2. analog
  3. 164555-158023

Help my analog sound as good as my streaming

Hi all - total newcomer here, really enjoying the forum and looking for some advice.

Relevant details: Pro-ject Debut Carbon EVO w/ stock Sumiko Rainer cartridge, into a Hegel H95 via a Parasound Zphono XRM. It sounds great-ish, but doesn’t blow me away like Qobuz via Bluesound Node 2i into the Hegel DAC. I’ll acknowledge that this entire system has a lot of room to improve in the eyes of many here - while I suppose I’ll eventually want to upgrade, I am absolutely thrilled with the streaming sound for now. 
Question: is the cartridge the weak link here, or am I expecting too much out of the PDC EVO? If the former, does the Ortofon Bronze seem a good option?

Many thanks for any suggestions/thoughts!
coys21
skypunk's avatar
skypunk
499 posts
 
DD turntables are available form Technics, Thorens, 
Cambridge just to name a few. Now days it seems they are mostly at the lower end of the spectrum, AT, Crosley, Stanton...
audition__audio
1,481 posts
 
Some people have a significant amount of knowledge about high end D.D. turntables. The table you suggested is NOT a high end table. I fact if you need to buy a commercial version of the Technics table that was the predecessor to their current 20K offering I know I guy who has 3. I believe that it takes considerably more money to make an acceptable D.D. table than all other designs. If you own the table you recommended and find it acceptable I would suggest that may not be in a position to give advice, at least not about T.T.s.  Oh and I am just as critical of the vintage/current idler drive units and for many of the same reasons. A trip down basic physics lane will provide you with the obvious advantages and disadvantages of each T.T. design. Dont assume that just because a person disagrees with you that they dont know what they are talking about. Are you taking soft skill lessons from the Klipsch enthusiasts?
kashani
3 posts
 
I grew up with vinyl and back in the day I strived to get as good a sound as possible considering my budget (AR turntable + Shure V15 cartridge then Thorens + same, etc.) until, fast forward, I ended with my current Roxsan Radius 5 + Hana SH. Even though I'm really happy with the Roxsan combo I find I listen to most of my music using a Logitech Touch streamer and TBH the Roxsan has been relegated to more of an eye candy/nostalgia item. But that's me, if analog rocks your boat then go for it; I prefer the sound and hassle-free convenience of digital 99% of the time. 
alfa100's avatar
alfa100
221 posts
 
If you are happy with streaming don’t bother with analog.  Enjoy the music. 
audition__audio
1,481 posts
 
A cutting lathe and a turntable serve entirely different masters. Kind of like the speaker designers that claim that using the same wood on their speakers as were used on the instruments is a good idea. 

Also if mass production were the final arbiter then I guess you own a amp, preamp and speakers made by one the large Japanese firms.
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