Analog Upgrade Suggestions Welcome

It looks like you have enough gain and loading flexibility to handle just about any imaginable cartridge. I'd be slightly concerned about inserting resistors to modify gain. They're in the signal path, so make sure they're good quality.

How is the ease of arm height adjustment on the SME 309? I ask because some cartridges that offer sublime resolution and finess are very sensitive to that. I might not recommend them if changing SRA on a 309 is a pain, or if you would find it so.

I would be leary of used cartridges except from someone you know and trust. I did it once. It could have been worse, but it could have been better too. Crap shoot.

BTW, I'm surprised no one jumped on you for this statement from your original post, so I will:

I didn't want to spend more than $1000 for a cartidge as the majority of my listening is still redbook CD.

There is something seriously wrong with your analog setup if the majority of your listening time is wasted, err, spent listening to RBCD. Get a grip man!

Your TT and arm seem respectable enough, so I point the finger at that 15yo cartridge. I don't know diddle about Sumiko's, but 15 years? Good grief. If you don't care about your ears what about your poor records? :-0

Replace that worn out thang with a good modern MC. Assuming the Classe phono stage is decent (no idea) that $11K RBCD rig can go back to what it's suited for, providing weight to help stabilize your TT stand! ;^)

One more Q: what kind(s) of music?

These are high quality matched-pair resistors supplied by Classe Audio with Wonder Solder.

Setting VTA is a hassle. I prefer to set it up so that things sound good for records of average thickness and forget about tweeking it. I would go nuts adjusting the VTA for every record. I just want to listen to the music.

My taste includes classical, jazz, folk, alternative, and rock. I'm not into country.

The Sumiko was dormant for about 5 years. It really saw infrequent use. The stylus is acceptable but nearly worn out (assessed by microsope).

I knew I'd get crap about the RBCD. I like to kick back and read or sometimes just zone out while listening to music, so CD is much more convenient. Maybe I'm too lazy sometimes and don't feel like going through the record cleaning rituals, flipping the disc, etc...

I use the LPs as more of a sonic treat for special occasions. I tend to appreciate it more.

The Classe Six is a classic piece of equipment from the early 90s. It has one of the best phono sections for the money for a ss preamp of its vintage.

Thanks again, Doug for taking an interest. I see you have a Shelter 901. BTW, I could go a little hgher than $1000 if absolutely necessary.

Mark

Doug,

I checked the manual for the SME 309. The effective mass is 9.5 gm not 11 gm. The arm is at the high end of "low-mass" or the low end of "medium-mass" Does that change things?

Hmmm, I'm trying to square this statement,

Setting VTA is a hassle. I prefer to set it up so that things sound good for records of average thickness and forget about tweeking it. I would go nuts adjusting the VTA for every record. I just want to listen to the music.

with this one,

I use the LPs as more of a sonic treat for special occasions. I tend to appreciate it more.

But if it's a special occasion wouldn't it be worth...
Never mind, I'll shut up. :-)

Based on your music mix I would love to recommend a ZYX R100 ($800). I think you'd be truly pleased at the uncolored, natural sounding instruments and voices, the realistic detail that's always there but never intrudes itself onto the music and the superlative tracking and tracing of even the toughest grooves.

Unfortunately, that wonderful groove tracing and all its sonic benefits is largely due to the ZYX's microridge stylus. If you don't set SRA precisely to match the record, the magic won't quite happen. This is true of any cartridge to some degree, but it's truer of microridge and line contact styli than it is of elliptical or conical styli.

OTOH, why not a ZYX? If you're in the "kick back and relax" mood nothing unpleasant will ever come from it. It may sound a bit relaxed and distant, but perhaps that would suit your mood. For those special occasions you can adjust it to perfection and wow yourself and your friends.

Yeah, buy a ZYX. It's an excellent match for your tonearm and it can play to suit either of your listening moods. Go for the low output version. It's more responsive, delicate and detailed and your Classe phono has plenty of gain.

P.S. Yes I have a Shelter 901 as my second cartridge, it's a distant second to be honest. The 901 is livelier for rock than a ZYX, but a ZYX quite outclasses it for jazz, folk, classical or any other music with acoustic instruments and voices. The 901 wouldn't be an ideal match for your arm, as we discussed, but if you want to hear it I'll be posting a home demo offer fairly soon. Keep your eyes on this forum.

You have a very nice system. My suggestion is to first make sure your turntable sits on a very rigid surface. Excuse me if you already have that covered but it's important. Also, it needs to be placed in a table friendly spot lacking frequency re-enforcement. That being said and considering your admitted laziness I would suggest the Sumiko Blackbird. I have a particular fondness for the Sumiko line of cartridges because they enjoy a stylus design that minimizes surface noise, aren't fussy about VTA from record to record, work well with most trailing edge arms and are a great bang for the buck. Of course, Doug is dead on with his recommendations but he is also looking to extract the last bit of magic out of the grooves. You haven't gotten bitten by that bug yet but you will if you pay attention to the details while you make this modest investment. Also, either invest in proper set up tools and ask one of the experts here to walk you step by step (on the phone) through the set up or pay a professional to do so. No cartridge, whatever the cost, will make magic happen if it's not installed correctly. Good luck.