upgrade ARC SP-8
I gotta second that recommendation. Steve did wonders with my SP9. I think you'll find that Steve will give you very objective insight on what your preamp is capable of and how that may play into what you want from your system. It would definitely be a well-invested phone call. You can find contact info at http://www.greatnorthernsound.com Good luck! |
If you have become accoustomed to the SP8 over a long period of time you may be surprised by what is now available, and you may not like it! With the emphasis over the past 15 years or so on reproduction of detail a lot of the stuff available is on the bright side of neutrality, especially when compared to your SP8. Shop carefully and don't sell your SP8 'til you've listened to its replacement for a while. I'm still trucking along with my old SP10, faults and all. If I wasn't into vinyl I might change my mind......FWIW. |
If you have a SP-8 MKII you might want to hang on to it; it is an excellent preamp; I don't know what you would get for the same $ that would be more pleasing. As for mods, I'd be very careful; you won't know what you have until the parts are changed out - just adding new technology with good specs isn't an assurance of anything except likely different sound. What you have is an all-time classic and I think you ought to leave it as is; Newbee's advice is right on the mark; keep the 8 II and buy whatever you think might be better; once you are sure the new preamp is truly better you can easily sell the ARC - but I'm betting it will be hard to find something considerably better until you spend considerably more. I've heard the SP-3A1, SP-6B, SP-8 MkI (original), SP-8 MkII, SP-10 MkII, and the Ref 2 MkI. You can make a strong case for why the SP-8MkII is the most "livable" of them all (great sound, reasonable price, easy to maintain). |
