Shelter 501 Mk. II MC Mono Cartridge

she501

Price USD$ 1,995

Specifications:
Output: 0.4mV
Stylus profile: 0.65 Mil Conical
Weight: 8.1 grams
Recommended Tracking: 1.4-1.8 grams
Recommended Loading: 47k
Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz, +/-2dB
Separation: 25dB at 1kHz

Owners of this wonderful cartridge have said the Shelter 501 II Mono easily fills the sonic shoes of cartridges costing two or three times as much. It’s said that this is the exact cartridge that was available in the US as the Crown Jewel, but selling for over $2600! The 501 II Mono 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 trackability, the 501 II will absolutely knock your socks off!

“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-dimesionality 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.” – Michael Fremer, Stereophile, Feb 2005