Advice for upgrading my system


I have been on Audiogon for about 6 months and I enjoy the expertise and reading the conversations. I am hoping to receive guidance to upgrade my 2 channel stereo.

I am now ready to upgrade and I have budgeted $30k to do so.

My current system is the following:

McIntosh MA 6600
McIntosh MP 100 Phono Preamp
Marantz super audio CD Player SA-11S2
Micro SeikiDD-40 Turntable
Denon DL 103D Cartridge
2-Monitor Audio PL - 100 speakers
1-Velodyne HGS12BGII Subwoofer
Sonos for DAC

My room has been acoustically treated in the
walls and ceiling by a company that specializes in this. 

I primarily listen to jazz, classical, and 70’s music.

Room dimensions are:
  ⁃ 30’ 6” long
  ⁃ 14’ 6” Wide for the first 12’ 4“ of the length and then
  ⁃ 10’ 4” Wide for the last 18’ 2” of the length

I consider the main listening area to be the 14’6” x 12’4” section.

I am looking forward to hearing your feedback. Btw, I live in Denver Colorado.



bhc148
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).  
@bhc148, given the list of gear and listening environment you already have a good base line to make good decisions for yourself.
What do you like and dislike about the system ... ? ...