Analog Upgrade Suggestions Welcome


I am thinking of making several upgrades to my current analog rig.

Current system: click here

First, I am thinking of upgrading my VPI HW19 MKIII to the MKIV. I would like those with first hand experience to tell me if the upgrade is worth the money, and what I can expect to hear in improvement. I am currently using the SDS and SAMA modifications.

Second, I am thinking of upgrading my cartridge. My Sumiko Talisman Alchemist IIb is almost 15 years old and is ready for retirement. Some A'goNers have recommended the Shelter 501. I didn't want to spend more than $1000 for a cartidge as the majority of my listening is still redbook CD. I am open to other suggestions. I want the best cartridge for the money. Also, I am leary of buying such a fragile item used. I have heard others on A'goN say they'd never buy a used cartridge. Please share any experiences out there; good or bad.

My current cartridge has an output of 2.0mV which I assume means high output. Will I need a step-up transformer for a low output cartridge? Is the Shelter 501 at 0.4 mV considered low output? My Classe Six preamp has a phono section. The preamp comes with resistors that the user can change out to match the volume control knob position to the level of line components. I assume I'd need to change the resistor I'm using with my current cartridge. Otherwise I'd have to turn the knob way up to get enough gain with a cartridge with an output that's 1/5 that of my current cartridge. Is that correct?

Thank you all for your help and suggestions.

Cheers!

Mark
mstram

Showing 14 responses by rauliruegas

Dear Mark: My advise is that don't do the TT upgrade, yet.
Change your cartridge: there are many exellent options, other than Shelter ( the people in this forum is a very closed mind in a very small audio world: they always recomended Shelther or ZYX, and even worst cartridges), the Van den Hul MC One Special is an exellent one (Right now you can buy it in the Audiogon clasifieds at a very low price ), Transfiguration Spirit MK3 ( in the clasiffieds, too. New ), Lyra Argo, benz micro Ruby ( clasiffieds, only 50 hours. This is a 3,000.00 retail price cartridge. ), Ortofon Kontrapunkt B , Ortofon Jubille ( clasiffieds. New ), Dynavector D172 MKII, Sumiko Celebration. All these cartridges will be fine with your tonearm/TT and with your Classe Six ( I own this one many years ago. Very good preamp. ).
I agree with you about VT: an average position.. Don't be foolish about it, not yet.
Now, about to buy second hand cartridges, my experience ( in Audiogon ) is 100% recomended: you only have to check the feedbak of the person, that he is the original owner and to know why he put on sale his cartridge.
Regards and always enjoy the music.
Raul.
Doug: First than all I'm not living on and for this forum like you. Second issue: this thread, like any other one, it is not a contest.
Mark, I'm sorry for these comments.
Regards and always enjoy the music.
Raul.
Mark: Msiebers is right. Doug speak what he read on the " book ". He don't have experience with a 12.6hz tonearm/cartridge combo resonant frecuency against the same cartridge with an other ( or the same ) tonearm with a 9.7hz ( example ) resonant frecuency: he is inexpert on this subject.
BTW, please don't buy the DL 103R cartridge: it is a garbage of cartridge.
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
Dear Doug: You read in the " book ": 8hz to 12 hz, and I agree with that. ***" Clearly he is disagreeing here just to be disagreeable.....": Come on, Msiebers is talking about 12.6hz that's why I'm in agree with him:
Doug don't tell me that you or anyone can hear the difference in sound reproduction between a tonearm/cartridge with a resonance frecuency of 12hz ( right on target )against the same combo with 12.6hz?. This is why I don't agree with you in this particular subject.*****"with no way to increase your own worth but by reducing someone else's. What a pathetic and loveless", fortunatelly I don't need to increase my worth, please speak for your self and don't be angry when I call you inexpert ( I'm inexpert in several audio subjects, like anyone ), maybe the problem is that you think that you are a whole expert and that any one can be free to disagree with you. Doug, do it you a favor: try to learn with " live experience ", if you do that then you can grow up with less mistakes, less time and less money.
Regards and always enjoy the music.
Raul.
Dear 4yanx: I don't know why you are losting my time with this garbage. I don't know, too, which is your audio system
but if you are asking then you have that cartridge, I only say this: where are the extremes?
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
Dear 4yanx: If you are only asking to me for take the chance to:*****" Once again you are being not only arbitrary,but rude, too. " , tell me that, please don't do it.
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
Dear friends: Here it is some info about the importance of matching the tonearm/cartridge, this info comes from a cartridge manufacturer:

" Hi Raul,,



The compliance from our cartridges is not relevant, if you have a good arm and turntable , you can track 300 µmm, with this cartridge so if you calculate and project this to compliance you get 70 but nobody believe that so, the important thing is the arm can work with cartridges from 10 Gr mass and more,

Second if you build in the cartridge set in full parallel to the record, first after ( with 180 our 200 Gr vinyl ) you listen to voice on a record and put the arm a little higher no lower settings and adjust you have the most air our room around the voice that play, that is the point
you leave it normal is this 1 or 2mm higher ( NO MORE ).
Regards.
Jan. ".
All days there are something to learn in audio, other than " the book ", the name of the game: " LIVE EXPERIENCE ", don't forget it.

Doug, as you know some one in this forum prove to you that your speakers are not only flat to 33Hz, but with serious difficult aproach only between 50-60Hz ( maybe less with your equalizers ), this is why you can't have a " live experience " on that subject and why I call you: inexpert, now: can you understand the whole thing?
Regards and always enjoy the music.
Raul.

Doug: I forgot: The BW specification for your 803 is: 42Hz
+,- 2db on axis, and you want that we believe that it is flat to 33Hz +,- 0db?.
Come on Doug, speak with the true through facts not " your illusions ".
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
Dear Doug: Why ( like TWL ) when you are " capture " and can't find the " way out ", choose " dead silence ".
This is not a graceful ( not elegant ) escape, this is like the ostrich that hidding it head but everybody can see it full body.
Regards and always enjoy the music.
Raul.
Dear Audio999: You are right, but that is not the point.
regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
Dear Doug: The B&W specs are at Lab stage. The frecuency response of your loudspeakers in your room or another one it is always worst really worst. That's why I told you that your info about are only " illusions ": +,- 4db at 33Hz? in room?, do really know what are you talking about ?, I think you are an " inexpert " in this area, too.
I repeat again: some one told you that your speakers don't go lowest than 50Hz in a room. In that ocasion I remember your statement that you can hear 20Hz in your 803 speakers, this one was an inaccuracy, too?
Please try to learn about. Where do you left " the book ".
Regards and always enjoy the music.
Raul.
Hi Rushton: I only show wrong facts that Doug himself use like arguments on differents subjects.
Do you think this is an attack ?, What do you propose?:
that Doug continue to give wrong facts for to explain any subject and nobody do nothing about?.
It is strange, many of you always defend to people like Doug, TWL and others many times, like now, where they expose on false facts. I think this behavior does not help to anyone, what do you think about?
My point of view is that everyone in this forum need to help to everyone: WITH TRUE FACTS. Do you agree?, if not: then tell me what is all about?.
Regards and always enjoy the music.
Raul.
Cello: The next post was your answer with any reason ( like your attack in this thread ). You post it only for attacking and for no other reason, your last sentence speak a lot of who you are.
.
" I was there (with Doug) and the difference in the Schroeder was obvious and easy to hear. One would not need much more than listening to a few minutes of different types of music to be able to discern that the Schroeder was head and shoulders above and in another universe than the other tonearms.
.
I suggest you read more and talk less and spare us your wisdom for a while.
.

Ahhhh... now I feel better.""".
Cello.""""""

Rushton:

*****" do really know what are you talking about ?, I think you are an " inexpert " in this area, too.
Please try to learn about. Where do you left " the book ".*****

Here I explain this behavior: Doug ( like TWL ) is a very active member on this forum and always is trying to help in differents areas of audio. I think that for everyone that are so " active " the best is that that people ( Doug ) try to have always the " card at hand " ( know-how of what is talking about ) to really help to the people that is loking for an answer.
On the subject of his 803 speakers ( like I put on my answer ) a few months ago ( in another thread ) another member and I explain to Doug why he ( and his friend ) can't hear a 16Hz frecuency ( it was not 20Hz ) in his audio system and that the frecuency response ( in room ) of his speakers start maybe at 50Hz. Now, he insist first: " flat response " and second:" +,- 4db at 34Hz ". ( Doug: the Nautilus 800 is 37 +,- 2db at Lab ). Don't you think he have to learn about?, beacuse he is doing statements on that wrong information.

I think that many of us in this forum want that the forum go to " growing up " and one of the target is to give answers that have not only quality but that are based on true facts and not " illusions ". The people, like Doug, that are very active in this forum have a serious responsibility with all the forum members ( at least this is the way I look ) and they have to take it with a real know-how every time they " shot " ( live experience ).
Now, if you think that everyone in this forum ( Doug, TWL, Rusthon, ,...) can post " only for post ", with any care of what is posting then ask you: what kind of forum will be Audiogon? or which kind of forum do you want or do you deserve?.

I'm here and I will continue to post here because everyone of us can learn many things on what we really care and love:
" accurate music reproduction through ours home audio systems ".

Regards and always enjoy the music.
Raul.