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Upgrade path question. Upgrade analog or turn to digital?

I am running a full analog rig and my beloved cartridge needs service soon (6 months about) so I am wondering if I should sell the analog rig (tt+phono+lps) and rather buy digital source. I am planning to upgrade it later if I am not going digital. 

I am satisfied playing lps, I do it when I can focus on music, but sometimes it`s tempting to have the same quality, just a button away. I can afford either the digital or the analog upgrade and I don`t have the space for both. I am thinking about two scenarios. 

A,
Change the diamond in the Ikeda, rewire the tonearm, change the bearing, add a DS Audio ION-001, max out the VPI Classic 1. It`s sittin on a Shun Mook maple board and heavy sandbox right now, looking for a serious platform north 2000 dollars used or that money goes to the phono upgrade.
Upgrade the phono later, what I save on the digital goes here. I am hoping for a used Aries Cerat, but would be happy with other OTL solutions.

B,
I sell the analog rig and going digital. I was thinking about to buy a streamer north 5K used and either a ESOTERIC D-02X, Aries Cerat Kassandra II, or similar. 

I am planning to upgrade the integrated amp either way, the room treatment almost done.

Or a C version,

Gryphon Diablo 120 with DAC and call it a day.

 

 

 

128x128korakotta
holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

Why are you against upgrading the phono, the amp and the platform altogether? The tt upgrades are coming quite inexpensive so that makes sense.

 

Well it was based upon this:

I am satisfied playing lps, I do it when I can focus on music, but sometimes it`s tempting to have the same quality, just a button away.

 

If you are hot on the digital then maybe a TDAI integrated would be on the list of integrated amps to consider… as it has the room correction and a Roon player built in?

carlsbad's avatar
carlsbad
1,551 posts
 

Don’t resist digital. It is inevitable. You will be assimilated.

That said, don’t give up analog. You probably have a long and memorable history with it.

Both.

Jerry

chuckhoness's avatar
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chuckhoness
16 posts
 

I think your goals will determine your direction.  I love finding new artists and it’s my primary goal, consequently streaming…….I never knew their were so many talented groups that exist.  You won’t find them in your record collection..

immatthewj
1,229 posts
 

If it was me, and I had a pretty decent analogue playback and a lot of LPs, I would just keep building and adding to that.

I say that because I have a pretty decent digital playback & an awful lot of CDs, and as tempting as it has been to delve into the vinyl aural orgasm that I have read so much about, I just have acquired too much aluminum, and I consider some of it to be really good.

mahler123
3,059 posts
 

What’s your budget?  One thing about Digital is that you can get great sound at a modest outlay.  I dislike analog and am tempted to tell you to ditch it, but the reality is that you can probably do both

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