$800 Cartridge Shootout and Upgrade Path

To get started with analog, I will choose one of the cartridges from the first group, and maybe upgrade in a couple of years once I have a better understanding what my current cartridge can do and what analog is capable of delivering. So let me look at the choices presented.

I feel the point of diminishing returns sets in very steeply at the $800 price point. I am sure that $300-to-$500 cartridges come very close, but the $800 cartridge delivers that something extra I am willing to pay for. So $800 is the floor, but $1,500 is the ceiling. Above that level, I feel a little uncomfortable spending more.

I put the Dynavector on the list because of a review done by Paul Seydor of TAS. I have never heard the cartridge, but I get the feeling that I would like something with a little more midrange lushness and a little more output, perhaps 0.5 mV.

The Shelter 501 has been well reviewed and is the hot cartridge right now. It tops my list and should work well with the equipment I now have.

The Sumiko is also very good, but I think the Shelter might be slightly better, and certainly not worse. I can only choose one cartridge so the Shelter leads the group.

I was really excited about the Grado. But with its tracking and hum issues I am a little less excited about it now. I have heard the Grado Reference Sonata in the recent past. It did a fantastic job on vocals, but when it can to symphonies, there seemed to be a loss of air and bloom in the upper frequencies and the overall presentation was a little less exciting.

The Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood got such a strong recommendation by Bob Reina of Stereophile, but in the Audio Asylum and on Audiogon the reception has not been that strong. While I am sure it's a good cartridge, I don't see too many people singing its praises. I think the reason might be that anyone willing to spend $800 or more for a cartridge may want a moving coil design and not a moving magnet.

For my upgrade cartridge choice, it will most likely be either the Shelter 901 or the Benz Micro L2.

IMO the cartridge is very important, but you can't maximize performance of a cartridge without a solid foundation (table & arm) as a starting point.

You might want to look into the Music Maker Mk3. It is a great cartridge. You can find reviews of it on TNT-Audio, 6Moons, Stereo Times, and all the Bristish mags have reviewed it over the past year as well - most of the reviews are of the Mk2 version but still.

If you like what you find on the Music Maker, then you should also look into its natural partner, the Hadcock 242SE Incognito tonearm.

Together you should be able to get them for a hair over $2000, which would leave you plenty of room for quite a few turntables to chose from.

Nott Hyper, Nott Space, Michell Orbe, Michell Gyro, Platine Verdier, Simon Yorke S7, and the Eurolab Premier have all been reported as great matches.

Hi Artar1,
From your cartridge lists I've only heard the Shelter 901, which I own, so I'll spare you any guesses.

I will offer this however: add a ZYX cartridge to your second list. An R100 Fuji ($2k list) will thoroughly outclass a Shelter 901, particularly for the kind of music you and I listen to. It is in quite another league for accurate groove tracing and transparency to the music and musicians. The 901 is a fine cartridge and very exciting. But it doesn't play tough inner grooves cleanly and eventually it becomes fatiguing. It's a bit full of itself and lacks the subtlety to bring classical and small group jazz musicians to life. The ZYX is self-effacing and ravishingly subtle, if that makes any sense. It's shockingly dynamic when the musicians are dynamic, but never otherwise. Sorry for suggesting a slight budget buster, but if you saved a few extra months to get one I believe you'd thank me. :-)

Regarding the Teres 245, you can buy it fully finished in cocobolo for $2775 if you like. If you go for the $2425 in unfinished rosewood then only final sanding for a smooth finish would be required. It's not like they ship you a hand-hewn hunk o' wood. To my mind, an hour of sanding and a few coats of stain/finish, steps which you'd only have to perform once, would be well repaid by the years of pleasure. YMMV of course.

Rather than look at what you don't get with a 245 look what you do: a TT that few if any competitors can match for under $4000. Few if any $3-4K tables from mainstream manufacturers will match a 245 for solidity, dynamics, quietness and speed accuracy. The question is not, "Why does an unfinished Teres cost so much?". The question is, "Why do other tables that perform at its level cost 2-3x more?". You won't find a TT motor, controller, bearing, plinth or platter to match the 245's for anywhere near the price.

Just my $.02, enjoy the hunt!

Artar1, I agree with Doug's assessments on the Teres 245. You only have to finish it yourself if you want to save the money. I bought my 245 finished, but there is quite a bit of assembly work to put it together when you take it out of the boxes.

I can tell you from alot of experience, that a Teres 245 with an OL Encounter tonearm, and a Shelter 501, is an exceedingly enjoyable analog system, with very little fuss or bother, once it is initally set up correctly. They are all excellent matches with each other, and will produce well beyond your expectations.

You'll need a good phono section with at least 62db gain(added to 15db-20db in the linestage) for best results with low-output MC cartridges like the 501.

I'm a very "bang for the buck" oriented guy, and I use a Teres 245, OL Silver(HiFi modded), and a Shelter 501. That is my choice for best sound for the money. For an arm with no mods, the OL Encounter would be an excellent choice because it slightly outperforms the modded OL Silver, and is just a "drop-in" tonearm into any(slightly reamed out) Rega armhole. You'd really have to work hard to outperform that combo for the same money, and I'm not sure that it can be outperformed at it's price point.