Shelter 501 questions/concerns

As I have previously posted (more times than anyone else likely wants to hear) the 501 sounds GREAT with my 'Not Spacearm uni. That said, Tom Fletcher has incorporated stabilizer bars within the arm pivot so as to improve lateral stability on that arm. I did have occasion to hear the 501 just this weekend with an OL Silver arm (without Twl mods!) mounted on my Spacedeck and really could NOT tell any appreciable difference between it and the Spacearm on that table. The OL Illustrious, yes - big difference; the Silver, no.

I am totally unfamiliar with your arm, so what I relate may be meaningless to you.

I know 4yanx has good ears for sound. I think if David tells you something, you can take it to the bank.

I appreciate the compliment, Tom, but I should also stress again to Ozzy that I am speaking only to my experience with the unipivot Spacearm. While there are some exceptions, I concur with the arm/cartridge compliance issue over which you have expressed concerns on many occasions. Since I am not familiar with the Bluenote arm, I would advise caution unless you have the opportunity to audition the cartridge at no risk.

TWL, 4yanx,

Just a comment 'cuz I DO NOT want to side-track Ozzy's thread here:-
Thanks for the info re. the OL Silver & Shelter 501. I have a OL Silver on my Bluenote 'table & was wondering what my next move should be (whenever the time comes!) - whether I should change tonearms to a Bluenote or stay w/ the OL Silver. Looks like you guys have answered my question - I should buy a Shelter 501 & keep the OL Silver! That should be a treat sound-wise.

I am really going to have to defer to Tom, or someone else, because I have no experience with Bluenote tables or arms, though I have neard that the Borromeo arm is a good value. Provided that the Bluenote table is of sound design and performance, it should sound very nice with the OL Silver/501 match, which is a very solid performer in combination.