What's A Good Upgrade From A Manley Steelhead?


I'm on a mission to improve my vinyl front-end. Starting point is to replace the Graham 2.2 on my Basis Audio Debut Gold Vacuum, followed by a new compatible cartridge, next will be a different phonostage.

I like the Steelhead but I'm sure there's something better out there. I've around $8K  to play with and prefer to buy used. Has anyone stepped up from the Steelhead successfully, if so, what did you buy and how much of an improvement was it?

Appreciate any thoughts/ideas? 

128x128rooze

@grislybutter "You can go sideways or down. Looking at your system, you would benefit more from different speakers...."

Thanks. I'm curious to know if you've heard the Piega C40, and curious to know more about why you think I'd benefit from something different. I'm not necessarily disagreeing, just wondering what's behind your suggestion.

@rooze 

you seem to have an impeccable, high-end system and I can recognize most components but not the speakers. So, no, I have no knowledge of what they are. 

From your room size, you could go with horn speakers (not Klipsch). That appears to be a new direction and upgrade in a few aspects.

But as I mentioned above and in other posts, I am the village idiot here, I am here to learn and have little to contribute.

@grislybutter - OK, thanks. I was asking since I've been trying different speakers and thought you might have some experience with the Piegas.

I've had horns in this room and I like a lot of their properties but not all. I've had Klipsch Khorns, Altec Valencia, and A7s, but nothing modern at this point. 

 

Rooze,

I see that you are familiar with Deja Vu Audio in Vienna, Virginia.  They make custom horn systems that are pricey, but, they are worlds apart from Klipsch, Altec and the like.  Deja Vu utilizes pretty exotic vintage drivers and currently manufactured drivers from Japan and Italy, and these systems are very different in sound from more common horn-based systems.  If you are interested in horns, you should at least hear one of these custom systems.

By the way, I have a turntable like yours.  I also have a Debut with vacuum clamp.  I also have the Basis motor control unit.  My tonearm is the Basis Vector arm.  I have two cartridges, a Lyra Titan and a Transfiguration Orpheus L.  

@rooze

I wish :)

I would like to upgrade some day to the Manley line. They don't just sound good, they are the best design to my eyes, and EveAnna is a natural at this.