VPI Scout or Michell Technodec?

Rene,

Thanks again for the advice. The motor is competely quite now, after tightening the screw on the pulley.

TLH

Buy a better used t-table than eather of those new ones.
Peterh

Just a bit of an update. After 53 hours of overtime, I was able to buy a used Gyro SE with rega rb300 arm and a temporary cartridge (Sumiko Black Pearl)--$1,200.

So far, I'm very happy with the results--and that's just after about a dozen or so sides. Things will probably continue to "settle in." I am running a modded VTL 2.5 phono stage, and this combination is oh-so-musical. Lots of authority in the mids and lowers.

The next step will be the cartridge. I just wonder, "how low can I go?"--in terms of output. My phono stage provides 60 db of gain (plus whatever my linestage adds--probably about 15, if that). I would really like to try the Shelter 501 (.3 mV ouput, I believe). Would that be okay? Any comments are welcome. I don't want to get into adding any step-up qizmos. Anyway, I have an email into VTL, but who knows when they will write back . . .

Okay, thanks, all, for your insight and encouragement. I'm enjoying vinyl again!

Crazy: Congratulatons to your Gyro SE. I might have to wait a little longer to upgrade my Tecnodec to a Gyro....

My DL103 has an output of 0.3mV, for which I used the 63dB setting on my Dino stage (actually the lowest MC setting the Dino has). The 70dB setting was too much in my system. What also made a small difference in loudness was changing the loading impedance from 100 Ohm to 1 kOhm. I don't know what other people use as their setting so it was good in my case that I could play with different ones. From my limited experience I would say 60dB is enough for the 0.3mV Shelter

Might be worth starting a new thread to see what amplification and loading other people use for the Shelter 501. By the way, Crazy, are you considering the new Shelter 301 as well? I am hoping that some people will try it out and report in a thread.

Rene

Crazy4blues,
I suspect that 60db before your line stage will be plenty for a 501, unless you have a VERY low gain line stage.

I have a Shelter 901, similar output to a 501 (.1mv more). The 67db of gain I have before my line stage is much more than sufficient. I rarely turn the gain control past 9:30 or so, 12:00 would blow the house down.

If you do go with a Shelter or other lowish compliance cartridge, look into whether Twl's HIFI Mod can be fitted to an RB300 somehow. It might take some ingenuity due to the arm's non-symmetrical bearing structure. But it's worth it.