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Cartridges with that musical coherence - having heard it, I need to learn more

Once you hear "better", you can't un-hear it. Oh, what a slippery slope it is to hear better gear. Ask me how I know.

Ok. First - I recently rolled new tubes into my phono stage. Vintage Amperex JAN 7308s. Also tried the white-label PQ 7308s. Holy smokes. Sounds like I've got a whole new phono stage. So that's what everybody's been talking about. Holy cow. I get it.

Enough. I'll get right to the point. I just borrowed (and soon expect to buy) a friends Shelter 901 cartridge. It's an original Mk I, so it's really old. But it's been sitting unused for many years. Initially I was very skeptical - wouldn't the suspension have dried out? Maybe it would collapse on the record surface when I played it. Wouldn't sound very good.

The 901 replaced my Dynavector 17D3 on my lowly Jelco 750L/Garrard 401. Holy... uh... where do I start? The Dynavector has been very good. But the Shelter makes sense of what's going on in the recording on a whole 'nother level. Finally, I can hear the musical sense of *why* the musicians are doing what they are doing. All of a sudden I *get* what reviewers and others have been talking about for years. Until I heard it I *thought* I understood it, but now I really get it. It's not "musicality" at the expense of detail. The fine detail is there. But it's revealed in a way that I've never heard before from *any* vinyl playback system.

And I suppose, like other characteristics, this coherence thing also exists on higher and higher levels with better and better cartridges. That should probably read "more and more expensive cartridges".

So my question is to those of you who've trod this path before me. Especially those of you who've used the Shelter 901. Given the unknown hours on the specimen I'm using I'm wanting to learn about other cartridges that possess this quality of coherence. In your experience, what other cartridges do this?
128x128markusthenaimnut
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,379 posts
 
Different angle. My upgraded London Decca SuperGold sings on my upgraded 401. 
jw944ts's avatar
jw944ts
323 posts
 
if you have a phono preamp that can handle low LOMC, check out Allnic Amber....
dodgealum
1,398 posts
 
Coherence—super important. An often overlooked or under appreciated sonic parameter. The ART 9 I owned was very coherent—wish I never sold it. Couldn’t find anything as seamless top to bottom until I discovered the Charisma Signature One. Yes, much more expensive but super coherent and musically satisfying.
antigrunge2
1,331 posts
 
Zyx Universe, rien ne va plus
markusthenaimnut's avatar
markusthenaimnut OP
353 posts
 
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.
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