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[maril555]

Originally Posted by fjn04

I had a Jade Platinum when I initially bought my Shindo setup. I had very little success making it work with my Shindo preamp. I tried Direct in to MC on my Shindo Monbrison, a Silver-Core SUT, a Choir Hashimoto HM-7, and both Auditorium 23 Standard SUT's. The latter being the low impedance SPU version, and the Denon 103 version. I remember my best results were the Hashimoto, set to it's LOW impedance setting. The worst was direct in to the preamps MC input. All that said, I got too soft of a sound with the Koetsu. It didn't have any PRAT, and was slow and uninvolving. My EMT Tsd-15 was so locked in with the A23 Denon, so that's what I kept, until moving to the T2. I notice you use a Graham, and FWIW, my Jade was on a Basis Vector 3 arm. My best sound from a Koetsu was an RSP on a Graham 2.2, but the system was too different to say I had a mismatch with the Vector/Jade. Not only that, but I did get better sound with the Koetsu/Vector going in to a different preamp prior to the Shindo. I also plan on trying an alternative cartridge soon, hopefully on a second turntable. I am considering the Kiseki, and also intrigued by the Charisma carts. It sounds as if you're getting good sound out of your VR, which is a tremendous preamp.

Thanks so much for responding to my questions.
I'm using MC input on Shindo, as I don't have SUT yet, and I have to tell you, my experience is very different form what you describe.
It is very dynamic, not soft, "slow", or rolled-off at all.
In that sense, Shindo VR is not much different from my other preamp, Tron Syren Ultimate- the only difference is timbral balance.
As a matter of fact, I had our audiophile club meeting at my place, where I used Shindo, and it seems, people universally liked, what they heard. It even got an applause on a couple of pieces.
I do have a few reservations though with my present arrangement
1. VR has a little bit too much gain for my 108 dB system
2. MC input is not completely quiet, as it is with Tron, hum is VERY low, but present.
A question- what is the cartridge loading value in VR?
I know, Koetsu "likes" 100 Ohm.
Will an outboard SUT potentially minimize the residual hum, I'm experiencing with the bult-in SUT?