Need to re-discover analog - please help

I am suspicious of any tonearm maker that tells you to twist the wires in order to have proper antiskating. VPI make great 'tables. Got a HW19 MKIV myself. But I also have a Graham tonearm. I would do something with a Rega.

Further update and question: Now, 5 weeks later, and still waiting for its arrival, SOTA Sapphire V TT, OL Illustrious tonearm, Shelter 901, EAR 824. As some of you wisely predicted, this will not only end up in the main rig (Atma-Spheres, Kharma 3.2s) but will start there. Hence the balanced phono stage. So that I know what to expect, and do not have delusional expectations, will it sound as "good" as the EMM set-up???? Yes, no or maybe:)? Predictions, please. Will I be screaming for an upgrade soon or walk around like a Cheshire cat?

Spring -- I'm sure your EMM sounds pretty great (for a digital device!) however I wouldn't expect much in the way of good analog sonics until the cartridge has broken in for at least 150 hours; great sonics will take 200-250 hours. If anyone (including the manufacturer) says less, their blowing smoke up your . . . . . . And this assumes correct arm/cartridge set-up and (after break in) your finding the optimum cartridge loading (which based on the 901's 15 ohm coil resistance should be 325 ohms +/_ 50%) Until sufficiently broken in, expect the sound to be bright/thin, maybe a little grainy, with not much bass (even with the above-mentioned proper setting of SRA and load.) So don't do a lot of fiddling around until you know you have enough mileage on it. Premature tweaking is a mistake a lot of folks make. I can't imagine how those magazine people can write cartridges reviews with a straight face!

If you want to speed up the break in period, I suggest you by the Cardas sweep record, which has locked white noise grooves, and just let it run 24 hours a day for a week (when you're not actually playing records that is!) No need to fire up the rest of the system while running the Cardas record, but it's good for it if you want to.

Otherwise, averaging 2.5 hr/day of normal playing time, you're looking at over three months. Personally, I couldn't wait that long! Just as a side note: I bought a Transfiguration Temper W exactly two months ago, and been away two weeks during that period. The specs/instructions say 30 hours break-in. Yeah, right! I figure after 50 days, I've put around 80 hours on it (mostly just playing records) which I calculate by counting the number of records played times 35 minutes. And one can just now begin to hear it starting to go through it's metamorphosis into a really high-end device. I know setup is perfect, and load is set for its calculated optimum of 150 ohms. Recently, over a period of two or three days, the image/soundstage became solid and convincing, bass got tight, lyrics (transient response) became effortlessly intelligible, etc. Now I can only wait and listen before attempting any further refinements.

Have fun!

.

Very helpful advice. Appreciate it, Nsgarch!

Springbok, good thoughts from Nsgarch above. Also keep in mind that, as a mechanical transducer and even after breaking in, all cartridges need to warm up a bit during each listening session, just like dynamic driver speakers. Before a serious listening session, I always play mine for about an hour with some complex and demainding music (e.g., organ) before sitting down to listen critically. You may also find that after that first 50-150 hour bread-in period (varies by cartridge), the suspension loosens up a bit and you need to readjust the VTA to compensate for the cartridge now riding a hair lower.

Good setup is critical to getting the best sound, and don't expect to shift between 150gr, 180gr and 200gr LPs without getting a change in sound due to the change in VTA that results from the varying thickness. Many of us end up adjusting VTA for each weight vinyl, and must keep in mind that all vinyl was not cut to the standard cutting angle so their can be LP-LP variances. This will depend on how sentivie your 901 is to cutting angle variances, some cartridges are not as sensitve to this as others and I don't know about the 901. Let your ears be your guide on this.

Unlike Nsgarch, I would plan to set up the cartridge optimally when new, but then plan to readjust as it breaks in. Cold out of the box, some cartridges can sound awfully good. I wouldn't angst over it, though, because as Nsgarch says, it needs to break in.

I also highly recommend you read and follow Lloyd Walker's advice for fine-tuning your turntable setup:
www.walkeraudio.com/fine_tuning_your_turntable.htm

Best wishes,