2. analog
  3. 134262-109600

Critique my setup

Guys - just looking to get into the vinyl space.  I've always been into audio (worked a hifi store when I was younger) and love to do everything with music.  With entering the vinyl space, I'm looking forward to the more involving experience and the more analog sound and enjoyment that comes from spinning records.  I'm also using this opportunity to try out tubes - I've always heard about them, always wanted to try them, never actually had the chance.  Where I live now, there are no hi-fi stores within a few hours, so I'm just biting the bullet and buying from online retailers with good return policies.  

I'm curious what you guys think of the following:
VPI Classic Signature (3D tonearm)
Ortofon Black Quintet MC Cartridge
VPI ADS
Manley Chinook Tube Phono 
Jolida 3502 Integrated (comes with EL34 - thinking about upgrading right away to KT150's)
Klipsch RF25 Towers 
Deftech Supercube I (will probably try with/without and see what I like)

I was thinking about the Sonus Faber Venere 3's for replacing my Klipsch towers, they seem to me the weak link here in the system.  

I listen to alt rock, indie, some oldies, rock, and not so much the classical or jazz - although if the right stuff finds it's way into my library, I'll probably listen to it.  

So questions:
What do you think of the setup?
Speakers - are they the weak link here?  Recommendations in the < 3500 space if I was going to replace them?  
Tips/Tricks that you might want to provide while I get started on this journey?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
mattyjman

Showing 3 responses by rbstehno

rbstehno
1,407 posts
 
IMO both your speakers and amp are your weakest links. You are a tube guy so IMO I would stay away from Sonus Faber, these speakers tend to be a little dark and tubes won’t help lighten them up. If you like tubes, try out the rogue Cronus magnum II with kt-120 tubes. I used to own 1 and they are underrated.
if you go tubes, try some ushers/Wilson’s/others that are not so dark.
rbstehno
1,407 posts
 
I have owned 4 Jolida pieces and still own 1 today. I have also heard their top of the line pieces/separates at shows and they sounded good, but never was on a wow list. For the $$$ Jolida is good sounding, but for the same $$$, you could do better, like a Rogue Cronus Magnum II with kt-120 tubes. I bought the rogue after comparing against the Jolida separates. When you look at the 3402 fusion amp with kt-120 tubes, it is rated at 80 watts, whereas the rogue Cronus magnum II with the same tubes is rated at 110 watts. So I’m not bashing Jolida, I just wouldn’t own their products if I was considering moving up
rbstehno
1,407 posts
 
Imo tubes provide a great warm sound, usually associated with the midrange. Sometimes the highs feel as though there is a veil drawn over the speakers. When I had the rogue, I loved the miss and highs, but the low end was too flabby for me, the rogue just didn’t control the lows to my liking.
if you notice, there is a trend to use a tube preamp with a big solid state amp, which should give you the best of both worlds. To me and that’s why I switched from tube back to solid state, you can find a good solid state amp that sounds like a good tube amp but controls the low end.
More to discover