150MLX is Shocked

[BrocLuno]

My wife picked up a stack of used LPs a while back. I've been digging through them as time permits. Mostly preview play under a Shure M97 (with brush down). But to answer another thread about 120e vs 440MLa I had to go back and play some known LPs as I traded back and forth. Waded through that exercise and while I was at it I wanted to do a detail comparo between the 440Mla and 150MLX. They are close, but the 150 wins pretty easily.

Anyway, I left it on and was spinning some interesting LPs and I got to "Short, Sharp, Shocked" by Ms Shocked. Not an LP I've had much exposure to. Got the Alesandro cans on - my god, there's some interesting music going down here

The LP ain't pristine by a long ways and it's kind of scratchy under another cartridge. But under the 150MLX it's very tolerable and that little puppy's is digging in that yard. There are country/jazz fusions I can really get into. So far I've played it about 4 times on each side. Musical twists and good instrumentation, well played. This LP and this cartridge love each other :thmbsp:

 

[Mr. Lin]

So far I've played it about 4 times on each side.

Careful Broc! Make sure you wait 48 hours before playing the same tracks or you'll melt the grooves!!! :thmbsp:

So I guess the 150MLX is one of the go-to cartridges for records that are stubbornly noisy, sort of the opposite of Grado in that regard. I'd still like to try this cartridge but I've got so much on my plate right now I don't see it happening.

This particular lp is country/jazz fusion? Sounds very interesting...

 

[cactuscowboy]

Michelle Shocked is good!

I've got "Short, Sharp, Shocked" and "The Texas Campfire Tapes". The Texas Campfire Tapes was recorded on a Sony Walkman during the Kerrville Folk Festival in 1986. It's a great album, even if it is lo-fi with crickets in the background.

 

[BrocLuno]

Well ...

Careful Broc! Make sure you wait 48 hours before playing the same tracks or you'll melt the grooves!!! :thmbsp:

So I guess the 150MLX is one of the go-to cartridges for records that are stubbornly noisy, sort of the opposite of Grado in that regard. I'd still like to try this cartridge but I've got so much on my plate right now I don't see it happening.

This particular lp is country/jazz fusion? Sounds very interesting...

Yeah, it's weird as she seems to be based in NY (at that time), but she sings about east Texas, Kentucky coal mines, etc. But as I listen to the band, they are tossing in some pretty interesting changes. I'd say it's 60% country/folk inspired, but the backing seems to move off into progressive rock/jazz fusion every once in a while. The last track starts as almost a light grunge track, but moves through rock and ends up pretty nice modern country. Jarring, but nice in the end. Always catches my attention and then makes me smile

The 150MLX delivers all the instrumentation very well. Lots of simple detail in there, but very easy to follow each instrument and the techniques used while playing. Drum hits, finger plucks, slides - it all comes through crystal clear (barring LP issues) and each instrument is placed well on some tracks. Others were obviously mic'd differently so the space is not the same from track to track. It's kind of like watching a pinball game from track to track - spatial presentation is not a high point, but it sneaks in and surprises on some tracks. When it's there, the 150 makes it all very clear. Since I was listening with phones (wife's sleaping) it was entertaining having the band moving around inside my head