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Phono Stage, Tonearm, Cartridge Question - Which is the most important?

I’ve been on this site for some time and have always been impressed with the amount of knowledge here.  I am a music lover to the core and I really enjoy the end result of high-end audio.  Over the past 3-4 years I have significantly upgraded my system based on advice here and from professional retailers. I have no technical skills or background but would say I have graduated from “I don’t know what I don’t know” to “I know what I don’t know” with what I don’t know being quite a lot.  I am, however, intellectually curious and eager to understand how things work.

With that background, my question is this. When considering the phono stage, tonearm and cartridge chain, which component is the most significant determinant of how a record sounds? I know everyone has different views about how something should sound but which of the three components has the greatest impact on how something will sound and why?

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!

@puppyt

 

 

 

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kb54
103 posts
 

The record is the most important!

tablejockey
3,793 posts
 

Can't we just say-it's the SUM of everything, AND it starts with the record?

 

artemus_5's avatar
artemus_5
1,913 posts
 

Imo, your question is akin to asking which link in a chain is the most important. The hifi system, like the chain, is no better than the weakest link. Therefore the priority should be to replace or repair the weakest link.

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pindac's avatar
pindac
2,453 posts
 

A Phonostage is an ancillary only, and is an ancillary to be encountered early in the produced Signals Flow.

A Signal born from either a Digital or Analogue Source will only become an Audible Sound as the Signal exits the Speaker Xover and creates a movement of air via the Speaker Driver or Equivalent.

Setting the above apart, Phonostages 'will' be very influential on the Sonic being produced.

There are many models that will produce a Sonic that is OK, totally fit for the purpose of producing a Sonic that is a worthwhile listen. There will be discovered after a reasonable amount Phonostage demo's, where one is now experienced with a range of designs, the outcome being where some of the designs found have proved to be extremely impressive and much wanted to be kept in use. My experiences are that not all who produce Phonostages are able to create a extremely impressive Phonostage. 

At the point of discovering an ancillary that is perceived as being extremely impressive, one has to bite the Bullet and decide whether SS, Valve/Hybrid or Valve Input/Valve Output is the favoured option.

Decisions are required for what one wants to invest into. Inevitably some designs will be beyond ones foreseen budget to have a particular design as an immediate purchase to become a permanent at home experience.  

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