Best set-up for up to 9k retail?


What are your thoughts on the best table/arm/cartridge set-up. So far, what I'm leaning towards is an Avid Volvare (4k), Tri-Planar arm(3k) and Lyra Helikon(2k) cartridge. Also, what's a good phonostage match?

I'm considering an upgrade from a Nottingham Interspace table/arm and a Dynavector Karat cartridge. I'm using a Bright Star Audio Rack of Gibralter and a homemade Big Rock.

I'm a big jazz fan but also dip into Steely Dan, King Crimson and Mahavishnu.

I've got a Rogue Magnum Tempest and Von Schweikert DB-100 speakers (obscure, but great).

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
richardmr
You can spend much more, but it is still difficult to beat a Linn table and arm (it also maintains its value well). I think many of today's playback systems are more about "show" than sound. However, I have been told that the new SME table and arm are excellent.

Selecting a catridges is much like choosing speakers. There are several good ones, but they all have dramatically different characteristics. This means that compatibility with other components is critical to good music. Preamp loading is the most obvoius compatibility issue, but creating synergy with all of the components is necessary. Having the world's best components does not always mean you have the best sound. They have to work well together.

Usually forgoten, is the fact that setup is very much like tuning a musical instrument. It is as much art as science, therefore, it takes time and experience to do it correctly. I have heard a well tuned Rega P3 sound better than a poorly tuned high dollar playback system.

I wish you success!
Oh, man you gotta realy-realy love Linn to speak for it like Brookwood!

I do not attack rather than personally loving something Linn-ish but with more detail blended with music...

I'm also someway skeptical to highly priced tonearms and would still much more spend on table/cartridge. There is not too much sonic difference I heard between Michell Orbe/Kuzma Stogi and Michell Orbe/SMEIV with the same Helikon cartridge. Wilson Act.5 is also excellent budget tonearm that will work magics even with mega-priced decks. Tonearm to me, if above $1k has the smallest diminishing return in analogue playback.

Twl,
I'm skeptical to Teres! Even despite I fully believe you that it's a nice deck in general simply by the same reason you're skeptical to Volvare. I also know that not too many nice-guy dealers left to realy do a great demo job with analogue. First, it's obvious that no dealer will allow customer to play with $9...10k analogue setup and must play it himself. Second, swapping tonearms requires VTA, tracking force and other neccessary adjustements to be made to demostrate the difference(truly pain!).
That's alright Marakanetz. I understand. It is a very good deck, though. I've heard alot of decks, arms and carts.
OK TWL I'm rather curious than skeptical or better say combo of both and want to ask if you don't mind.

How Teres 225/OL Illustrious is compared to let's say La Luce or something in that class...? with the same Aestethic IO and cartridges? Can that be the last setup (225/OL)? Why not getting away even cheaper with Kuzma arms? What kind of arms can Teres accommodate?
I don't necessarily love the Linn, however it is better than many of the new ones that are much more expensive. I guess I have become diinshcanted with some of the new tables that look cool but don't sound any better.

I also have to go back to my other commnet. Because I have used and sold many of them, I can tune a Linn to get the results I want. (I would like to say optimum results, but that sounds a little overconfident) I am also so familiar with it that I don't have to ask is it the catridge, the arm or the table. Maybe I am getting lazy?

I love analogue, but I have to admit to a steady transiton to digital. CD's on Avantgarde speakers sound very good!