advice for my clear audio analogue upgrade path


Ok, I ready to "tighten up" and finalize my analogue front end.  Current set up.
1. Clear Audio Performance DC w/Clarify arm
2. Sound Smith Boheme Moving Iron high out put cart
3. Clear audio Basic + phono stage 

My path is to at some point move to Clear Audio Ovation table, Clear audio Balance + phono and a Sound Smith "The Voice" cart.  
If I do all this one step at a time I'm wondering what you all would knock off in order and WHY.

Cost:
1. Table up grade $3400
2. Phono stage $2100
3. Cart $1800-$2000

GO!
128x128dhpeck
@joey54 interesting.  Did you compare with the same arm/cart also?  If I jump to the ovation, I'll still have my clarify arm and existing sound smith cart (which I have no issues with) on the Ovation.  

It makes sense to solidify the "table" aspect first.
Yes it was the Clarify Arm and AMG Teatro cartridge on both. I own the AMG cartridge also.
@dhpeck RE:

I’ll have to ask how my guy at the dealer sets up the carts
That would be good to know

The Boheme comes with the contact-line shaped stylus, so setup of either cartridge would also be critical.

The soundsmith cartridges do sound very good using a standard paper protractor, but they sound amazing as the precision of the setup is perfected

Have a read of http://mintlp.com/best.htm

Once I saw just how far out my initial setup was and heard the resulting improvements it made me a believer.

Why does it seem that as the audio world advances - life gets more difficult? :-)

RE:
I’m looking for my last table and feel the level of the Ovation would accomplish that and not leave me wondering
You’d better scratch that itch then :-)

@joey54 give it the thumbs up - can’t get better feedback than that

Good luck with whatever upgrade you choose.

Cheers - Steve




@williewonka good stuff thanks for the advice!  I'm betting my guy isn't using anything more than the clear audio template for cart set up.
@joey54  thanks for the review and also making my first step the most expensive. :0.  I'm thinking my sound smith Boheme would be able to "pedal along" with the ovation.  Even so, I wonder if my clear audio basic + stage would mute the sound.......