Thanks, all, for sharing your thoughts. They've stimulated me to share a few more ideas about what I meant by the term "coherence". Probably you've all already got it, but here goes anywhere.
I was listening to a first pressing of the Gary McFarland album, Point of Departure. It's a lovely album. The track Sandpiper, starts with some very nuanced percussion. Someone is tapping on a metal bell or cymbal. Then someone starts tapping on or shaking something else. I've listened to this track countless times. With the Shelter it was one of those all-of-a-sudden so that what's going on moments. It was like I'd never heard it before. It's "Ah, yes. So that's what they're doing and that's why they're doing it" kinds of moments. Where you get the impression that one musician has just nodded or signaled to another member of the group that it's time to do that thing they did during the rehearsal, you know - "When I do this, when I nod, you come in with that thing we worked out the other night when we were playing at such-and-such..."
From the first moments of dropping the needle the overwhelming impression is one of "jeez, that instrument just sounds so beautiful". Doesn't matter what it is. First time I heard it my buddy and I were auditioning a Technics SP-10 Mk. 2 with Grace 560L he was considering. The album was a sonically undistinguished pressing of a jazz album by Sahib Shahib. Suddenly we're surrounded by this frickin' beauty. The tone of the tenor just sounds so... real, so live, so in the room. My words probably sound like cliches. But there you are.
Right now I'm listening to a 7" 45 of the Blackbyrds, a somewhat sentimental instrumental of the tune All I Ask that captures the band in a mellow, reflective mood. This track doesn't seem to be on any of their albums, just the B-side of the single Flyin' High. Surface noise on this ancient pressing has dropped to near zero. Not sure who is playing the harmonica (and you wouldn't think a harmonica with strings could sound "right" on a soul/R&B tune but it's perfection.)
Another case in point. I'm now listening to John Fahey, Volume 2 Death Chants, Breakdowns & Military Waltzes, the track Sunflower River Blues. Fahey's guitar tone and timbre are just so.... right. Geez. He sounds so human. Like I'm listening to him in a small cafe.
Having heard this, I'm now kinda' spoiled. I'm now re-reading as many historic cartridge reviews by "trusted reviewers" (starting with the sorely-missed Art Dudley), seeking out references to this kind of "musicality". It's clear from all of your greatly appreciated comments that there are other cartridges out there that do this thing. And for your sharing I am very grateful.