Forum admiration and requested guidance


My day starts by reading the top post on this site while drinking my morning coffee. I have been a audio enthusiast since the early 1970’s, with my mother playing Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and The Supremes on vinyl every Saturday morning while growing up.

I’ve always had an analog system to play, and cherish my vinyl collection. It started with my first purchase in 1975 with Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy and expanded over the years.
Advance 47 years later and I’m finally in a point of my life to splurge. My wife and I put three children thru college and she has given the approval to spend a little money for my love of the audio hobby.

Today I have the following system and looking for advice on going up the ladder of sound quality improvement.

- VPI Scout with JMW 9” arm and Hana SL cartridge 
- Elac PPA-2 phono preamp
- Vincent SA-32 preamp
- Parasound A23
- Q Aqoustics 3050i

some of the biggest improvements since building this system have been in the interconnects. I went with the Mogami 2549 interconnects and Canare 4S11 speaker cables. These really opened up the soundstage and appealed to my ears.

My music room is modest at 10 x 18 with 9 foot ceilings. Please don’t advise to enjoy and buy more vinyl. I truly look up to your advise and suggestions on next steps to improve. My budget today is $10k, with an additional $10k in mid 2022.

Thank in advance to feedback from this outstanding group.

128x128vette5451

Showing 1 response by oldhvymec

A good pair of speakers and a pair of good NON downward firing subs and some room treatment..

THEN look at a streamer.. I use an inexpensive Cocktail, BUT with wonderful build quality.. Good transport, good DAC, and a MM phono stage input. I don't use it.. All op amp balanced.. Swap a HD in two minutes add a raid in 10 minutes..

4-5K max. I like small planars. Subs anything but a downward firing NON slot loaded sub.. You cannot decouple that type of Jackhammer, sub..

I quit using that type of sub when I quit using HT sound effects.. 20+ years ago.. Great sound effect, the worst for stereo sound though..

It uses the FLOOR as the first reflection point of its passive bass system..
You got to be kidding me.. Vibrate the WHOLE house with that type of sub.. YUK.. Suspend them over the top of your pool they will break up Kidney Stones.. LOL

Enjoy..