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Graham and Shelter matching - and other arms/carts

When you get a component that truly lifts your system up and reveals what's going on everywhere else, you learn things about your system that you hadn't realized before. My new Io Sig has shown me that I probably need a better linestage (I posted about this in Amps/Preamps), and it's also taught me something about arm/cart matching.

Now that the Io is in the system, I am hearing an unhappy balance between my Graham 2.2 tonearm and Shelter 901 cartridge. There's a tubby bass resonance that sounds to me like the Shelter cantilever feeding back into the unipivot arm structure. The outriggers on the Graham are supposed to minimize this effect, but perhaps the match just simply isn't made in heaven.

Instead, my Ortofon RS-212 tonearm, matched with Ortofon SPU Classic GM cart, is sounding much more balanced, real and musical.

That leaves me with the question of what to do with my Graham and Shelter. I'd like to have a "modern" arm/cart combo to compare with the classic Ortofon setup (I currently have 3 arms mounted on my table). My third arm is an Origin Live modified RB250, which currently has a Denon 103R mounted on it (probably not the perfect matchup either). The Shelter doesn't sound fantastic in the Rega - it's better in the Graham.

I do like the Shelter sound a lot, so I could buy an arm that's a more appropriate match for it, a Moerch perhaps. But I'd have to sell the Graham to afford that, and I kind of want to keep a unipivot.

Any recommendations for exchanging the Shelter and Denon for carts more appropriate for the Rega and Graham, or vice-versa?
patrickamory
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
12,857 posts
 
Patrick: About the Acoustic Solid: try 3 Tri-Orbs heavy
isolation foot from Van Slyke Engineering www.vsengr.com
it works splendid. Try the mat from SAEC ss-300, last time I see it in e-bay ( turntables ). This two mods are better than the mods list on enjoythemusic.com. Other thing: I can see on your picture that you are using a belt drive, instead of the belt drive I'm using a thread and this makes a difference.
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
cardiackid
63 posts
 
I have a Graham 2.2 with a Shelter 901, and I have not experienced the tubey bass sound you describe. In fact the bass is very taut IMO. I do think the loading of the Shelter is critical and mine is loaded at 50ohms. (And, I did readjust the volume on my speaker subwoofers to my personal taste for the Shelter. The cross over frequencies remained the same.)

You have to go with what pleases you, but I am not sure if something is not a miss here with the set-up.

Greg
oregonpapa's avatar
oregonpapa
4,867 posts
 
Hi guys ...

I'm new to these message boards, but not new to Audiogon. I have a Well Tempered table and arm (modified) and would like to know how the Shelter 901 and/or 90x would do on my table. I have a high resolution system and presently using the new Audio Research PH5 for a phono stage. Thanks ...

Frank

PS: If you don't have the PH-5 ... run to your ARC dealer for a listen. Be sure to bring your check book or Visa card. *lol*
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Hi Frank,

I haven't used the WT arm myself, but a WT dealer told me last year the 901 was a fine match for it. I presume the 90X would be also.

Depending on your tastes in sound and music I might suggest looking at other carts. It's not hard to beat the performance of either of those carts for similar money. That's something I definitely have heard (and done) myself.
oregonpapa's avatar
oregonpapa
4,867 posts
 
Dougdeacon ...

Thanks for the response to my question. I've used a variety of cartridges on the Well Tempered ... the best so far was a Clavis. It was a good match for the arm and sounded great until I damaged the cartridge. I'm using a Grado Signiture now (1500) and not satisfied with the tracking. Great midrange though.

Frank
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