Change the cartridge or phono stage

Do you have a scale and protractor? Proper set-up is more important than anything else.
What is your whole system? Most people don't get the "warmth" out of a table.

Elevick is correct; you want no coloration out of the table/arm/cartridge at all. Start with a good protractor, scale and a powerful magnifying glass. Adjust the VTA so the scale is at record surface height when you've dialed in the tracking weight you want to use. Next, get the stylus centered in the target and get the cantilever precisely aligned. Constantly re-check this part and take your time to get it just so. It will be worth it. After that's all done, listen to some material you know really well and decide if you think it is brash, muddy or blooms. Those are symptoms of incorrect VTA and damping/level/warp, respectively. After all those points are identified, you can then give thought to changing things. Note that the cartridge can have a big effect and should be a strong compliment to the speakers. Warmth is something that is usually best obtained with a tube component somewhere. There are a lot of different opinions on the best way to go with that end of things, so do your research first. Have fun & good luck!

I assume you mean the Music Hall turntable? Try a Herbies mat. You're probably thinking that a mat can't make that much of a difference, but on that table it does. Much more warmth and bottom end, IMO. Herbies gives a 30-day money back, so there's minimum risk involved. Maybe a few bucks shipping at most.

TT mats DO INDEED make a difference.. I have used felt, Audioquest Sorbothane mat, the paper and cork Ringmat, they all do different things. The Ringmat was best for me.
Proper set up is paramount.. I have always had a professional do it for me but it can be done by yourself. changing tone-arm wire or the cable from your TT to your phono preamp can also effect changes. Changing the power cord to your preamp and power amp can make a change in the direction you want also. I have had great success with Cardas Golden Power cord, very warm, 3-D and inviting.

Elevick ;
I don't have the tools or ability to make those type of adjustments . The table is a new purchase . The manufacturer claims to set up the included cartridge from the factory and the dealer checked it out .
Are you including the cartridge and phono stage into that turntable warmth comment ?

If turntables are anything like amps and CDP's , I don't think that cables will give the amount of added warmth that I am looking for .

Yes it is a Music Hall MMF 5.1 turntable and a pa1.2 phono stage , also my Music Hall . This is playing through a tubed , El-34 , integrated amp into Reference 3a speakers .

Thank You and keep the help coming .

I don't have a problem with having my dealer install a new cartridge .
I have an EL-34 amp already . It does not have a way , that I know of , to run a separate pre-amp into it . Or at least it doesn't have an amp in connection . I think that I need a stand alone phono stage . Or am I missing something here ?

Thank You

I think that you will get more warmth from a cart or phono stage, rather than from a cable swap. But do not assume that a TT is just like an amp or CD player. The signal level is much much lower. Which makes cables from your cart to phono stage the most important in your system.

That said, look for a warm cart or phono stage. Grado is one place to look on the cart side, available at a number of price points. The EAR phono stages are often described as warm, but that may be outside your budget. Maybe others know less expensive phono stages that meet your criteria.

See my comments about load capacitance, and the subsequent comment by Bill_k, in your other thread.

Regards,
-- Al

Just try the Herbies mat before spending more money and taking your tonearm apart. The sound may well be improved to your satisfaction.

I am not sure why everyone on this thread is obsessed with your set-up. I will assume that you have a cart that is properly set up and that any new cart will be set up properly by you or a dealer. Yes, this is very important.

Like many audio components, some carts and phono stages are warmer than others. Not knowing your phono stage or cart, I can't comment on the relative benefit of replacing one or the other. Though it is usually said that the transducers, which convert physical movement to electricity (carts) or electricity to physical movement (speakers) are the most important parts of the audio chain, and these may also exhibit the greatest variability.

You may get some good warm cart and phono stage recs in this thread, but there should also be a number of other threads with recs that offer suggestions.

A Morrow PH-4 phono cable from TT to pre did a lot of that for me.

EL84 sounds better IMHO.

EL 84 IS better, price of decent EL 84 tubes is not.

Roscoeiii ;
That is an interesting theory on the transducer transformations .
I went through a bunch of phono stage threads and did not find much useful info for my situation . The Music Hall PA1.2 phono stage is SS and I do prefer tubes that are on the warmer side of things such as EL-34's . I don't know where the Ortofon cartridge sits in the warm/cool range .

Almarg ;
I have sent an email to Music Hall .

I will start another thread asking for recs for a particular
component when I decide which way to go .

Thank you