Upgrading my beginner setup and not sure how to allocate funds. New cart, table or amp?

@knotgreen - just to tease you even further

Audiomods makes a special mounting plate for their arms to fit the 1200 TT perfectly.

http://www.audiomods.co.uk/

I have the Classic series three Arm (Frosted Finish) and it is the last arm I will ever buy.

A friend had the Series 5 arm on his 1200 and it was a very good fit

Jeff at Audiomods is very responsive to questions if interested

Perhaps something to think about at a future date maybe :-)

For other readers: Audiomods now have 9" and 10.5" versions of their series 6 arm - with azimuth adjustment.
- Starting from around $1300 US


Regards - Steve

@williewonka Thank you! I will indeed and will pick up the protractor as well as a stylus scale.

FWIW, I’m leaning toward:
Technics SL-1200GR
Ortofon 2M Black Cart

and adding a phono stage (still researching this component and how it’ll work with my NAD). Spending a little more on everything than I once though (isn't that always the case?) but given that my AT table brought me joy for a decade, I'm imagining that this setup will do that and then some.

Thank you again, and happy holidays!

@knotgreen - If you are looking to spend $500 on a new cartridge, one thing to consider when looking at cartridges, is the stylus profile or type e.g. spherical, elliptical, shibata, contact line etc.

As you move towards the higher end i.e. Shibata & Contact Line then you will require the best setup tools. To that end you should consider one of the more accurate alignment protractors, like the Best Mint Protractor.

If you do not use a protractor capable of extremely fine allignment then you will not get the very best out of the cartridge and you will be wasting your money - it does make a considerable improvement.

For Spherical and Eliptical profiles a paper protractor will suffice

So budget the ~$100 for this type of tool.

Regards - Steve

Thanks, everyone, for the great feedback.

The assessments of my current setup are mostly spot-on. I have a small listening space, and the Triangles + NAD together are a nice combo for for the folky (acoustic guitar & vocals) stuff that I listen to, but are definitely lacking when it comes to a more dynamic "rock" sound. That is, there’s very little low end and it often feels like the the speakers aren’t being pushed (if that makes any sense). Oddly, It really hadn’t occurred to me to replace the speakers (maybe one day a pair of Dynaudio bookshelf speakers?)

There are quite a few recommendations for cartridges in this thread:

• Ortofon 2M Black
  
• Nagaoka MP110
  
• Stanton 881s mk2
  
• Pickering XSV3000
  
• Soundsmith
  
• Clearaudio Virtuoso
  
• Hana SL cartridge

Is there anything that I should be mindful of if I decide to buy a cartridge for my AT-PL120 with the intention of then using it with the next table (which is feeling more and more like an inevitable purchase)? Or, is the issue mainly the cartridge’s compatibility with the amp/phono stage? Further, and I know that this is a broad question, but how the hell do I narrow it down?!

Ultimately, I think that for the turntable I’m deciding between:

• Technics 1200GR (upper end of budget and doesn't appear to be sold w/ cartridge)
  
• Music Hall MMF 5.3 (comes with Ortofon 2M cartridge)

Williewomnka’s recommendation above that I check out the Simaudio Moon 110LP phono stage has me thinking that perhaps a modestly priced phono stage would be a very worthwhile investment as well. Perhaps pairing that with the Music Hall 5.3 (~$1500) and a ~$500 cartridge would drastically improve my setup.

I do feel a bit in over my head but your comments have been encouraging and informative. I am very appreciative of your time and input.

Tyler

New TT for sure. That's the absolute weak spot IMO. Don't know how old your integrated is but I'm guessing it may be 20 yrs old or more. If so, the have it recapped (new capacitors). I did this to a 22 yr old Conrad Johnson PFR preamp and it was the best spent $200 I can remember. Its only 20 wpc but if your speakers go loud enough for you than that's fine. 20 wpc is plenty for 93 db speakers but yours are close to the cutoff point. An MMF 7 Music hall with the project speed box would be a good choice. Also, Id guess you may lack bass. If so, you may have enough budget left over for a good sub woofer. Bear in mind, I have made a lot of presumptions. Only you know if the amp and speakers work together relatively well

I am looking to spend roughly $1500, though could maybe spend more if I stagger my purchases (i.e. buy a new cart now, buy an amp later, etc.).

Staggered upgrades- great idea! That's how I did it. 

If you do decide to go with the cartridge first then do yourself a favor go check out Soundsmith, listen to Lederman and his fixed coil design. Both because they are super value in a cartridge, and also because they are super long term value in that they can be retipped for a fraction of what everyone else wants. All other cartridges are pretty much consumable items. Only Soundsmith with his retip/rebuild program is one you can consider as long term a component as the turntable and arm.

I haven't heard your integrated or speakers, but unless they are horrible, I would upgrade your turntable.  Most turntables come with a decent cartridge, so you can kill two birds with one stone. 

Right at your price point, I'd take a hard look at the Marantz TT 15S1.  It's very similar to the Clearaudio Emotion, which I own.  It comes with the Clearaudio Virtuoso cartridge (which I also own, the wood version) which is a really nice MM cart. 

Another option would be a used Music Hall MMF 5.X or 7.X turntable and a Hana SL cartridge if your integrated will handle MC carts.  If you're happy with the speakers and integrated, that would be a big upgrade. 

Looking at it another way, speakers will change the sound of your system more than any other component.  Making an assumption based on your current speakers that you don't have a large space and you like monitors, you might consider a used pair of Harbeth P3ESR speakers.  You should be able to find them used at your price point.

Start with a cartridge, this is the most important anyway, your current cart is entry level, you will have to change it on any turntable, also you can buy it cheaper than amp or turntable and on your TT it will be immediate improvement in your system. A killer cartridge for your AT turntable or on SL1200GR is Stanton 881s mk2 or Pickering XSV3000 (both with stereohedron stylus) that can be found for under $400 easily. Higher models like Stanton CS-100 or Pickering 7500 are in my top-10 MM. Audio-Technica high-end MM in AT-ML series are great too, something like AT-ML150 or higher.

Personally, with your setup - I would recommend one of two approaches
…
#1. an external phono stage and replace the cartridge...

Something like the Simaudio Moon phono stage
https://simaudio.com/en/product/110lp-v2-phono-preamplifier?v=3e8d115eb4b3
https://www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/80-leaked/924-simaudio-moon-110lp-v2-phono-stage

This phono stage provides excellent performance and will improve the sound - plus, allow you to expand into Moving Coil at some point (if desired)

Any of the AT cartridges would probably be a good match for your turntable.

#2 - If replacing your turntable you are really looking to do - take a look at Music Hall MMF 3.3, or 5.3 or better still the 7.3. They all come with Ortofon carts


https://www.needledoctor.com/hifi-equipment/Turntables/BD-Turntables/brand/Music-Hall

The 7.3 is a great TT and has lots of advanced features
- a dual plinth for better vibration isolation,
- Carbon Arm,
- isolated DC motor for quieter operation and great speed control,
- belt drive to the outside of the platter for better speed control
- high mass acrylic platter for great dynamics and details

https://www.needledoctor.com/Music-Hall-MMF-7-3-Turntable

BUT WAIT - is there a third option?...

#3 - I believe the Best Bang for YOUR budget would be the Music hall 3.3 ($700 for the Black OR $800 for the Walnut version), together with the Simaudio Moon 110LP phono stage (around $400) - which would come in under budget and sound great. 

You’d even have enough left over for some really good cables OR upgrade the phono stage power supply to a linear power supply - my preference:-)

For years I tried an in-amp phono stage in a really good class A/B amp, then moved to a couple of different "budget phono stages" , but it wasn’t until I stepped up to a more expensive and more configurable external phono stage, that I realized what I had been missing all along.

I now have the Simaudio MOON LP5.3 RS.https://www.stereophile.com/phonopreamps/307sim/index.html
The nice thing with Simaudio Moon gear is - as they develop their higher end products, features and circuits in those products flow down to their entry level gear, making it exceptional value whilst providing excellent performance.

Phono stages inside amps are generally "make do" products designed to a price-point in order to sell the amp on its features. They work, but seldom deliver the resolution, dynamics, clarity and imaging of good external phono stages.

Simmaudio Moon are experts in the phono stage business and all their products provide great reliability and sound quality AND you get a 10 year Warranty.

Hope that helps - Steve

No. Get the Technics 1200GR and a Nagaoka MP110. Always get the best source you can afford. Save for a few more weeks, max the card! Then you won’t have to worry about the front end when you go to replace the amp. If you get a lower-end table, you’ll be playing catch-up when you upgrade the amp.

Go for the Rega P2 and put an Ortofon 2M Black in it. That will make you a really happy camper. 

I don't disagree, but I also don't want to sink a bunch of money into a new cartridge if I'm upgrading the turntable anyway. 

Your first step should be replacing that ten year old cartridge. BTW, Shure does not make cartridges anymore!