2. analog
  3. 194995-162022

Cartridge and/or phono stage upgrades

I have a VPI Classic 1 stock tt that seems fine as I’ve had it for 3 yr and bought used from a relative. It has a Transfiguration Axia cart with God knows how many hours and I was looking to maybe upgrade. I was looking for advice from someone with a positive experience with an upgrade for this gear. I’m running Parasound JC 3+ phono pre; Hegel H590 int amp; Magico A3; pr. of SVS SB 4000. I know an obvious phono upgrade is the Pass XP27 but a little more than I want to part with. I’ve been tempted by a trade for a ModWright PH 9.0X but I’m not sure that’ it is an upgrade or just a lateral move. 

hysteve
tablejockey
4,069 posts
 

"I’m not sure that’ it is an upgrade or just a lateral move."

VPI Classic 1 user(12 years?)

Modwright could be a nice "upgrade" 

To my ears tube presentation is more"organic/real" sounding. I use a tube phono equivalent to that model.

viridian's avatar
viridian
5,298 posts
 

Why not just have the cartridge retipped?

theflattire
237 posts
 

Modwright all the way and have the Axia retipped.

 

I run a Modwright PH9.0XT and occasionally a Spirit MKIII on my VPI Prime.

kennyc
1,992 posts
 

+1 @tablejockey @viridian  @theflattire 

retiredaudioguy
64 posts
 

I love the sound of my recent upgrade to a Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum through the Sutherland Duo.  This does need a fairly high mass arm, I added a 3gm weight to the JMW Memorial unipivot arm on my elderly Scoutmaster.

Superb resolution, gorgeous mid-range, excellent treble and bass.  The bass was ever so slightly wooly without the weight.  The upgrade from the Koetsu Black was far greater than I had expected.

Sutherland now have a range of "current mode", transimpedance phono stages, one of these may be a fabulous pairing with the very low impedance (and output) of the Koetsu.  I am contemplating trying a change to one of these

The Loco is available at a discount from Upscale Audio, but note that this product requires balanced input and thus a new junction box on the TT and XLR phono interconnects. There are other Sutherland transimpedance stages that work with RCA cables.

 

 

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