Best Cartridge for VPI Aries orig + JMW 10.5 ?


I have a VPI Aries (original version) and JMW 10.5. They feed an EAR 834p phono stage, mccormack map-1 preamp, rotel 1095 amp, and vienna acoustics beethoven speakers (which are a bit "warm" sounding). I listen to mostly bluegrass, followed by classic rock and jazz. What is the best choice of cartridge at $1500 or less? (any views on the Sumiko Celebration in this set up?) Any thoughts welcomed as I am a bit new at this. (ps. will one day move to all tubes, but likely a few years off).
banjofan

Showing 3 responses by pboutin

Art Duddley editor of now defunct mag. Listener, never had been a convert to the VPI camp until he reviewed the Aries-JMW 10 combo. He found out a particuliary good match with the Denon DL 103.
This is a known "classic" that perform beautifully above its price range, (us 300.00) but uneasy to get from Japan.
In using it in the same set-up and I certainelly like it myself, and althought it is a MC cart., its .38 mv output allow me to use the mm only EAR phono stage without problem.
The Dudley's article, is I thinck, available on the VPI site.
Hi ! TWL, I have a few questions, maybe you can tell me?
1) What is the differences between the Denon DL 103 and the DL 103D ?
2) In witch way a cartridge,( DL 103), can be to "stiff" for an arm, (VPI), and what will be the consequences of this less than ideal partnership.
Art Dudley talk about the "love affair" between is "ol fashion" Denon 103 and the arm. Was is cartridge the exact same than mine, Denon DL 103, I dont know, but I dont see a problem when using mine.
TWL,
In this article, Art suggest categorically but not without humour that, " low compliance cartriges are to high mass arms, what dogs are to pick-up truck", sounds like a perfect ride to me.
Because the pragmatic successfull result obtained in using his low compliance Denon 103, (refered as such by him), with the high mass Memorial cannot be discarded, I am left to favor his theorical interpretation of the low compliance c.-high mass t. a. relationship over the opposite one witch you have proposed earlier and althought this remain the conundrum that it is the fact remain that Art's personnel low compliance Denon 103 as out-done itself when partnered with high mass Memorial arm. What do you thinck of it ?