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Substantial Upgrade

Longtime lurker, first-time poster:  My wife and I got into vinyl about five years ago and have been steadily collecting records ever since.  We love spinning records, and listen to a lot of jazz, pop, and classical music.  We started modestly with an AT LP120, and are lucky to have a friend who just happened to have a pair of Totem Rainmakers sitting in his garage collecting dust, which he gave to us, along with a TSC sub and all cables.  We have decided it is time to invest in our own system.

I've done a lot of research and read numerous threads on this topic here and elsewhere, and we've narrowed our choices down to two tables: the Rega P6 (in the $1500 price range) or the Feickert Volare (in the $3500 bracket).  Either table I'll be getting the Hana ML.  For phonostage, we've narrowed down to the MoFi UltraPhono or the Sutherland KC Vibe mk ii.  I'm hoping I can solicit opinions here on these choices and, in particular, whether the Feickert is going to make a difference for our use case.  Finally, I recognize that the speakers might be outclassed by these upgrades, but we are separately planning to move in the next year and I want to wait and see where our new listening room is going to be before investing in new speakers.    

Thanks in advance. 
bruinuclafan
sandthemall
544 posts
 
Sounds like you may need to do a little more research and auditioning. No need to hurry as hearing improvement in stages is really fun.

Someone else mentioned this...but I will repeat.
Put a VM740ml cartridge on your current TT first. I had this cart on my Technics 1200G. It will give you a really good improvement right off the bat.

Then upgrade to a stellar Phono stage. Something that you can grow with...go big here.

Then try a new TT. You will notice the improvement but it will not be as vast as you think and you will be able to quantify the level of each improvement.

As for turntables, the Technics 1200GR is my recommendation. Made in Japan and built to outlast most premium TTs out there. 


Post removed 
bruinuclafan OP
17 posts
 
@yogiboy I just checked and the table is set to Phono out, so my past self must have already figured this out correctly when I bought the Sprout100!
guy-incognito's avatar
guy-incognito
169 posts
 
OP

Unfortunately my Dad is in Louisiana and I am in Kansas so it has been some time since I've heard his system (Thanksgiving 2019). The last time I heard his Planar 6 he was still running the older Ania cartridge and the cheaper fono MC. I have not heard it in the current configuration with the new Ania Pro or Aria phonostage, but he thought the difference was very noticable.  I can say I always thought the table sounded better than its price point and it's part of the reason I upgraded from a Planar 2 to a Planar 8. It has been my experience with Rega you see noticable upgrades as you move up the model line.

I had a Planar 2 that started with the RB220 tonearm. I found a deal for an RB330 and the positive change it made was very noticable. I started with the Ania MC cart and Fono MC with my Planar 8. Changing to an Aria phonostage was another large positive improvement. Going from the Ania to the Apheta 3 again yielded big ppsutuve changes. Every time I have moved up the Rega product line I have not been disappointed.

Regarding MC vs MM I like both but wouldn't buy any of the Rega MM carts. It is worth your time to look at the package deals on the Rega MC carts if you are considering a new Rega deck given the package discount. The Planar 6/Ania Pro combo is pretty attractive given the Pro has a finer stylus profile than the original Ania. The original Ania's stylus is the big downside to that cartridge but I only realized that after going to something with a fine-line profile. 

Good luck and happy hunting. 
rushfan71
291 posts
 
I would consider a Kuzma arm with the Feickert. 
That would be a good place to start.
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