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SHELTER - 501II MC PHONO CARTRIDGE

The Shelter 501 II is a Music Direct Best-Buy Phono Cartridge!

Owners of this wonderful cartridge have said the Shelter 501 II easily fills the sonic shoes of cartridges costing two or three times as much. Rumor has it that this is exact same cartridge was available in the US under the name Crown Jewel, but sold for over $2600! The 501 II blends its musical presentation with a warm, extremely musical mid-range, deep, authoritative bass and a smooth as silk top end. Instruments shine and are easily placed, showing plenty of soul. Voices are heard with a wonderful 'you are there' feeling. With a 0.4mV output and great tracking ability, the 501 II will absolutely knock your socks off! 

All Shelter cartridges are hand-made in Japan.

“The 501 Mk II is one of those rare products that does everything well-and some things spectacularly well. Its superb three-dimensionality brings to life recordings one thought lacking in spaciousness, while its neutral tonal balance and audiophile virtues (resolution, focus, air, transient speed, extension at both frequency extremes) and overarching cohesiveness “always seemed cut from whole cloth.” Add these factors together and you have a cartridge that takes you about as close as you can get to top-tier performance at this price point.” — The Absolute Sound Editors on the Shelter 501

'Shelter's [entry level] model, the 501 Mk II does everything well--and some things spectacularly well. Its superb three-dimensionality adds spaciousness to recordings seemingly lacking in air and bloom, while its neutral tonal balance, audiophile virtues and cohesiveness make its sound always seem as if it is cut from a whole cloth.' - Product of the Year Award Winner, Jonathan Valin, TAS

'I recommend the Shelter 501 MK.II without hesitation. I recommended it at $2650 in a different analog environment [Crown Jewel]; at this price how could it be otherwise?' - Michael Fremer, Stereophile, Feb 2005

Specifications:
Frequence Response: 20Hz-20kHz, +/-2dB
Cartridge Type: MC (Moving Coil)
Output: 0.4mV
Stylus profile: Elliptical (0.3 x 0.7)
Recommended Tracking: 1.4-1.8 Gms
Recommended Loading: 100 Ohms
Separation: 25dB at 1kHz
Weight: 8.1 grams