New to vinyl - How to get the best out of old classical discs?
I’ve recently added vinyl to my classical listening lineup (mostly piano and chamber music) after realizing how many extraordinary recordings aren’t available in other formats. I wanted to start small, but now that I’m a little more comfortable with the gear and know I like the format, I’m interested in where the biggest improvements can be found. Generic suggestions are always welcome, but there are issues that seem to come up more often with of these old classical discs so if anyone has extensive experience there I would be particularly grateful. My budget is around $1000, and any gear that holds value is preferred.
My current setup:
Prep: Ultrasonic/IPA/detergent, new sleeves, quick wipe with dry swiffer duster before play
TT: Denon DP-51F
Cart: Ortofon Red
Phono: Pro-ject Phono Box S2
Then (usually):
MiniDSP
Scott 222C (EL84 PP amplifier)
Klipsch RF-5s (discontinued floorstanders, similar sound to Heritage)
Thanks in advance for any advice!
Add the moving iron Soundsmith Otello for $399 with the other suggestions. It can perform on the level of carts twice the price. Consider upping the phono stage for your long game. Better phono stage will be ready when you go to the next level table. Non stop madness if you choose to play with rekkids. You're NEVER done! |
Sounds like I should start with the cart and maybe wait a bit to buy an ‘investment’ phono stage. Right, this one is perfect, but Americans don't know about it now, but earlier it was a Swiss made highly regarded phono stage, now it's cheaper, better, and made in Australia. One of my favorites, you can barely see it under the Gold Note PH-10 on my rack. Re: springs, the TT is in almost perfect shape and is obviously a masterfully engineered machine. I personally wouldn’t try change anything about how it’s put together. Those springs are the last things to try, and only if you want to play the game Miller playing for 40 years or so. |
