Yet another wacko 'Help Me Decide' thread...

Having owned them both, I strongly recommend them both. ;-)

You need a Decision Analysis Matrix (DAM) to perform Question Winnowing and Prioritization (QWaP).

DAM-QWaP #1: What RCM are you using now?

DAM-QWaP #1A: If the answer is "none" then get the Loricraft. You said it yourself. Cartridges come and go but vinyl is irreplaceable.

DAM-QWaP #1B: If you already have a decent RCM then it's a matter of which component will give you more enjoyment/dollar. That leads us to...

DAM-QWaP #2: What cartridge do you have now?

DAM-QWaP #2A: If it's a Lyra Helikon, Shelter 90X or someting of similar quality, the Loricraft will probably provide more enjoyment/dollar.

DAM-QWaP #2B: If it's a Grado Black, Benz Glider or something else that an Airy 3 would easily better, that leads us to...

DAM-QWaP #3: What phono stage and tonearm are you using?

DAM-QWaP #3A: If the phono stage has suitable gain and impedance and the tonearm suitable effective mass and resonance control, get the Airy 3.

DAM-QWaP #3B: If the phono stage has insufficient gain or inappropriate impedance, or if the tonearm is unsuitable for an Airy 3, that leads us too...

DAM-QWaP #4: Was the original question misguided?

Cheers,
Doug

You're close to where I was a year or so ago. I had a Shelter 901 and a DIY'd shop vac. Using the latter was a chore and it was painfully loud. I actually had to wear earplugs while using it. I upgraded to the Loricraft first and I'm glad I did.

However, you do have a functioning RCM, not a DIY. If it works okay and the records you've cleaned sound reasonably quiet I think I'd go for the Airy 3 first.

The 901 emphasizes certain surface noises. A ZYX does not, so your records will actually sound somewhat quieter.

IME the Airy 3 is much better than a 901 for every aspect of musical and sonic reproduction. You should hear a huge improvement. A Loricraft, as good as it is, would not make such a dramatic improvement unless you had no RCM at all.

P.S. If you go for any ZYX get the SB option. You'll want the extra weight with that tonearm and there's another advantage. Having the extra shim on top of the cartridge will require raising your arm to maintain proper VTA/SRA. This is a good thing. Raising your arm will give your tapered armtube more clearance above the record than it would have with an unweighted ZYX.