Location: belgrade serbia
Posts: 840
I'm gordan.
a very decent shelter 201 is currently 12,000 yen from soundheights.co.jp, a reputed seller. that's under 80 quid at the moment, hard to beat. has a bit of rich and warm mids and not a big HF extension, but for money, it's pretty much a no brainer. a shame it costs 3x more in europe, if you find one.
info@soundheights.co.jp is email addy
Gordan.
Speakers: Oris Swing MkII
Amps: Thomas Mayer 300b/ Hiraga La Maison de L'Audiophile 20
Preamp: Silver AVC by eng. Ferenc Lazar
Phono Preamp: Shishido LCR by Solaja Audio
Decks: Garrard 301 Martin Bastin reworked/plinthed with Fidelity Research FR64fx
Garrard 401 in eng Ferenc Lazar solid wenge plinth with SME 3012/2
Cartridges: SPU Spirit/ Koetsu Black revisited by eng. Salai/ Miyajima Shilabe
Step Up Transformers: Tango MCT 999/ Ortofon T-5000/ Lumiere SUT
Digital: Shigaclone by eng. Ferenc Lazar with Lampizator Amber II
Wires: of sufficient length
Aren't those related to the Sumiko MM's?
Location: Telemark, Norway
Posts: 139
I'm Johan.
That would be my VMS30 Mk2 Steve, they were the flagship Ortofon MM back in the day and easily hold their own against the 2M Black in my opinion, the pity is that original replacement stylus aren't available anymore, so when mine is worn unless i can get a nos i'll be forced to look at a newer model
As the late Colonel Sanders once said
"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken!!"
Location: belgrade serbia
Posts: 840
I'm gordan.
Correct, just as many other Excel Sound Corporation produced MMs in last 30 years, like Sumiko, A&R, Garrott etc etc.... Mind that stylus are not always interchangeable and you will need to hack them, but it shouldn't be a big work if you have a bit of tools and a good magnifier...
Gordan.
Speakers: Oris Swing MkII
Amps: Thomas Mayer 300b/ Hiraga La Maison de L'Audiophile 20
Preamp: Silver AVC by eng. Ferenc Lazar
Phono Preamp: Shishido LCR by Solaja Audio
Decks: Garrard 301 Martin Bastin reworked/plinthed with Fidelity Research FR64fx
Garrard 401 in eng Ferenc Lazar solid wenge plinth with SME 3012/2
Cartridges: SPU Spirit/ Koetsu Black revisited by eng. Salai/ Miyajima Shilabe
Step Up Transformers: Tango MCT 999/ Ortofon T-5000/ Lumiere SUT
Digital: Shigaclone by eng. Ferenc Lazar with Lampizator Amber II
Wires: of sufficient length
I bought an Excel MM new a few years ago. Can't recall the model, but it wasn't the ES-700. It was a damn good sounding cartridge, one of the few MM's to come close to my ADC's.
The VMS30 is a fantastic cartridge and is really a 2M Black.
The best I heard was an ADC ZLM. Bloody hell that was good. In fact, I still have it as a back up. If only I had an arm that it suited!
Main system: Sony TTS8000; AT1010; Audio Technica Art1; The Lentek; Cambridge 851n, Yamaha NS1000.
System 2 - SBT; Technics SH-X1000 DAC; Denon PMA-850
Location: Telemark, Norway
Posts: 139
I'm Johan.