After listening several times to my infamous 'creature on steroids', Lak decided to go into analog. I told him he should first look around used record stores in Toledo and record shows and find out if the music he liked was available and in good condition. If the answer is yes, then it was a good move. Getting into analog pursuing 'analog sound' instead of the music is a sure ticket to wasted money. I have something like 800 records vs 300 CDs, so playing a lot of vinyl is my thing (that's one reason why I have a modded 1200)
If you have a really good pre and that pre has a really good phono stage as an option, you will save on power cords, interconnects, separate filtration, cones, footers, rack space. I am a freak on a budget, so I have a Monolithic Sound phono stage w/ dual mono outboard power suppy and a Channel Islands DAC (optional power supply coming soon). Pre amp is Channel Islands passive and cabling is Ridge Street Audio MSE. This is an extra expense but It gives my system a higher degree of flexibility and tuning options. It does create a nightmare at a time when I came from Home Depot last night buying $77's worth of brackets and three wheelbarrow inner tubes to support my massive Clear Image T4 filters. I am using *five* IKEA Lack tables as wall shelves and they're 43" wide!
Since the source is what's most critical, you can start with a decent TT and a used phono stage that could be sold later (for pretty much what you paid for). You could then have your main preamp rigged with the inboard power supply if you so desire without committing from the beginning. Win-win situation as I see it.
If you have a really good pre and that pre has a really good phono stage as an option, you will save on power cords, interconnects, separate filtration, cones, footers, rack space. I am a freak on a budget, so I have a Monolithic Sound phono stage w/ dual mono outboard power suppy and a Channel Islands DAC (optional power supply coming soon). Pre amp is Channel Islands passive and cabling is Ridge Street Audio MSE. This is an extra expense but It gives my system a higher degree of flexibility and tuning options. It does create a nightmare at a time when I came from Home Depot last night buying $77's worth of brackets and three wheelbarrow inner tubes to support my massive Clear Image T4 filters. I am using *five* IKEA Lack tables as wall shelves and they're 43" wide!
Since the source is what's most critical, you can start with a decent TT and a used phono stage that could be sold later (for pretty much what you paid for). You could then have your main preamp rigged with the inboard power supply if you so desire without committing from the beginning. Win-win situation as I see it.