Advice for upgrading my system

OP, I’m in Denver, too. My suggestion, being local, would be to try some speakers at Crescendo Audio, at Gold Sound, at Listen Up. Free to listen. Other dealers in the area include places up in Fort Collins and up toward Boulder. The Colorado Audio Society is a great resource and in person visits to member’s systems is starting up again. That’s a great way to hear things and gather information.

Aside from that, a nice DAC would do a lot for your system. I've sent you a message, privately, to say hello, too.

Focusing on Getting Superior Sound from your LPs:

Cartridges (plural), Take advantage of your removable headshell arm. Each it's own Headshell with open sides for access to wires, holding nuts, etc, finger lift, and importantly azimuth adjustment at the headshell

just as example for function:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/293416434592

wood one

https://www.ebay.com/itm/223518113378

Existing fine elliptical DL103D; new advanced stylus stereo; new elliptical Mono. Use these with your existing single arm TT, for a while, recalibrate VTF and Anti-Skate each change.

then:

Think Long: even though you have a great single arm TT, I encourage you to think now about a two arm TT. I got there by accident, then help here, I sure am glad I did. I went to 3 arms (see in my System Photos posted here), but 2 arms makes a world of difference.

The greatest thing for me is having a Mono Arm and a Stereo Arm balanced, ready to go: switch within seconds from Stereo to Mono in a listening session. My 3rd arm is MM so I don't needlessly wear out my primary MC with fixed stylus testing LP's for sale.

I wanted a longer arm, that's how I ended up with my setup.

Space needed for larger plinth.
Alignment skills (yours or a friend) needed to take advantage of it.
Tools

Method of selecting which arm. Your McIntosh Phono Preamp, great as it is, only has 1 input. You could add something with several inputs use it's MM Pass to choose what to send to your existing Phono Preamp

i.e the SUT I chose for 3 inputs, Fidelity Research FRT-4

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124558472024

entre et-100 has 3 inputs and MM Pass

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=entre+et-100&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&...

or 2 inputs, this Denon

https://www.ebay.com/itm/164939828820

No matter what, any Phono Preamp you (or anyone) might try, I highly encourage having the right to return it.





  

Ask yourself why you feel you need to upgrade? What doesn't your current system do?

30K to spend, don't laugh, you will have a hard time beating this 2 arm combo:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324409089345

what spinner, here's a TT71

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324554946167

Combined Total, incl tax and delivery: $800.

refinish the base, new veneer your choice, 

move your arm to the back

new long arm on the side

.........................

what spinner? Mine's a TT81, your deep pockets, perhaps a TT101 or, 30k, feed your ego with an 801 (don't do it)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254201602453?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=533...

TT71 specs here, pg 15, ridiculously good.

file:///C:/Users/ellio/Downloads/ve_jvc_qla7.pdf

You've got some really nice gear by most people's standards.  Depending on what specific characteristics you want to change, I'd be looking into speakers and cartridge change.  Nothing wrong with either of those in your system, but that's likely where the biggest sonic changes are going to come from.  If you find speakers you love, consider an amp change that's a great match for them (if your Mac is not).