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Help my analog sound as good as my streaming

Hi all - total newcomer here, really enjoying the forum and looking for some advice.

Relevant details: Pro-ject Debut Carbon EVO w/ stock Sumiko Rainer cartridge, into a Hegel H95 via a Parasound Zphono XRM. It sounds great-ish, but doesn’t blow me away like Qobuz via Bluesound Node 2i into the Hegel DAC. I’ll acknowledge that this entire system has a lot of room to improve in the eyes of many here - while I suppose I’ll eventually want to upgrade, I am absolutely thrilled with the streaming sound for now. 
Question: is the cartridge the weak link here, or am I expecting too much out of the PDC EVO? If the former, does the Ortofon Bronze seem a good option?

Many thanks for any suggestions/thoughts!
coys21
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jjss49's avatar
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jjss49
6,612 posts
 
op

what are your speakers?

the hegel h95 has their latest dac implementation... it should sound very good indeed

there is a recent thread, well commented and discussed, speaking on the subject what it takes to have top performing streaming digital vs analog front ends... might be good reading for you
ihcho's avatar
ihcho
612 posts
 
If you play records manufactured recently, very few of them will blow you away because most of them would sound not much different from streaming. It does not matter how expensive your cartridge, phono stage, and turntable may be.
Today I bought 4 LPs (costing $130). New Nora Jones, new Andrea Bochelli, Queen's newly made Bohemian Rhapsody, and Dire Straits So Far Way (2021 issue). Only Dire Straits album was far better than streaming and blew away streaming by a wide margin, but the rest sound so dull, and sound almost like streaming.
So, just in case, test your LP system with a good recorded LPs (most 70's Rock, 60's jazz, or hifi audiophile recordings, for example).
Then, follow suggestions on phono stage and cartridges. IMHO, $100 cartridge (like Grado Black) and $200 phono stage (like Belari) would be enough to blow away streaming by a mile.


chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
Your turntable and cartridge must be replaced if you want to upgrade. You need a high resolution MM or MI cartridge with advanced stylus profile, and a proper Direct Drive turntable like Technics SL1200GR if your budget is limited, but you still want the best for less money.

Also you have to try ORIGINAL pressings instead of re-issues. Try to find vinyl made from analog mastertape, not from digital master. Vinyl itself can be bad, pressing can be bad, mastering can be bad too. You have to find your reference vinyl first (make sure it’s good).
inna
7,296 posts
 
Get a proper Belt Drive turntable.
Miller is right, streaming sucks. There is not a single note reproduced right. Or even a single silence in between notes. In other words, streaming is not even wrong. And the rest of digital is about the same, slightly better.
Good point about second rate pressings.
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