Best mm cart for VPI scout/jmv-9 memorial arm

FWIW, years ago, at the suggestion of Mike at VPI, I bought a Grado "The Reference" low-output MI cartridge for my JMW12 arm. The cartridge was not a good match, causing constant woofer pumping (a sure sign of a cartridge compliance/tonearm mass mismatch), despite every effort to correct it through changing the viscosity and amount of damping fluid in the JMW's well. Plus, this combo's sound was bland and boring to my ears, lacking dynamics and also extension in the upper frequencies.

I replaced the Grado with a medium-compliance van den Hul MC Two HOMC and was much happier with the vdH cartridge/JMW arm combo. Used the latter setup for years, always enjoying the dynamic and involving sound, and had no issues with woofer pumping or mistracking.

Why not consider a medium-compliance HOMC cartridge, say maybe a Sumiko Blackbird or even the more economical but similar sounding Sumiko BP Special EVO III. A nice, slightly used one is available for sale here on Agon right now. No affiliation whatsoever with seller.

I would also think that the SS/VPI Zephyr would make a great sounding pairing as Viridian suggests.

Dave

You need to know the capacitance of the wire, the lower the better. Stay away from standard interconnect for tonearm cables. The capacitance of standard interconnect can be very high and will restrict the high frequency response of your cartridge. Capacitance loading is best done at the preamp if at all. 17pF/ft - 25pF/ft shielded tonearm cables are available from several reputable cable vendors.

If you have to go the ultra-cheap route, use RGB component video interconnects that can be purchased almost anywhere online (including monoprice) for small $. They are usually low capacitance and have double shielding (foil surrounded by braid). There will be three individual wires bonded together by the jacket in a component video cable - just use the ones marked with red and blue for the right and left channel and use the one marked green for the ground (strip the connector off of each end).

Dave

Oh yeah, and break in the new cables for at least 72 hours using the repeat
function on your CDP, preferably with a test CD that has a
"burnin" track. The voltage signal from your cartridge is so low
that it will never adequately break in the phono cable otherwise.

Dave