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Help me pick a phono, pre and cart

Hi all,
My WF spending restraints are going away so I’m going to upgrade my system.
I primarily play CD, but also have an MMF-5 with Glass platter, Golding GX1022 cart going through a Clear Audio Nano to Ayre Ax-7e to Sig 2 Ce’s.

This year I’m going to Quatro CT’s and upgrading my vinyl pre and source side. Next year I’m upgrading my main pre and power amp.

I’m looking for help in picking a phono player pre and cart. My musical taste is pretty wide: female vocals, rock, blues, jazz; not much classical on vinyl. Think Amy Winehouse/Cold Specks/Pixies/Weezer/Jeff Beck/Johnny Winter/Winton Marsalis and Maynard Ferguson for you other old timers. LOL
My budget is about $8-10k

Right now my main thoughts are VPI Prime Scout or Prime with Grado Statement series cart, and an Ayre Px-5e pre.
In addition to specific item recommendations, I’m very interested in how to split the budget item wise. In other words more or less on player vs cart vs pre, I.e. Scout with Statement2 or Prime with Reference2 for example. Or go higher than 20-30% on the pre?
I lean towards spending the most on what’s least upgradeable - sorry if that’s too general or obvious.
Thanks much
Jim

jetson
bpoletti
1,553 posts
 
@chakster How can you pass blind judgement against a unit you've never heard?  Why are you so quick to pass negative judgement on Herron gear?

I have never heard anything as good as a Herron VTPH-2a nor have I heard an equal.  Tube, solid state, hybrid.  I can't claim to have heard the same 17,926 phono stages Raul claims, but I have heard quite a few.  Herron tops what I've heard.
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,940 posts
 
basis w Vector arm
the Triplaner is wicked good but out of range $$$
Delos
Aesthetix 
my $.02
does Ralph have a stand alone phono pre ?
i would consider his gear also

tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,940 posts
 
To be truthful I have never heard a Herron
what is out there for a Delos ???
into a NAIM
the Nova II is pretty good
and I have some supposedly fantastic Tom Evans coming.....
we shall hear.... and then see
or not....
ha

jetson OP
140 posts
 
Thanks all- very sincerely! The question that plagues my mind is where and how I can audition these different preamps and turntables, or more importantly combinations of same - and at the same time separate the differences in the carts or other gear the dealers have.  With other gear, I have been working with Johnny Rutan at Audio connection. He sells VPI and Basis. I haven’t talked to him yet about turntables, but from what I’ve seen the Basis units are out of my price range. Another local dealer sells Clear Audio and Pro-Ject but I’d rather not give him my money (bad history). Ultimately,  it seems that I need to just make a decision that leaves me with modification options in the future. 
Since the major difference between the Technics and VPI seems to be belt vs Direct drive, perhaps that’s the area I need to concentrate on as far as my listening preference.
Interestingly, Technics own website states that DD was/is mainly considered for DJ use, while belt drive was for “Hi- Fi” use. 
I guess I’ll just have to find some different dealers and audition different turntables. Still I  don’t know how I will differentiate it does sound quality between turn tables versus other gear that the dealers use.Uggh.
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@jetson

Technics own website states that DD was/is mainly considered for DJ use, while belt drive was for “Hi- Fi” use.

That’s not true, historically Technics SL1200 is a japanese hi-fi component than later became an iconic turntable for DJs worldwide. First DJs started with Thorens TD125 and even with Garrard turntables. EMT was a professional turntable too. As you might know that Technics supplied SP-10mkII and EPA-100 tonearms for Radio Stations in the 70’s, at that day DJ equipment was way different from todays junk.
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