More dependant on the quality of the tonearm.
Definitely upgrade the pre first.
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Any recommendations on a reasonable phono pre? $500ish. Would go somewhat higher if I need to.
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I found a used Musical Surroundings NovaPhonomena for about $500. I really like it and it has good reviews. My turntable is MoFi, and I’m using a Soundsmith B&O cartridge with an adapter. Totally satisfied.
The MoFi phono preamp has good reviews for a $400 unit.
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A popular reviewer tested a new ProJect Debut Pro complete with quality cart. Can't remember the name. All for 1k. He claimed it outperformed his Technics tt with Ortofon 2M-Black cartridge.
From a reviewer ya might want to take with a very large grain of salt, but might be worth looking into. You would still have almost 1k towards the all important phono preamp.
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The Ortofon black cartridge for one is overrated IMO. Take and listen to various turntables in your price range. Do not buy a turntable from what the reviewers say. listen for yourself. its the only way.
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Yeah I would love to listen for myself before I buy but it’s not very feasible. Nowhere within several hours that sells this stuff and even then I would be hearing it on a totally different system. I try to buy used anytime I can or get at least a 20% discount on new. That way I can keep playing around and not losing money while doing it. Usually make a few bucks since I buy smart.
I just realized my Micromega M100 has a phono input. I do however think it digitizes the analog with bothers the crap out of me but…. If it sounds good I guess. It’s ok.
I was planning on hooking the TT up to a tube integrated but will try this first.
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I hear you man. Getting back into vinyl was a different thing than I remembered from way back. Since I got lucky with the TT that I chose, it was the preamp that made the most difference. I have had too many ’sigh’ good enough preamps (4 total) that didn’t bring to the table what I remembered vinyl to be. For me, the price of a Jolida PH9 was the ticket. Yah, of course it was used but in great shape. After changing out the tubes to ones that had less gain the match was perfect for me. I have tried two TT so far, and it was a close race sonically. Between a Project 2Xprerience and a Schiit SOL, the SOL barely won out just for the challenge of getting it all right and then enjoying the music. I found that for my system and budget, that an AT95SA cartridge from LP Gear to be better than I thought it would. So $190 for the cartridge, $500 for the used SOL, and $400 for the Jolida makes me surprised at the performance that can be had at the price. If anything, I would be likely to upgrade the cartridge in the future, and the TT and pre will handle it all nicely.
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Everything I have had from Jolida is freakin excellent for the price. I don’t doubt the phono preamp is very good and it’s one I’m considering.
I just bought a Jolida 302CRC with some pretty nice tubes in it and kinda dumbfounded at how good it is. One of the amps I use and pushing 150lb speakers and it really sounds great.
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Agree with the positive comments regarding Jolida. Their new company, Black Ice Audio, is even better. Their Fusion MkIII phono stage retails for $850.
A Rega P6 with a Soundsmith Otello cartridge would come in right around $2k if you can find a P6. Unfortunately the Rega factory is overwhelmed with demand and due to logistics issues and inflation, prices are going up on January 1st. Still many vendors are out of Rega product with no end in sight.
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Great hi fidelity sound from vinyl depends upon clean records. In addition to the TT, pre-amp, etc. have you or are you giving any thought to getting and keeping your records clean?
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Musical Fidelity has a little phon stage that is excellent. It's a few hundred bucks from memory. It has MM or MC. Verdant Audio sold me one. He is a nice guy also.
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OP here.
So I kinda fizzled out and didn't do anything with the TT. About a week ago got it all hooked back up and set the tone arm weight correctly, cleaned the records etc. It was sounding pretty good. Before I was using an Emotiva 100 buck phono pre and it was pretty dry and 1 dimensional. I picked up a nice Sansui A9500 and the phono pre in that sounds waay better. Yesterday I picked up an Ortofon Bronze cartridge and it is pretty night and day better than the red that came with the Project especially for detail and 3 dimensionality.
I want to continue on an upgrade path but not real sure where to go from here. An acrylic platter for 150 bucks for the Project may be a good upgrade? I guess lets say I had another 1500 bucks to blow. Upgrade from the Project all together and put nothing more into it, put more into it, spend it on a better phono pre? What would you experienced peeps spend that on? I am vinyl ignorant. I'm really diggin the new cartridge and I think that's good enough for now and I could always use it on another TT. Tube phono pre sounds interesting.
One thing I am learning is records are kind of a bitch to keep clean so probably need to invest in a reasonable record cleaner as well!
Thanks
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Ahh forgot to mention if I do go with another Tt I think I would definitely want one that pulls the arm automatically when the record is over. Unless there is some kind of down side to that.
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Let's hope it raises the arm first! I swear, I had a Technics that did that to me for no good reason. Went manual after that.
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Yes preferably up then back :).
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Impulse buy today found a local Marantz TT15s1. Ended up negotiating for 850 with the Marantz dust cover included which costs 250. Was told only had about 20 hours on it. Who knows if that’s true but seems like a really good deal. Looks like upgrade phono preamp is next.
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