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Do I upgrade my cartridge or my turntable

I just bought a new preamp a rouge rp7 and a pro ject tube box DS3B  phono preamp. I also replaced the phono cable with a fully balanced set with xlr ends. My turn table is a 1989 linn basik with a akito 2 tone arm and a linn adikt cartridge. The old preamp was a linn pretec. The rest of my system is a Bryston 4 B power amp a pair of Dynaudio special forty speakers and a rel S510 sub woofer. My speeker wire is Naim audio solid copper coated with silver.all my interconnect cabels are solid braided silver. Now when I play vynal there is a vast improvement in sound now but I would like to get more seperation and be Abel to hear the different instruments better, when listening to classical and jazz.also get a bit deeper base my highs and mids are  great. When I listen to other styles of music on vynal  I am good with it. Now do I upgrade my cartridge at this point  or do I need to upgrade to a linn lp12 at this point I like linn turntabels .Thank you Michael. 

mal11963
coltrane1's avatar
coltrane1
790 posts
 

Turntable. Absolutely!

vitussl101's avatar
vitussl101
180 posts
 

Well depending on the cartridge, that would be the least expensive and easiest upgrade.  But purchasing a new LP12 is your best bet if staying with the Linn simply because it's a fresh new product with the latest main bearing.  You never know what you get in a used product and upgrades to a new LP12 is a snap, the dealer does it for you.  I've owned an LP12 since the eighties and can suggest the best (that I think) choices in an upgrade path.  One more thing, avoid basically all the second party upgrades out there.  Sometimes an upgrade is just different sounding and not better, even some of Linn's own products in my opinion.

safebelayer
66 posts
 

2¢

Unfortunately, you are looking to outperform your phono pre with any other change you make. That's not what you wanted to hear, but it's true. Be prepared to do an upgrade there soon if you go with a lp12, which will also require a better cartridge. $10k later and what do you have? Maybe a better system, maybe not. You have built a nice system. Enjoy it and let the upgrade bug bite someone else. Buy more records, maybe a modest cartridge. 

The most significant component improvement you can make is your room. If that's taken care of, then sit back and enjoy. 

thehorn
111 posts
 

Start by up grading your recordings ,,,,, then see what's next.

https://store.acousticsounds.com/g/5/Pop/Rock

pindac's avatar
pindac
2,864 posts
 

There are quite reasonable costing methods available to be considered that can move your TT on in advanced Tech.

A LP12 Motor can be adopted for use.t

The Old Power Supply PCB Board can be swapped out, this will give a Board built from components not at risk of age related issues. 

The Platter Spindle Bearing can be serviced. 

Linn in their latest £50Kish TT, have now got on board 'pardon the pun' with using Resin Impregnated Densified Wood produced as a Board Material for their support structure. It is almost certain the product being used is Panzerholz or Permali.

For your own TT a Board Material such as  P'holz or P'mali used as the Plinth Blank, to be used to create a New Structure can be acquired for approx' £300.

Working on a TT's Supporting Structure will also bring very impressive results.

Some of the above suggestions utilised will give the user assurity the TT is in the finest of fettle. 

All of the above suggestions utilised have the potential to produce a TT, that will easily be able to get best from improved TA>Cart' assemblies, and I will be surprised if it does not take comparisons on TT's with multi £0000's attached to show it a clean set of heels. 

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