$800 Cartridge Shootout and Upgrade Path

Dsiggia,

In regards to the phono preamp, I am willing to spend up to $2,000. In a previous post I mentioned some of the phono stages that have caught my eye. To this list I have added a few more:

1. GSP ERA Gold V with either the GSP Elevator, or Bent Audio Mu step-us transformer ($1,750 to $1,952)

2. K&K Audio SE Stereo Phono Kit ($1,500)

3. Wright Sound Company WWP 200C with the WMT 100 Step-up Transformer, or Bent Audio Mu step-us transformer ($1,100 to $1,650)

4. AcousTech PH-1 Premium ($1,500)

5. Klyne phono board added to my current line stage ($2,000)

The K&K is very popular; both 4yanx and Ozzy62 use one in their systems. Amandarae uses the Wright Sound Company phono stage and seems to like it very much. The Klyne was reviewed by Larry Kay in Fi Magazine.

(http://www.klyne.com/pages/reviews.html)

Both the GSP and AcousTech are rated “Class A” in Stereophile for what it’s worth.

I appreciate any input you might have on this topic.

Thanks.

Hi Doug,

If I go with an OL arm, it will be an Encounter or higher. I will pass on the Silver.

Artar,

You've got some really nice choices for phono pre's. I've got a Supratek Cortese on the way, if it works out in my system I'll sell my SF & Tom Evans. I'm not saying it would be best for you, but you could consider a Supratek preamp with a phono section included.

I hope I'm not out of line in re-hashing the OL Silver. If you did purchase a used Silver at about $600-$650 you would save about $900 over a new Encounter. If the OL Silver doesn't do the job, you could easily upgrade to the Encounter without losing a dime.

Artar,

I understand yr monetary concerns. I'm starting to lean towards a Teres 255 to save a few dollars elsewhere. Since the main difference in the tables is in the wood and you need a phono pre I totally understand your decision. It's hard to decide where to spend the dollars. Since I don't own a car or jewelry or have a wife or kids I'm pretty much in this mess with only myself to answer to. I'm trying to stick to my desire to get the Schroeder DPS tonearm though it costs a ton. I agree with your assessment to stick with a good arm, it can make all the difference. I would think that's more noticable than whether the base of your table is baltic wood or cocobolo but I wouldn't be surprised if I were wrong there. Perhaps someone with experience in this area could weigh in on this matter.

As for tweaks, well they constantly have allowed me to make upgrades at little cost. B-stock Black Diamond cones can be had on Audiogon for $48 for a set of three and seem a cheap way to experiment. For me used cabling and vibration control have been how I have made incremental progress during periods of little extra income.

Thanks for the Jolida recommendation, I've heard their stuff and think it's nice but my friend is scared of tubes. He seems to regard my amp with suspicion and when I changed the tube in my pre he thought that seemed complicated though I told him that its as easy as changing a lightbulb. I'm not trying to sell him a specific paradigm though, I just want him to get into something decent that he's comfortable with. There's time enough later for upgrades or changes. I demo'ed the Plinius 8200 MkII integrated and while I thought that it was a fine unit, it was much too polite with hard rock music. It was mighty fine if you were listening to something like Elvis Costello or Peter Gabriel but with noisier music with more rhythmic drive it just didn't cut it. It didn't rock me and this left me cold. My friend listens to all rock so he needs something that can boogie. He's looking into Odyssey products since they make affordable gear and it's well regarded on audioasylum and many of the users seem to listen to a lot of his kind of music.

I'm still set on investigating my original purchases but waver from "sticker shock" to "the hell with it, let the dollars fall where they may, I want the best sound!". I still waver between the Schroeder and the Triplaner as the arm of choice but think I'm gonna stick with the former.

I would be interested in hearing more about the phono stages you mentioned above if anyone here as any experience with those. I've heard the Aesthetix Rhea and it is a great unit, really stellar sounding, but at $4000 it's nearly as much as your turntable budget. Where do you want to go today?

Dsiggia,

I am not surprised to learn of your Supratek Cortese purchase; it will be a natural addition to your system, which is quite nice indeed. But you have a very good preamp already with the Sonic Frontiers Line 3SE. I wouldn’t expect a huge gain in sonic performance going from your current unit to the Cortese, but you will have a lot of fun doing the tube rolling I’m sure. When do you expect your Cortese to arrive? If I were to do it all over again, I would opt for the Cortese myself. Yet, I have absolutely no complaints about my Klyne. Do let me know when it arrives. What will you do with the Sonic Frontiers unit? If you can afford it, I would keep it.

Thanks for the offer on the Tom Evans unit, but I think I will either go with the Wright Sound or the K&K phono stage. I need more information on both units before I make my final decision.

No, I don’t think you’re out of line with your suggestions regarding the OL Silver. If I go with an OL arm, it will most likely be the Encounter.

By the way, I think it’s interesting that Michael Fremer had very favorable comments about the OL Encounter in a recent Stereophile review, but that tonearm was not listed in Stereophile’s Recommended List.