I also have Vladimer's Toubadour IV SE....great dac for the $......I also have 400 Vinyl albums....Never played them much then bought the Hana $1200 MC low output cart. The PS Audio STELLAR phono amp is much better than the more expensive Parasound so the Parasound went back.....Now it's 25% Vinyl and 75% CD. Get that Vinyl back out and enjoy it. Get a good record cleaning machine for about $200 from Upscale. It's worth it !
Thoughts About Turntable Upgrades
I hope everyone is having a good Saturday. I'm sitting here listening to CDs because at the moment my digital playback is simply better than my turntable. The Audio Mirror Tubadour DAC that I purchased a few months ago is simply outstanding when paired with my old Cary 308. This leads to my questions/musings about turntable upgrades.
I got back into vinyl a few years ago and purchased the Rega P3 with a Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2 preamp as a starter kit. I upgraded the cart to a Denon 301 II, which was big improvement for me. Looking forward, I'm leaning heavily towards a Sota Sapphire. I want a US made table only because I'm interested in having a US based system. The Sota seems like a good fit because I value sound that is more laid-back and I'm looking for a table that will emphasize warmth, soundstage, presence, solidity. That's the best I can offer in verbally describing my goal. I'm frankly looking for something that will top the Tubadour experience! The Rega is good, but after a few albums my ears are a bit exhausted.
Here are my questions:
Do y'all have any thoughts on my leaning towards Sota? Any other recommendations? Is there any reason to start with a new preamp rather than a new turntable? If so, what are your recommendations?
I'm interested in your responses to these questions, but also any other suggestions as well. Let me have it!