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Your choice - TT, Arm, Stage, Cartridge - $5000 budget

So imagine you were just given ~$5000 and told to buy your ideal analog setup within that budget.

What would be your choice for turntable, arm, phono stage, and cartridge be? Any other accessories to consider?

How would you spend it?


Obviously I’m looking to upgrade my analog setup and am focusing on the essential components at this time. Curious how you would spend my money haha.

My current gear:
Amp - Primaluna Dialogue HP integrated w/ KT150 power tubes, Mullard and Cifte preamp tubes.
Loudspeakers - Tekton Design Double Impact

For sound,I like the idea of a balanced overall sound, and a big soundstage. But what I really enjoy most is the idea of exposing the holographic image in a recording.




128x128whacky
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Anyone have experience with the Allnic H-1201?

Yes, I own one. Very nice phono stage.
I would have recommended it had your budget been $6-7K.
inna
7,296 posts
 
So..$1.5k for Spacedeck/Spacearm and $2k for the Allnic phono. That leaves $1.5k for cartridge, interconnect from phono to amp and power cord for the phono. Pretty good. You don't need tonearm cable for the Spacearm, the wire goes from the cartridge to RCA connectors. That's just one possibility.
jmcgrogan2, could you describe the sound of the Allnic? Do you still use VAC Sigma amp?
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
jmcgrogan2, could you describe the sound of the Allnic?

Natural, well balanced. Not overly warm and tubey sounding, but no sense of edginess or harshness. Not overly warm, or transparent, just relaxed, and natural sounding.

Do you still use VAC Sigma amp?

No. I am now running a ARC Ref 5 preamp with Pass Labs XA-100.5 monoblock amps with my Allnic H1201 phono stage.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
I see that dealer just lowered his asking price on the VPI Prime from $2800 to $2500. I don't expect that to last long.

http://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649369475-vpi-prime-turntable-like-new/


darkstar1
180 posts
 
Yeah if a Prime is on your list that is about the best I have seen. There was one sold on another board by a guy upgrading and he sold it out of good will for $2400 which is the lowest I have seen to date. 

If its not on your list just skip it because nothing is going to make you want it if you really are not interested in the table/brand even at a good price.

For the record I am listening to Blues Breakers with John Mayall and Eric Clapton. I would say a very nice 3d state, well balanced with nice resolution and smooth sound.

If the VPI is not for you I would consider Well Tempered Amadeus. I think some of the SME or Basis tables are going to be hard to work in your budget with a nice Phono stage unless you go really cheap for your first cart which is a viable strategy. A cheap cart can sound pretty good on a nice analog setup. A expensive cart on a cheap analog system not so much. 

I think buying the Second Tier version of the new Technics would also be an option. It would  be new and high performance. More on the quick tight analytical side but a lot of bang for the buck I am guessing from reading the reviews. 






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