Brand new to vinyl: Help!


I am brand new to vinyl, but quite established in digital (CDs, lossless streaming, etc.).

I made the first foray to vinyl by purchasing an entry level turntable - Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC Esprit.

I am using an Ayre pre-amp with phono stage and also Ayre amp.

While I am happy I have it up and running, I don’t think it sounds as good as my digital setup (Directstream DAC).

So what can I do to improve, short of buying a much more expensive turntable?

Things in my mind:

1 - Since it accepts DC power, buy a linear power supply

2 - Since my Phone stage on my preamp only accepts XLR three-pin connector, I bought a male RCA to male XLR cable from Amazon, less than $20. Do I need a better interconnect?

3 - Upgrade the cartridge (it comes with Ortfofon Red something)

Thanks!
128x128thyname

Showing 1 response by simao

 With that project turntable feeding your air system, it's like using a red solo cup to drink really good champagne. The table is good for what it is, but your downstream components are going to reveal all its weaknesses. 

 Still, you can do a lot with it with a better cartridge. You might try a Dynavector 10 X5    Also, ask around your audio store if there's anyone in the area who might be free to come over and help you set up your turntable in cartridge so everything is aligned and cracked the right way. Someone who's in the know about vinyl can really teach you a lot about how to get the best sound out of your system.