Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

Mather said:
Does anyone know the deal with the VPI "Shyla" cart? Looks like a rebadged AT Art9? I've looked for any changes they make but haven't really found much beyond the paint job. @HiFi Guy? Anyone?
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I’d bet dollars to donuts it’s an ART9.

One more cartridge to keep on your radar would be a Grado Reference3. I know you are getting a VPI and I know the VPI crew loves wood bodied Grados. I love mine and the Reference3 high output would go nicely with your phono stage.
 
HiFi Guy said:
I’d bet dollars to donuts it’s an ART9.

One more cartridge to keep on your radar would be a Grado Reference3. I know you are getting a VPI and I know the VPI crew loves wood bodied Grados. I love mine and the Reference3 high output would go nicely with your phono stage.
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My biggest issue with any of these is rebuild cost. I can justify like $400 every two years for a new black stylus. But $2000 is just too much for me to spend every two years. What's the deal with retip on the Grado?
 
Mather said:
My biggest issue with any of these is rebuild cost. I can justify like $400 every two years for a new black stylus. But $2000 is just too much for me to spend every two years. What's the deal with retip on the Grado?
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Grado is 66% of the cost of a new one for a replacement. They don’t rebuild- your only downtime is shipping. Still better than the standard 75-80%.

If you want the best value, it’s Soundmith. 20-30% rebuild cost, but your downtime is considerable. Just ask @kvetcha

The most reasonable option is a third party rebuilder. You’d be looking at $250-500 depending on what you get.
 
HiFi Guy said:
Grado is 66% of the cost of a new one for a replacement. They don’t rebuild- your only downtime is shipping. Still better than the standard 75-80%.

If you want the best value, it’s Soundmith. 20-30% rebuild cost, but your downtime is considerable. Just ask @kvetcha

The most reasonable option is a third party rebuilder. You’d be looking at $250-500 depending on what you get.
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While I'm here, I suppose I should ask whether my 2M Black will play well with the VPI 10 Inch Gimbal arm in the interim?
 
HiFi Guy said:
Grado is 66% of the cost of a new one for a replacement. They don’t rebuild- your only downtime is shipping. Still better than the standard 75-80%.

If you want the best value, it’s Soundmith. 20-30% rebuild cost, but your downtime is considerable. Just ask @kvetcha

The most reasonable option is a third party rebuilder. You’d be looking at $250-500 depending on what you get.
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I get the impression their backlog is in better shape than it was at the end of 2022. Other folks have reported considerably shorter turnaround times.

But yes, if you're getting a SoundSmith (and you should consider it, they are excellent carts), keep a backup cart around.
 
kvetcha said:
I get the impression their backlog is in better shape than it was at the end of 2022. Other folks have reported considerably shorter turnaround times.

But yes, if you're getting a SoundSmith (and you should consider it, they are excellent carts), keep a backup cart around.
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I was actually looking at them to go along with the new table but I think it again comes back to my amp/stage. Several years ago when I was looking at this it seemed like only a couple of the carts would work with the Aria/Arcam 550 combo.
 
Mather said:
I was actually looking at them to go along with the new table but I think it again comes back to my amp/stage. Several years ago when I was looking at this it seemed like only a couple of the carts would work with the Aria/Arcam 550 combo.
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Oh really? The settings on the mk3 seem sufficient to support something like a Zephyr MIMC Star.
 
Mather said:
I was actually looking at them to go along with the new table but I think it again comes back to my amp/stage. Several years ago when I was looking at this it seemed like only a couple of the carts would work with the Aria/Arcam 550 combo.
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Yes, your options are limited.

Soundmith Low output no
Soundsmith High output- I wouldn’t
Grado low output-no
Grado high output yes
A/T MC yes
Ortofon MC yes

Soundsmith-The Aria MM side has 41.6 db gain. I’d want 46 db for the 2.12 mV rated output.
 
HiFi Guy said:
Grado is 66% of the cost of a new one for a replacement. They don’t rebuild- your only downtime is shipping. Still better than the standard 75-80%.

If you want the best value, it’s Soundmith. 20-30% rebuild cost, but your downtime is considerable. Just ask @kvetcha

The most reasonable option is a third party rebuilder. You’d be looking at $250-500 depending on what you get.
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I use VAS, which is in the same office park as VPI. I’ve done 2 retips with Steve Leung and have been very pleased with price, performance and turnaround time.
 
HayesWeighsIn said:
Lots of folks running a Black on their VPIs. And wood bodied Grados, too!
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Nice. Yeah likely I'll just have to keep my current cart for now. I don't think I can afford to upgrade both right off the hop. There's also the fact that my current isolation platter won't work with the table so that will likely be the next upgrade I have to go for, that or the actual VPI upgraded iso feet. Have to look into those as the Classic Signature may actually ship with the upgraded feet. Not sure.

EDIT - Yeah looks like when they went back into full production late last year they included the HW-40 upgraded feet as part of the package sooooo, no need to upgrade those I guess.
 
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Alright, I know not everyone is on the AC cable train but with a new TT likely on the way soon I'm looking to grab an AC cable for that and
probably another for the VPI ADS controller. Company I bought from retired and I'm not looking to spend $1000 on an AC cable anyhow so I'm on the market. Figure Nordost is probably a good call? Anyone have any first hand knowledge or other opinions of reasonably priced AC cables?
 
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Mather said:
Alright, I know not everyone is on the AC cable train but with a new TT likely on the way soon I'm looking to grab an AC cable for that a probably another for the VPI ADS controller. Company I bought from retired and I'm not looking to spend $1000 on an AC cable anyhow so I'm on the market. Figure Nordost is probably a good call? Anyone have any first hand knowledge or other opinions of reasonably priced AC cables?
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I like the new power cables that Audioquest has been out with since Garth Powell came over from Furman. I don’t think the pc makes much of a difference on the turntable itself though. On my VPI I use an NRG-X3, because I got it included in a bundle and figured why not. I wouldn’t bother above that for a spinning motor.
 
SnowmaNick said:
I like the new power cables that Audioquest has been out with since Garth Powell came over from Furman. I don’t think the pc makes much of a difference on the turntable itself though. On my VPI I use an NRG-X3, because I got it included in a bundle and figured why not. I wouldn’t bother above that for a spinning motor.
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Yeah I don't have one on my current table but I was more thinking about it for the ADS controller perhaps. Although I think it may itself be a conditioner like the SDS was, although I'm not certain about that.
 
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