Shelter owners using SUT - share observations?

I have a Shelter 901 and just recently bought the Bent MU SUT. Currently using some other cart, so the 901 has been put aside for a while. Per Shelter's website, they recommend 20 ohms for just about all of their carts. I had some lengthy discussion with John Chapman of Bent Audio regarding the loadings as I was trying to figure out whether there's a way to calculate what the optimum loading would be for a cartridge. He told me that these numbers quoted are just a starting point, you should just try different loadings to figure out what sounds good to you. So start with the recommended loading first, then try different ones to see whichever sounds better. Bent MU came with about 30 different value loadings. It took me a while to finally settled down on one for the cart I am using. Good thing is that this is a deterrant for me to switch cart.

FrankC

Just as I figured - "a starting point". Well, it's like getting a new cart with all these settings, eh? ;-)

Hi, Pureretro.
The "nominal" DC resistance of a stock Shelter 901 is 14 ohms and recommended load impedances are <20 ohms(with SUT) and <100 ohms(with MC phono stage)according to its manual. In my system, 10-20 ohms SUT(e.g.Phase Tech T-3, 26 dB gain approx.)loading sounds closer to my reference, MY Sonic Lab Ultra Eminent BC using its own Stage 302 SUT(for 1-6 ohms MC carts, 22dB gain @2 ohm).

"Things really came to life" may be due to more gain(higher step-up ratio) at 4 ohm SUT loading. Try to play more classical musics with various SUT loadings. It's easier to determine whether the width and depth of soundstaging is closer to ideal.

In my system, if there is something wrong with the soundstage, it could sometimes be solved by changing cart loadings, relocating the loudspeakers & listening position, etc. This is just my opinion.

Dan

Hi Dan,

Wow, a MySonicLab Ultra Eminent! I've been lusting over one for a few years now. I had a chance to buy one when I was in Japan a few years ago, but I didn't. And now the value of USD has fallen, and I've been kicking myself for making the wrong decision back then.....

FrankC

Hi, FrankC
In my opinion, MY Sonic Lab Ultra Eminent BC is a very good LOMC cart(but there's no "perfect" cart or stuff like that...) and could compete with the best cart designs on the market if used with matching gears...just a bit more demanding on SUT/phono stage when those are not designed for MC with such ultra low internal impedances.

They have just launched a new SUT(Stage 1030) with 26dB gain(1 ohm) specially designed for Ultra Eminent BC and Eminent GL(new). Stage 302 is, as they said, better suited for Eminent, Hyper Eminent, and Air Tight PC-1's line(also made by MY Sonic Lab). Is it a marketing technique? Hmmmm....let's wait and see:)

Dan