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Streamer vs. Cart upgrade (here we go again…)

I have a Clearaudio Concept TT with a Hana EH cart.  I run it through a Mc110z and Mc240 through Klipsch Heresy’s with REL subs.  I stream via blue tooth (audio engine B1).  I’m soliciting advice on whether I should upgrade to a Hana ML or spend that money on a Wiim Ultra and Denafrips Potus II DAC.  I love the sound of my TT, and I definitely hear the difference between my streaming and the turntable but records are expensive- wondering if the corner cutting is worth it.  Any thoughts?

rivington66
mswale
286 posts
 

You didn't state what service you use for streaming. But BT is about the worst quality you can get. Your TT & Cart are good, so invest in the streaming side. 

If you use Tida/Qobuz make sure you streamer will support it natively, meaning it will stream from the streamer, and your phone will just mirror/control the streamer. 

$2k will get you a nice streamer, with your other gear, think Cambridge Audio will sound very good. My system has Forte II's with a CA streamer it sounds just as good as my TT. 

awise1961's avatar
awise1961
147 posts
 

Similar to others who have already posted, I have $50K invested in my digital frontend and another $50K in my analogue frontend. That does not include my $6,500 record cleaning machine, or the 3,000+ LP's I own. With that said, I have no plans to buy anotehr LP for the collection, and I haven't spun one since my big digital upgrade this past March. I vote that you upgrade you digital side.

macg19
1,111 posts
 

FWIW Going against the grain...upgrade both very close to your budget.

Get a BlueSound ICON and a Qobuz account, and buy the only Aidas cart on USAM. Yes it is mine. Yes that is a shameless plug. AG please don’t shoot me.

BUT, I went from a Hana ML to the Aidas on a similar ClearAudio TT. It was a significant improvement. As it should have been at over $4K. 

This will be a serious upgrade to both sources.

Later (after the warranty runs out) add an external DAC and a teddy pardo power supply to the ICON.

While I have no doubt some of the guys giving advice here have exquisite digital sources and systems, I disagree you have to spend mega bucks to get very respectable digital sound. My digital source is over 10X less than my analogue source and it sounds really enjoyable in comparison. 

You can see where I ended up in my virtual system. 

whyrichard
50 posts
 

I just spent about many $K on my digital. See system in profile. It now surpasses my vinyl by several margins. I could spend on my vinyl side to chase the digital but I think that may miss the point. 
 

I am beginning to wonder how I can have my vinyl system sound DIFFERENTLY…focusing on a completely different sound profile that speaks to maybe a different genre , or glow… not sure yet. 
 

but chasing my digital stream is beginning to seem silly. 

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