recommendation for a high end analog system


I never had an analog system until last month. I bought a 1989 SOTA TT with vacuum/Sumiko MMT arm/Dennon 103R retyped with elliptical/sapphire cantilever. My phono is Kitsune MK5 WBT that is amplified by Don Sach 2 tube preamp and Pass X350.5. My speaker are Sound Lab M545 ESL. The TT has been very   well maintained despite its age. It sounded very good until I heard my friend's system which has the same TT but with Lyra Skala cartridge and first generation Triplanar arm (Spectral pre/amp). His sounded noticeably clearer and fuller. What is the best way to get a noticeable improvement in my system without breaking the bank (or before I have to squint to hear the improvement). I would love to hear some wisdom from analog-philes.
128x128chungjh

Showing 2 responses by solypsa

@chakster is correct in that the Denon shines in heavier tonearms@jasonbourne52 is also on point in that the Denon is known to sound best with a good SUT ( even if you have enough gain )
However this is a good time to see how far you can push the existing setup. It will help of you would describe your process to optimize table and cart setup ( vtf sra azimuth zenith ) etc. So others may chime in with their experiences. May as well vett this gear fully before upgrading ( which you may have done but not yet described )
No need to be embarrassed. Much better to learn on the Denon before getting a higher end cart!