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$800 Cartridge Shootout and Upgrade Path


I am putting together an analog system, starting with the cartridge. I like a well-balanced sound with a slightly lush midrange and excellent extension at the frequency extremes. The cartridge should be a reasonably good tracker. Here are my choices:

1. Dynavector Karat 17D MkII
2. Shelter 501
3. Sumiko Black Bird
4. Grado Statement Master
5. Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood

Which one comes closest to my wish list? Which one would you choose?

Here are the upgrade cartridges to the above list, one of which would be purchased later:

1. Shelter 901
2. Benz Micro L2
3. Grado Statement Reference
4. Koetsu Black

Which one comes closest to my wish list? Which one would you choose?

Now, which turntable/tonearm combination (for new equipment up to $4,500) would you choose to handle a cartridge from the first group and the upgrade cartridge from the second group?

Any help you can provide is greatly welcomed. Thanks!
artar1

Showing 3 responses by cmk

cmk
397 posts
 
For your arm choice, just get the Schroeder Model 2, it will be a lot better than any of the other choices.

Between the Denon and the Shelter, its a matter of personal taste. For the Denon, a little more care is required with the arm setup and the phono gain as its a low compliance design. Frank Schroeder has a brass plate mount for the 103R and you'll be fine. For the Denon, you will need >60db of phono gain due to the low output.

I've not heard the Shelter, so let others comment.
cmk
397 posts
 
I believe the Schroeder model 2 is below $2k, plus it shares the same string suspension and magnetic damping of its more expensive brethren.
cmk
397 posts
 
Doug
Frank discontinued the model 1, replacing it with the DPS which is cheaper than the 1, but the DPS offers easier setup and borrows some parts of the model 2, but with a wooden armwand. The model 2 has always been on his line. In fact, he hinted at its resonance dampening properties in the other "Schroeder arm" thread. All his arms have the thread suspension and magnetic dampening and therefore share a similar family sound.

Artar1
Thanks. Those spks follow the principle of less is more. Tube power with high efficiency full range spks is audio heaven. ;) I play all kinds of music, classical, jazz, rock, pop, new age, except metal.

I'm not sure who the dealer/agent is where you are. If its the US, then I think its Audio Advancements. I'm not in the US, but it should be below $2k.

As to matching, the model 2 has an effective mass of 12g and should match 80% of carts out there. You can do some calculations about the cart/arm resonance to see if they match your cart of choice. For carts like the 103r(low compliance), Frank supplies a brass plate which increases the mass by 6g and would allow you a wider choice.

I'm using the Dynavector Te Kaitora low output mc. I had the TK bef getting the Schroeder. Well I like the Dyna sound, its a bit of a mix between the liquid, warm school and the strict analytical cool school, but has excellent dynamics when matched with an appropriate phono stage. The Karat D17mkII has a similar sound, but the TK is fuller and warmer.
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