While your current vinyl may be considered to be a beginner's rig it is certainly a good respectable start that will last a long time. I am making the assumption that the 2-3k is for the entire vinyl rig (TT, arm, cart and phono). For the 2-3k that you are considering spending I do not think you will will be able to make a substantial improvement. You will find that the "new" rig will have different characteristics, but will not provide a big jump in total sonic performance. If you want to upgrade the entire rig you should probably consider doubling your "budget" to get a big sonic improvement. If you want to go one piece at at time there are many routes to choose. At this point you should probably consider upgrading the table to Mk4 status with the SAMA, after that probably the arm or the cartridge, then the other and somewhere along the line the the phono pre-amp. Good Luck, Doug
Need Help with System
This is my first post in the Analog forum so have patience. Looking to get back into Analog sometime this year or early next so I am looking for ideas from you seasoned analog junkies out there. I have a "beginners" rig from AudioAdvisor - HW19 Jr with RB300 and a now defunct Blue Point Special cartridge. The phono pre is/was the “VAC in the Box” with the upgraded power supply. This was going into a Golden Tube SEP preamp. After extensive upgrades the front end is now all dCS gear (digital inputs only). I will be most likely be getting the Grieg (an upgrade to the Purcell with phono and analog inputs) from dCS when it comes out later this year. So for now the analog rig sits idle. I have about 350 albums in storage and would like to listen to them again. My budget for the entire analog rig (up to the Grieg) would be about 2-3 K total – new or used.
PS – No - I am not going to sell the dCS gear so don’t ask…. :-)
Cheers, Dan
PS – No - I am not going to sell the dCS gear so don’t ask…. :-)
Cheers, Dan