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Review: Shelter 201 Cartridge

Category: Analog

Finally, a good match for my Thorens TD190 turntable,
as I prefer the automatic feature even though my
MMF5 Music Hall has had a better sound. Classical music
of all types from Symphonies to String Quartets is my
vinyl of choice. The Shelter 201 is the newly
introduced MM version, a first for Shelter. It's
full robust sound with good detail, compares very
favorbly with the Clearaudio Aurum Beta S,also a MM
unit,a $500 cartridge compared to the $200 list price
of the Shelter 201.The Shelter is somewhat warmer,
more like the wood Grados. It does have somewhat
better detail than the Grado and more the brilliance
of the Aurum Beta S (even with a plain elliptical tip).
It stands out from its peer group as an outstanding value with an attention holding listenable sound that would put it at are near the top of the group of other cartridges I have used in the lower or middle price range. It took all of 10 minutes to set up on my Thorens. A line across the top though perhaps not intended as a cartridge overhang mark, seems to work well in alignment. The tracking force range is 1.5 to 2.0. We set it at l.75. Apparently the 50 ohm impedance caused a problem on the pre-amp for the previous owner or he did not like to robustness of the sound. I purchased the 201 with about 12 hours previous use and am relistening to all my records as this is written. Over the years, I have drifted back and
forth between MM and MC and have decided that the
sound itself is the best measure for judgement. I hear bass not heard before and an ambiance that should not be present in this priced unit, along with a blow away sound and virtually no surface noise on good vinyl.The value for the price is outstanding and Shelter should be proud of this cartridge!


Associated gear
Thorens TD190 Turntable, Harmon Kardon
HK3480 Receiver, Klipsch RB15 (small)
speakers.

Similar products
Denon DL160 & 103, Shure V15 III & 5,
AT 440ML, Sumiko Blue Point & Special,
Clearaudio Aurum Beta S, Empire EDR9,
Goldring 1012 & 1042, Grado Platinum.
glrickaby
johnnyb53
3,490 posts
 
There are other reasons the Shelter *might* justify the higher price. They may have taken a page out of Grado's book. It's my understanding that the whole Grado Prestige series is made on one production line. Grado then runs them through QA for frequency response, linearity, and trackability, and badges and prices them according to how well they perform. And they get a price range of $40 to $180 out of this "same" cartridge.

Plus, the difference in stylus dimensions indicates that the Shelter and Sumiko are not *exactly* the same.
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
Johnny B, close, but not exactly correct. The Grados do have, at least, different cantilevers, but they do select the better performing cartridge from a pair. In other words, the Gold is the better Silver, the Red is the better Blue, the Green is the better Black, but the Black is, in no way, the same as the Gold.
johnnyb53
3,490 posts
 
Oh, that's right. Their literature indicates different cantilevers, as in 3-piece or 4-piece. But is it relatively safe to assume that the cartridge body is the same? In the Ortofon OM Super line, the cartridge body remains the same while stylus selection expands the price range from $69 to $349.

And judging by stylus dimensions, the Sumiko Pearl and Shelter 201 have different stylii.
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
JohnnyB, yes I think that the motor is the same in all of the basic Grados, as it is with the Ortofon OM series. I think that Ortofon have carried this through to their new MM line the Red, Blue and Black.This makes a lot of sense to me, provided that the economy of scale is passed on to the consumer.
glrickaby OP
19 posts
 
Follow up to HDM 5/15, I just retipped by Clearaudio Aurum
Beta S with an AT95E stylus with amazing results! Clip off
the wings and you can't hardly tell except for the color of
the sylus plug. I'm sure a 4 x 7 stylus may not equal the
original S but again, the sound is amazing.
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