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VPI table, cart and phonostage? - Novice.

I am strongly considering getting back into vinyl. I've got 200+ lps in boxes, many relatively new.

My current digital setup is Bel Canto PL-1 Universal player, Krell HTS 7.1 prteamp, Bel Canto 6 channel amp, B & W N 805 speakers. I play mainly Classical and Jazz.

Houston has almost no high end TT dealers. The one store I went into had a Nottingham Spacedeck and I heard a 45 rpm Belafonte disc, and got the vinyl concept in my brain. Wow!

I probably will get a VPI, based mainly on reviews and reputation...also made in USA!

Scout or Scoutmaster? Is there that big a difference? Both are Stereophile Class B,I believe. Are there carts that are "wasted" by putting them on a scout, whereas on a scoutmaster you get that extra value you paid for? Basically, to what level of cart would you go on a scout or scoutmaster?

Should I get a aolid state or tube phono stage for these TTs? Any suggestions. I am somewhat open minded about budget, but I want to get components that are about in the same league. I mean, a $1.5K TT with a $5K cart and a $7K phono stage seems crazy, or does it?

Is the SDS worth getting for either of these?

Also, does anybody out there think I, a novice, can install a cart and set it up myself without an analog saavy compadre around? I've read the beginners guide to cart setup and its not rocket science, so I think I can.

Thanks for the input.
dolifant
afro18
51 posts
 
FWIW,

I have a old tested and true table/cart combo. I have a Hw 19 Mk IV with an RB-250 and a Denon 301 Mk. IV cart. You can find all this for about $1,000 (hw 19's are discontinued). Nice sound and a bit cheaper than the Scout.

If you are looking into VPI, there are deals galore here and on Ebay for the Hw 19 series with tonearms to boot. For the price of a Scout, you could have a mk iii with a rega 300 with a Dynavector Karat and a Lehmann Black Cube.

How does that sound?

marty
audiotomb's avatar
audiotomb
1,112 posts
 
hey don't dismantle the poor guys thread

I'll second the spacedeck/spacearm for great performance at reasonable cost. plus these things are sexy

now who sells them in Houston?
I'm a Hurricane Katrina refugee who will be there 8 months
left my vinyl at home, but want to shop around a little in Houston

oops, now I'm sabotaging the thread

Tom
warjarrett
105 posts
 
It is truly amazing to me that this ZYX Airy-3 versus Shelter 90x debate keeps cropping up in various different threads. The ugliness that this particular comparison inspires suggests to me that they are BOTH truly GREAT cartridges. So, what I have done is purchase one of each. Both are used, supposedly under 100 hours. I will compare the two cartridges IN MY SYSTEM, and I will decide FOR MYSELF which I prefer. Then it will be my turn to be harassed and insulted by whichever group of fans disagree with what I hear.
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Warjarret,

I'm not sure why you resurrected a two year old thread, but congrats on your new cartridges.

A word of caution about any used cartridge, especially one with a micro-ridge/line contact stylus like the ZYX: make sure the stylus is properly cleaned before doing any listening. I have rehabilitated no end of "defective" cartridges for friends by doing nothing more than removing layers of built up crud from their styli. Sometimes a Magic Erasering is enough. Occasionally I've had to resort to Linn's old trick, a bit of fine sandpaper.

If the stylus is gunked up, you won't hear what either cartridge can do.

Have fun!
Doug
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