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Should I keep the Turntable or sell it?

I’ve been back and forth on this decision for about a month, and the more I learn, the harder this decision gets.

Backstory: I won the brand new Cambridge Audio Alva TT turntable in an online contest in mid-May, and while it sounds great, I decided to list it for sale a couple weeks ago. I’ve always wanted to try out a Rega P6 or P3 with a really nice cart, because I feel like I’m not getting enough out of my Pro-Ject Debut Carbon. Prior to winning the Alva TT, I switched the Red Ortofon out for the Blue, and there was a great improvement in sound quality. But after comparing the Pro-Ject to the Alva TT and hearing what a $1700 turntable can sound like, I definitely am interested in exploring more high fidelity turntables. The issue is that I feel like I prefer the sound of tubes over solid state, and the Alva TT uses an integrated Alva Duo phono preamp for the RCA out, and their own DAC for the Bluetooth out if I want to go that route. I don’t have a ton of experience with tubes, and maybe it’s just the “cool factor” I actually like and I’m just having a placebo effect.

So I decided to list it for sale to try and get a Rega, because I heard so many great things about them. But over the last week or so, I’ve learned more about the Alva TT and how it uses Rega’s famous tonearm. I looked up the cart and it is listed at $500 separately, which is probably why it sounds better than the Pro-Ject w/ Ortofon Blue. I’ve also read on these boards about direct drive being better than belt, which the Alva has as well. It also has the added bonus of Bluetooth that go directly to my KEF LS50 Wireless, but I would most likely just use interconnects.

So I would love to get some advice from you all. I’ve gone back and forth about keeping the Alva or selling it, along with my Pro-Ject Debut Carbon, and buying/trading for something like a Rega P3 or P6. If you had my first world problem, what would you do?
bignamehere
robelvick's avatar
robelvick
619 posts
 
@bignamehere Correct, Pro-Ject and Music Hall are in the same family, so quality should be similar per price range.  

I have not heard the Sumiko BP2, or Quintet Red, but I have owned the Quintet Black.  The Sumiko is a high output MC, which I usually don't care for, but can't say anything definitive since I haven't heard one.

Quintet Black in excellent though, but that's at the top of that range.  I'm guessing it would be similar comparing the 2M Red to 2M Black, which there is a huge difference in SQ.

I'm you like the Classic table, I would choose the non-SB version, and then pick a different cart.  Most dealers will you give you a discount on a cart, if you buy the table from them.


glupson
7,842 posts
 
Which one is Alfa TT? I thought it was Audi.
bignamehere OP
56 posts
 
“Alfa” or “Alva”?

Alfa Romeo = my car

Audi = another car I owned

Alva TT = Cambridge Audio Alva TT Turntable that I sold

😊
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,444 posts
 
@bignamehere...........

Thanks for the the snarky response. Totally uncalled for. My POINT was, if the Marantz is made by Clearaudio ( I wasn’t sure), why not buy the Clearaudio?

You post a question and received many good responses, you should be grateful, not a jerk about it.
mulveling's avatar
mulveling
1,951 posts
 
I wouldn’t bother with the Quintet Red - that’s simply too much money to spend on a bonded-tip stylus; you should be shooting for at least nude elliptical. My dealer has a base Classic and I haven’t been too impressed by its overall build quality, either. Any Clearaudio will be far beyond that.
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