Where is the significant point of diminishing returns on hi-end turntable?


For those that don’t know me I am newish to this game. Yes, I believe this chase for perfection in sound reproduction is a game. There are endless variables affecting the sound of every system and 100x that in opinions on each of these variables. I love cool $hit as much as the next guy but I am looking for an analog rig and I keep getting drawn into the seemingly endless "what about this option that costs tons more?". I started with a $6 to $10K budget and now I am considering a $25K setup (Table, cart and phono stage) after talking to a local retailer. I will be blunt, I want to be that guy in the Memorex ad from the 80’s that is getting blown away by his system (my impression is he is overwhelmed by the amazing sound coming from that speaker not the volume). Now that I have acquired some pretty descent stuff I am spending 15 plus hours each week listening and really enjoying this hobby. I don’t want to have any regrets and just be marginally satisfied with my setup but where do I draw the line? Back to my initial question; what is a reasonable amount to spend on an analog setup to achieve the best bang for the buck? I may be somewhat unique in that I don’t want to constantly be upgrading my equipment, I just want to buy great products the first time that are very satisfying and spend hours listening to great music. I don’t want to be the guy always chasing the next great thing.
128x128mmporsche
Dear @mmporsche : I think that you are refering to some posts as mine. Well, beleibe it or not I’m not against you but in favor of you trying to help what because your posts you are not aware yet in the high-end land ( no, it’s not rocket science. ).

Till now you decided not to give any single answer to my very precise questions to you and I’m not really questioning you but trying to help you. Whom am I to questioning you or any one else?

The only actuion I can read where you took in count my advice was the Galibier one.

My reference is always live music in real " day by day " venues. I listened music directly inside a recording studio/session for 3-4 times.

Till today I never bougth any single audio item through an audio shows like the RMAF or CES and other shows of that type other than LPs and I attende several times.

First than all I’m a music lover and second an audiophile.

"""" I enjoy all genres of music as long as it is quality music and most importantly was recorded well. I have a keen ear for quality growing up in the studio... """

I enjoy music that was not recorded very well but that is MUSIC that can " move " me in any way and if it’s well recorded the better.

I don’t have a keen ear trainend in the studio ( I don’t need it. ) but I can go to your place ( for the first time or any other single gentleman place. ) and tell you what’s wrong with your overall set up is any. Next, a simple question:

Do you know why can I do that and tell us?


Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Btw, many times my posts are not even close to what the thread OP or other gentlemans " like " to hear. Sometimes my posts akes " happy " to any one but in all cases I have only one attitude: help and share my experiences.

My opinion has the same " weigth " that any other person including yours and obviously that can be wrong.


This would have been a good question 20 years ago, but with the state of the art with CD players and DACs today, I personally think getting into vinyl playback in a big way today, without an extensive collection of vinyl in your possession, is a fool's errand.  I have an updated SOTA Sapphire vacuum TT, acrylic platter, high end tone arm and a Dynavector 20X10 MC cartridge and honestly I can't be bothered to play it hardly ever.  My Oppo 103D sounds pretty much the same and is a whole lot less hassle.   I have done a fair bit of A/B testing on my system and that of my friend's  $50K system, and I find no significant improvement of analogue over digital, none at all.   

I understand guys upgrading their TT's when they have 1000's of LP's, but starting from the get-go, I think you will incur lots of expense that will not be commensurate with your listening experience.  I am an old fellow and loved analogue 30 years, but I have moved on as the digital technology at even a modest price point will be better than sound of a pricey TT.  Mike Fremer of course disagrees, but I urge you to demo a pricey TT rig compared to a decent CD player and let your ears be your guide as to how expansively you want to open your wallet to get into the realm of analogue playback.  Good luck.  

Goodness people, pay attention. The OP has 5,000 LPs available to him, he grew up in audio, he's lived with a very nice system including analog. He posed a simple philosophical question in his original post and the commentary that has ensued has ranged from constructive on-point discussion of his original musings to telling him how to build an audio system to calling him an idiot and a child. Please READ the OP's comments and do both him and the rest of us the courtesy of trying to stay on topic.

Sorry. Rant over.

The question was "What's the point of diminishing returns"? And then he mentions 25K; well it's long before you get to 25K for people with the bucks, who can see down the road. If the question had been what's the ultimate rig, that would have been a horse of a different color.

I think there are a lot of good responses as far as a top flight simple rig is concerned; the SME-20 was a good example.

When the OP went from his original question to 25K, that changed everything, because that's way past "diminishing returns" and that is what everybody is telling him, but if he's got 25K to blow, let the good times roll.