My jazz collection told me to get a *real* system
Thanks, folks, this is very helpful so far. I live in the South Bay, so I'll see about brick-and-mortar shops (open to suggestions if anyone is in the SF area). I'm open to tube gear if I'm not going to get the best out of my jazz collection without it. I'm just not sure what I should be looking at if I go down that road. |
Thanks, Rich! I'll look into the PL. I would suggest the following top of the line Prima Luna tube integrated as the anchor of your new system. It should last 20 years, if not longer. It is certainly powerful enough for most speakers. PL makes tube ownership easy with adaptive bias. PL probably offers a phono preamp board for this amp. |
jazztherapist-this is a VERY good piece for the money, has a decent phonostage,basically plug and play. I would offer the guy $3500. Amp http://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649194389-dialogue-premium-hp-integrated-amplifier/ offer $2500 for this table-http://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649352700-vpi-prime-turntable-w-3d-arm/ get this for a LOMC-http://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649376407-kampk-audio-mocing-coil-step-up-transformer/images/1630... spend $1k for a new cart-https://www.lpgear.com/product/ATART9.html If you can bump your limit, this outboard phono stage will be the game changer, offer $1400 https://www.audiogon.com/listings/phono-fosgate-signature-mm-mc-phono-stage-preamplifier-3147-2017-0... 3500 amp 2500 table 200 step up 1000cart $7200 and you will have a GREAT set up. Forgo the step up transformer, get the phonostage, you have a SMOKIN setup for a total of $8400. Save $3-5k for used REALLY NICE speakers or whatever....DONE. Cables...appropriate what you can, good deals used. You can deal with that stuff later. Your speakers will sound amazing with this setup. This thread confirms the PL HP's performance against an 8k ARC amp. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/considering-switching-from-audio-research-to-primaluna-troube... I attended this shootout. I also own this amp and phonostage. With your speakers and decent inexpensive cable, you will have a great sounding system to listen to while you're figuring where to put your money on nice speakers. Get your credit card ready! |
Hi jazz, I listen to most types of music but jazz is primary for me. Good audio systems are complex because of the interrelationships between so many of the individual components. The cartridge should be matched with the tonearm (mass and resonance), the phono stage (whether separate or integrated) with the cartridge, the preamp or line stage with the amp (both for gain and impedance match), the amp with the speakers (power, impedance curve, damping, sonics), and the speakers with your room (placement and size considerations, radiation pattern) and sonic tastes. Underlying all that is the cost for each and how to allocate funds, plus wiring, room treatments, power line quality, and software maintenance (with LPs some type of record cleaning device seems essential). With all that, I agree with inna, one should start by choosing speakers. Two reasons for that. One, they will likely have the greatest impact on your resulting sonic pleasure. And #2 if you start at the other end of the system chain you can paint yourself into a corner (hardly ever good for speaker placement ;^) ) with limited speaker choices. For a very general guideline with a total $8K budget I would look at speakers between $2 and 3K. But will you look only at new or can used be considered as well? Just keep in mind you could find something costing less than $2K so don't feel locked in to a specific price point. |
