MM choice

[Black Stuart]

Ian,
get yourself a Kenwood of the KD series. It comes with a brilliant arm, that is superbly engineered and setting up is so simple it has to be seen to be believed. I have been promised another by a doctor in Germany (he better come across).

Yes the Pickering does it all so easily, maybe this is it's problem for some - it's fit and play, just like the Kenwood TT.

Is CD any easier - I don't know. I have a 63KI and I recently decided to use up some crappy sound deadening sheet on the transport and that had immediate benefit to the overall sound. Next a Tent clock?

What I really hate now are PCBs - in-out-in-out = brain damage (Greg knows that only to well) no for me, from now on - tag boards and point-to-point
wiring. You want to cap roll no problem.

It goes on and on. right now whilst typing this, I'm listening to Johnnie Walker on R2 - this is de rigeur for Angela on a Sunday - Elaine Paige/Top of the Pops/Johnnie Walker and then that gardening superprat but you know it's great - it just comes at you. On TOTP they played the Stones -Paint it Black at full volume YYYEESS. When I can't get off on that, it definately is time for a bullit in the back of the neck.

[muffinman]

i have bit the bullet and 'buy it now-ed' a pickering xv15. it is the item getting the best reviews across the board after all. buying a more expensive item unheard would seem a little silly. this is a bit of a watershed moment for me as it may facilitate the purchase of the cheaper phono3 and a move away from the (albeit budget) mc end of things (i seriously doubt that i could buy 2 cheaper products in the same month though )
i'll let you know my findings once i've manouvered it on to the evo.

[BOONDI]

Originally Posted by Black Stuart

The Pickering is neutral in respect to the frequency spectrum an absolute plus, especially for a cartridge at it's ludicrously low price point but the one thing that I love is it's truly organic rich sound, that is so musical. I think that Boondi would agree with me on that.

100% agree with you Stuart, makes music like little else. Set up and alignment are easy to boot......

Recommended mods are removal of the dust bug and a little bluetak ala Stuart.......

In fact they are so good for the price that I also bought 2 pairs of replacement stylii for it, so now I have six spares......

Even worse, I am thinking of replacing my Shure V15VxMR with another pickering XV15 cart.....That will give me two carts and 8 spare stylii.....

Best to all.....

[Ianm2]

you've made an excellent choice, mr muffin, you won't be disappointed, its a serious bargain and an excellent sounding cartridge. tracks well too, if you want to delve later, stanton are aligned to pickering and similarly good, both american I think. who'd have heard it? a decent american cartridge...there not known for that really.

most of us here I think have no agendas, not that we don't have preferences, but there are no agendas afaik, just personal taste and likes.

I yearned for ages for the shure, I wasn't enamoured, still, its a loss not to have such a historical cartridge, always sad to see.

[Black Stuart]

Ian,
your right, if Pickering were German/Danish/Japanese, the price would easily be double.

Boondi, Ill probably buy another P/set for Angela. How much did you pay for the replacement styli?

[BOONDI]

Hi Stuart, all....

I bought two lots of the £39.99 625e stylii.

The other ones at £49.99 are the 625 DJ and are recommended for scratching and etc, with tracking force at 1 - 4 grams.....Unless of course Angela likes to mix it a bit......

Best....

[Black Stuart]

Does anyone have any input on the top of the range Pickering MMs @£250. I really don't like the Pickering site - very badly put together.

[Ianm2]

no knowledge or xp, but I think you need a step up....v. low output

[Black Stuart]

Now if your talking MC - what about the Shelter 901 @$1500 and I see that Shelter now make a MM, retailing for $200, has anyone info on this one?

Aren't the £250 Pickering carts currently on offer for £124 on ebay?

I really like my XV15 625E and would definitely give the XLZ-7500-S a go at that price if my job was more secure.