Replaced Everything, New Gears waiting to be installed...

Congratulations!   Enjoy the euphoria while it lasts!

Congratulations!

This really helps minimize the serial break in problem of incremental component upgrades. You get it all done at once.
 

But since nothing is broke in… try not to draw conclusions before several hundred hours have elapsed.

Enjoy! And be patient, it will take a while to break in that system.

Congratulations.  Never heard of this before.... go big or go home approach I guess.

Congratulations! 

Thanks everyone. Wow, exceeding my expectations. As I completed the install Friday night, I realized I had gone hours without food or drink, needed to sit and chill. If it’s going to get better with break-in, then count me in!

The Thorens TD-1601 with the new Nagaoka cart, Schitt Skoll preamp, and all balanced XLRs is a BIG step up. So much more revealing. I will need to re-clean or discard some older/crusty albums. I am having issues with footfalls, now have ordered brackets to wall-mount (I guess it does not end?).

The Accuphase E-380 integrated is so smooth and effortless. The sound is just right for me. And it looks awesome. A legacy piece for me. Wish the remote had a few more features...loundess, tape loop on/off. 1st world problem.

Having an active subwoofer, the REL Classic 98, is another step up from the old passive KLH. Still dialing it in, reading articles about mixing and placement. I really like to high-level inputs, soldered better connections on the wires (bananas and a small spade for ground.

I did install the tube buffer in the tape loop, it adds a nice element to harsh digital tracks through the Rose Hifi 150B.

Still wrapping my head, and ears, around it all, time to enjoy the music again.

Attempting a picture...

https://1drv.ms/i/s!Arl4p5TXJ0nUgcRetn8xe83QiOUBGA?e=HJKL8b

thanks... @ellajeanelle @ghdprentice @zlone @skinzy @danmar123 

Wow, that is quite an amazing amount of gear and I'll bet loads of fun to install.

Only comment is that I doubt the tube buffer is going to stick. There is at least a theoretical reason why tubes in an analog stage could be beneficial or to taste, but a tube buffer is just an extra box that adds color without need.  If you want tube, I'd recommend a tube preamp or a DAC with an analog stage that actually uses the tubes.  

Very nice, congrats. I can see the space constraints to the side, but I badly want to move that speaker away from the turntable. :-)

what are the speakers? Why are they so close to each other?

btw I bought that Stones album twice, it was poor recording both times. Not sure what's up with, and if it had a better version

@grislybutter @zlone

I feel you on the closeness of the speakers. I live in a small cabin, and space is constrained. It’s hard to see in the picture, but I have the speakers pulled forward of the rack, where the majority of the sound is coming from the front. And I do get the notion of the side radiation as well. I don’t play too loudly, and the listening position is only about 10 feet away, Reverberations are never too significant.

The speakers are favorites of mine, Paradigm Reference Studio 40 V2, made around 2000. I have two pair, one in another location. I just sourced these this year, in immaculate condition. I bi-wire them, which made a surprising difference.

Those are nice speakers. With the speakers 5 feet apart, 10 feet seems a bit far but only you know how it sounds.

Living in a cabin must be fun!

You are in for a long long period of happy listening. Congratulations.