Help me pick a phono, pre and cart


Hi all,
My WF spending restraints are going away so I’m going to upgrade my system.
I primarily play CD, but also have an MMF-5 with Glass platter, Golding GX1022 cart going through a Clear Audio Nano to Ayre Ax-7e to Sig 2 Ce’s.

This year I’m going to Quatro CT’s and upgrading my vinyl pre and source side. Next year I’m upgrading my main pre and power amp.

I’m looking for help in picking a phono player pre and cart. My musical taste is pretty wide: female vocals, rock, blues, jazz; not much classical on vinyl. Think Amy Winehouse/Cold Specks/Pixies/Weezer/Jeff Beck/Johnny Winter/Winton Marsalis and Maynard Ferguson for you other old timers. LOL
My budget is about $8-10k

Right now my main thoughts are VPI Prime Scout or Prime with Grado Statement series cart, and an Ayre Px-5e pre.
In addition to specific item recommendations, I’m very interested in how to split the budget item wise. In other words more or less on player vs cart vs pre, I.e. Scout with Statement2 or Prime with Reference2 for example. Or go higher than 20-30% on the pre?
I lean towards spending the most on what’s least upgradeable - sorry if that’s too general or obvious.
Thanks much
Jim

jetson

Showing 2 responses by oregonpapa

jetson ...

As an engineer, the tendency is to analyze everything to death. As an audiophile, the goal is to duplicate a live music performance in the home in the best way you can.  

Tubes:  Not to worry about "used" tubes. They last a long time in a phono stage. What I would do would be to buy a new tube set as soon as I bought my used ARC PH-8.  Not expensive at all. 

On the cartridge ... I recommended the ART-9 because I've been through many MC cartridges including the AT OC9 MK III.  The ART-9 is the much better cartridge ... as it should be for twice the money. It has a slightly higher output at .05 as opposed to the .04 output of the OC-9. This makes the ART-9 an almost perfect match for the PH-8. The ART-9, like all AT cartridges, is an over-achiever, competing with cartridges in the 3k to 5k range, for under 1k. 

Hope this helps ...

Frank