2. analog
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Analog Front End Next Upgrade

My analog front end currently consists of:

VPI Prime Turntable
MC Scheu SL Cartridge
Lehmann Audio Black Cube SE II

I'm using Cardas Iridium cables, and everything feeds into an Auralic Taurus MkII headphone amp.  If you had a $2000 budget, what is the weakest link, and what would you upgrade first?

I was thinking about upgrading the cartridge with either a Lyra Delos or Dyna XX-2, but was not sure if the black cube SE II is resolving enough.  The other option I was considering is going with a Lehmann Audio Decade phono stage.
cbl117
tablejockey
3,920 posts
 
cbl117-

I see some talk in here, about upgrading your phono stage.

Have you considered a tube stage? Something like this will put your table/cart on the next level of "real" which only the BEST$$$
SS units can match.

Depending how you  negotiate with the seller, it could be within your budget? I would consider cables the LAST part of the puzzle.

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/phono-allnic-audio-model-h1201-tube-phono-2017-08-10-preamplifiers

nordicnorm
313 posts
 
@tablejockey wrote:

" Have you considered a tube stage? Something like this will put your table/cart on the next level of "real" which only the BEST $$$ SS units can match. "

I think you have it backwards. S/S phono stages are infinitely cheaper than tubed ones (for the same level of performance).

Tubes, by design, are inherently noisy, so to build a quiet tubed phono stage does not come cheap.

The Allnic H1201 (that you link to) proves my point. New, it is $3,500. It is a very good phono stage, but a Blue Circle BC707 S/S phono stage can be found used for under $2,000, and will match the Allnic H1201 in performance.

Now, you may prefer the sonic signature of the Allnic over the Blue Circle, but in terms of the amount of detail revealed, they will be identical.
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,475 posts
 
When I removed the power conditioner, there was an improvement...a no cost investigation.
inna
7,296 posts
 
Yes, I'd say tube phono stage of equal performance level with the advantages of tube sound would cost at least two times more. That's the reason why I still keep my Acoustech phono. I seriously doubt that those Allnic and Blue Circle could match it in terms of dynamics and bass. I would have to go higher, to the level of $5k tube phono stages to have everything better.
tablejockey
3,920 posts
 
nordicnorm-my post is subjective, and I think most of us here, already know the tube rap- noisey, distortion etc.

Your comparison is subjective regarding SS vs Tube.

There isn't anything in my post that's backwards.
How many articles have we read about a very nice SS stage, and the reviewer mentions-it's almost like tubes"??


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