Bang for Buck


Limited budget upgradeWill I get more bang for buck with a Integrated Amp upgrade or a Phono Stage and Cartridge upgrade?Buying new speakers and have some budget left over. This is a single source, Phono only, system.
chaaz900

I just repaired an old Counterpoint SA-3000 which includes a phono section.  It is NOT an integrated unit just a preamp.  The phono was quite good having a really nice, sweet mid-range, So that may be an option plus they are not that expensive and can be upgraded for cheap.

Happy Listening. 

Synergy is an important component, thus no generic solution can be applied to an unknown system.

Low impedance speakers may mitigate fir a better amplifier, are tubes either pre amp or amp a choice, what cartridge and tone arm are in use, etc.

One cannot determine the weak link most easily upgraded in the dark.
Loudspeakers and cartridges being electro-mechanical devices Are the most likely to make significant changes in sound quality. Chaaz just got himself a new set of speakers. Upgrading the Cartridge will have more of a positive effect on the sound than a sideways swap of integrated amps unless he was going from a pea watt amp to a very powerful one.
If you are searching for a global/generic recommendation, then always choose transducers first. The cost to benefit ratio applies more reliably with mechanical/electro-mechanical devices over pure electronics.
It all matters, of course, but bigger chunks should be spent on mechanical devices.
Ahhh...mijostyn beat me to it while I was typing!
Did two threads get merged here?  I seem to remember several of these posts on a completely different thread (including mine).