Much better MM cartridge than Shure V15 IV?

Also...if u value speed and transparency...nordost cabling really has few competitors in this regard...one of the few cables that yields immediate rewards...some have claimed its bass shy...I would claim it doesn't exaggerate bass

12-18-11: Sumaato
Johnny, The Kimber Monocles were such a surprise to me in terms of what cabling can yield...well worth the investment. so your suggestion to get better interconnects is excellent, particularly establishing the capacitance values to match the cartridge. I'll have to try and find the Pro-ject specs for their tonearm cable capacitance, to complete the picture. I have never considered these values closely, so it's a direction to follow.

Since you have Monocle XL speaker cables, pick equivalent quality phono or interconnects from Kimber's Select line.

I'm using pure silver 10 gauge wire as jumpers between bi-wire terminals. What do you think?

First replace the Blue Jeans with some interconnects commensurate with your speaker cables. Give them 100 hours or so to burn in. Then see how things sound. This may fix it. My hunch is that the Blue Jeans is adding grain and subtracting transparency and your silver jumpers are spotlighting that. If you replace the interconnects you may find that the silver jumpers are just fine. If you find you still need a little more warmth or fullness, try swapping in some Kimber Select jumpers for the silver ones.

The Kimber Select interconnects will probably take care of it.

if you are are going to bother at all with a Stanton 881, look for the 881s and not the mark II - it is constructed much better w/ nude diamond and accurate azimuth (usually).

Yes, the interconnect will be first purchase I think. It may have an important effect on bass too, as may a new butcher block support for the table.

I really like the idea of increasing synergy rather than re-purchasing major components at a higher price level. We know that is an endless story.

Will look into the Stanton, as per your directions.

Leave Shure-it is by far superior to most of MM cartriges and a lot of MC.take care to have good stylus.But this is a high compliance cartrige-much better with light arms and suspended turntables.Works with all MM pre if they are with standard electrical inputs.
I recently purchesed LP 12 Sondek 30 years old(stright from socket without upgrades-mint) with SME 3009 type 3 and Shure V 15 type 2-didn t change anything, only made proper set up of table ,arm.This is really perfect with old records-stil have oryginal stylus.with 180 gr new ,fat records ,sounds still not so good-will work on it.the sound ,You get is different from modern-advartised sounds but by far more musical.My preferences are also with classic,jazz,soul.So in Your present system the most promising part is the cartrige itself-under no conditions change it to latest Shure products-shame but not in the same league