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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
3,804 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"??


Post removed 
cbl117 OP
45 posts
 
Update:  I ordered the Lehmann Decade Phono Stage!  I understand the push for a tubed phono stage.  I'm currently using a Hovland HP-100 tubed with NOS pre-war yugo 12AX7s.  This setup is for headphone use only, so I feel that SS is probably my best bet.  Vinyl through headphones is pretty amazing, but it takes so much more effort to perfect it, IMO anyway.  I'm hoping the new decade phono stage will open up more detail and throw a bigger image.  The black cube SE II was already pretty damn quiet so its hard to imagine improving that parameter.  I think I will change out my cables next.  That should set me up to make a cartridge upgrade a couple years from now.
raymonda
855 posts
 
I I think you made a wise choice. Next, when it is time to replace your stylus, send it into Soundsmith and have Peter upgrade it with a level 2 tip and a sapphire cantilever. I did this with an ACE L and was floored by the improvement. It came very close to my Ruby 3 and is currently my second favorite cartridge. It beat out my Glider and Zyx R100, various modded Adcom and Ortofons. The Ruby 3 ultimately wins out but that is a 3500 cartridge.
cbl117 OP
45 posts
 
@raymonda Thank you.  I'm not quite sure what separates the Scheu SL from the Benz ACE SL.  There's also not much press on the Scheu SL cartridge so its hard to know how it compares to other carts in the $1500 price point. I've owned an ACE many years ago and I do think the Scheu is a step above the ACE, but I wish I knew what Scheu does to differentiate their cartridge and justify the price increase.

From that perspective I do feel like my cartridge is a bit of an unknown quantity, and I'm looking forward to seeing if a more resolving phono stage like the Lehmann Decade will bring more performance out of my table/cartridge combo. 
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