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New phono preamp or tonearm?

Hi,

Presently own a ClearAudio Master Solution with a Tecnoarm from Michell and a Benz Wood M2, phono pre is an ARC PH3. I am in the process of upgrading my phono pre and tonearm and I was wondering which I should do first, arm or pre! Short list for tone arm is the Graham Phantom II, phono pre I will be looking at the ARC PH7, Nagra VPS, Aesthetix Rhea, EAR 88BP and Artemis Lab PH1. I think I will be keeping the Technoarm for a second mono cartridge, so some phono pre are better suited for my purpose than others (2 inputs).

Current system consists of an ARC Ref3 pre, ARC VS110 amp, SF Cremona speakers, YTER interconnects and Shunyata Orion speaker cables. I listen mostly to jazz.

Thanks for reading
redsectora

Showing 1 response by microstrip

microstrip
180 posts
 
Redsectora,
I found your thread because we share the same admiration for the Orion speaker cables!
IMHO, you already have an a very good cartridge and phono stage, but the turntable really deserves a better tonearm.
Do not be mislead by the age of the PH3 - read between the lines of the Stereophile critic of the ARC Reference line stage.
I do not have experience with the Benz Wood M2, but the Benz LP sounds very fine in the SMEIV and SMEV.
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