What Cartridge Would Make the Best Match?

Dan_Ed,
Thanks for the info. If your research is correct, the best approach would be to pretend Dsc's 834P is the MM version, even if it isn't. :-)

Given that, for a $750 budget on an RB-300 how about a Shelter 501 ($500) + K&K stepups ($225) + Twl's HIFI Mod ($25-ish) + Paul's VTF-on-the-fly mod (free)?

The Shelter is a better compliance match than the Shure, it has more output than the Denon and great sonics for his music preferences.

What a stupid post. Shelter 501 for $500? What am I smoking?

Whatever, it's great stuff! The Shelter I mean. Hey, it's only $300 over budget. Who needs lunches?

I stand corrected! I did a search over on VA and did find some satisfied 834P owners, some even using .5mV cartridges into the MM at 47kOhms. I may be trying this myself soon as I have local deal in the works that would allow me to substantially upgrade from my MMF 7. If it were me I would still anticipate fiddling aroung with some load resistors. It's pretty easy but you do need to be able to solder.

I tend agree with Audiomax, I bet most 834P's are MM/MC.

The response to my inquiry has been very helpful.

My EAR 834P has both MM and MC capability.

DSC

Thanks, everyone.

I've decided to go with the Sumiko Blackbird. It has enough bite to bring my jazz LPs to life with the other components in my system (i.e., my EAR phono stage, UNICO amplifier, and Spendor speakers) tempering any edge or brightness, if there is any edge or brightness with this cartridge, which all of the audio reviews say there is not.

DSC