What are you using for a tone arm on the Basis 1400?
If it is the semi-standard Rega RB 300, then you could sell that, and purchase a Basis Vector tone arm, which would be a decent upgrade. (If you can find a Vector M3, (the M4 is the current model), for $1,500, then after you sell your RB 300, you'll be pretty close to your $1,200 figure). This will be a sonic improvement that you can truly hear.
Another upgrade would be to install dedicated circuits, if you have not done so already. This is another improvement that you can readily hear.
My two cents worth. |
Rega 250 I think. Got dedicated circuits |
nice stereo...a jelco arm would be an upgrade.. even a better one would allow you to keep some of the 1200. |
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There's a Classé Fifteen up for sale right now at exactly that price. Goodbye to biamping but a much better amp.
Other ways to spend it:
- an outboard DAC and a good 1.5m digital cable
- get your tonearm rewired
- battery power supply for the phonostage
- new preamp |
Assuming that your speaekers do everything you want them to do, always upgrade the source first IMO. I have recently tried new sources and was amazed at what I heard. Second the preamp to one that is more open with better details that lets the music flow out.
Happy Listening. |
0n the analogue side is it smarter to replace the Rega 250 with a better arm or have it rewired? I have been happy with the Sumiko cart but am unsure about the prospects of replacing it. So many choices on the cart side it seems a daunting task when I don't know what they will sound like.
Some are suggesting replacing the preamp----I trust you are talking about the Moon not the Sonic.
I am happy with the speakers until I can get a pair of Soundlabs.
I have thought that biamping would be the preferred way to go so I don't know about buying a single better amp especially when I would then later have to try and find a matching amp if later I decided to go back to biamping.
Ahhh, the plot thickens. |
If you like the Bluepoint Special you would love the Blackbird. IF it is set up carefully it could be an amazing step up IMO. I started using mine on an RB300 that had been rewired by Discovery cable and it was a very good pairing. I have since moved up to an Origin Live Silver arm, and still run the Blackbird. |
Look into a TransFi Terminator linear tracking air bearing arm. There are some reviews here on agon and if you google you will find their website. I moved from a fully upgraded RB 300 (incognito wire, michell counter weight) about a year ago and have been completely satisfied. It is out of the box but maybe of interest to you. |
Re preamp: no, not talking about the Moon--talking about the Sonic!
Re biamping: IME one great amp beats two lesser ones, especially, especially,
when the two lesser ones are biamped passively. |
Tobias:
Why are you down on the Sonic? recently retubed with some vintage nos and it is a big improvement over the Linn Kolecktor I had previously.
As to a single amp... I am going to test drive an Aragon my friend wants me to hear in my system.
That Sumiko Blackbird is available with a trade-in on the Blue point at the record Doctor |
Blueskiespbd, I know the Moon LP3. I think it is terrific value and would sound even better with a battery PS. So I wouldn't consider changing that at this point if your very nice system were mine.
I do know that a preamp makes a huge difference in a system and I know other SF gear. I think that you would be pleased with the difference if you tried a preamp worth $1200 more than the SF in your system. (Actually a Klyne SK-5A like mine would probably cost about the same as the SF.) I do believe that the SF, especially retubed, is a big improvement over the Linn Kolektor.
I'm hoping you'll post your impressions of the Aragon. |
That Klyne sounds like a fine machine especially the phono section. How is it different from the Sonic? |
Oh dear, now I think I've intrigued you. Well, no harm done I hope. The Klyne is solid-state, to start with. Which of course means nothing, it's not the technology but the implementation that counts. It is discontinued, like the SF, but went that way much longer ago, back in the eighties. It has a MM/MC phono stage and a very good one. I think you would find it had higher resolution than the SF, to judge from the other SF gear I know, but I have not made the comparison.
And just to repeat, I don't know all your gear and I am sure you are right to be looking at your amplification at this time. I understood your post to mean, "What else would you guys upgrade, apart from what I'm already thinking?" and I hope I haven't driven you too far afield. Funny thing though, Kal Rubinson compared the SF2 with a Klyne 6.3 back when he reviewed the SF2 for Stereophile. |
No decision made so far as to what the next step should be other than reading, researching and listening for good advice.
You know sometimes you just want to replace everything and start fresh. |
