing of the past. Even my most difficult albums track perfectly. There is no resonant frequency problem. The effective mass for the Signature arm has been increased.

As for sound, I get great detail, great bass and treble extension, liquid sexy midrange. I love female vocalists, so thats important to me. I don't have enough experience with different carts to judge speed, but I don't feel there is a problem at all with the 901. It is a significant improvement over the Sumiko Blackbird. Less grain, more coherent presentation. I just got the Patricia Barber lps..Cafe Blue- 45 rpm, and A Fortnight in Paris. My God, I thought I was able to make love to her right in my listening room. Talk about soundstage! I have had the Shelter now for 3 months, at least 150 hrs logged.

I do jazz and classical, some rock. VPI Scoutmaster, JMW 9 Sig, Shelter 901 cart, Musical Fidelity A308, feeding AES 6 Pack Tube Monoblocks, JM Labs Signature 927 Be Speakers.
dolifant

Showing 2 responses by dolifant

dolifant OP
16 posts
 
Davt

I use the phono section in the MF A 308. Not too bad. But I do wonder how much I'd need to spend to get a real improvement in the phono stage...$2-3K? Is it overkill with my table and cartridge to go to, say, a Steelhead or Aesthetix Rhea?
Does Ms Barber like Roses?

Seasoned.

Not having heard any SOTA tables I would not know about upgrade vs. sidegrade.
dolifant OP
16 posts
 
Artemus:

Thanks for the advice. I'm hanging around A-Gon, and when the time is right I'll pull the triugger on a fine phono pre, just not yet. I'm still checking them out.

The Blackbird is a great match, but mine had tracking problems on highly modulated tracks. I checked and rechecked the setup, yet on a few lps, only a few, it mistracked. I wanted to upgrade anyway, and I got a good deal on the 901 ($1150 new). I'm going with this until I get a new phono stage, then after living with that, maybe the 90X or a ZYX Airy 3. But thats way in the future. Right now, I'm loving my vinyl!
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