2. analog
  3. 173009-157966

Will I Hear A Difference?

Currently I’m using an Orbit U-Turn Turntable with an Ortofon Super OM20 Cartridge/stylus that I’ve had for approx 3 years. First utilizing it’s OM5 that it shipped with, then upped to an Super OM10, then about a year ago upped to the Super OM 20…Playback is through a Ifi Zen Phono Preamp running to a Carver Crimson 275 and playing out through Magnepan.7’s …Generally it sounds pretty good.

Recently while at a local hifi dealer I got to play around with an EAT B Sharp Turntable equipped with an Ortofon Blue on the same set of .7 Maggi’s I have and it sounded great. I loved the tonearm and the build quality.

My question is will I hear a enough difference to warrant spending the money for the upgrade. Mind you, I’ve become quite the power user at this point playing vinyl for pretty much most of my listening, often more than several hours a day. 

The Orbit has served me well but at this point I feel I’m ready for the upgrade, I know i’ll feel the build quality difference, just not sure if I’ll hear a diffrence.

Anybody have any thoughts or experiences with the EAT B Sharp they could share?

Thanks

 

128x128flasd
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 

Yes you will hear massive improvement going from your $500 rig to $3k. Like night and day. But then even bigger improvement going from your budget phono stage to something much better. https://www.decware.com/newsite/ZP3.htm This front end will be so much better than what you have now you will not believe. 

One thing I always tell people with turntables, because everyone gets hung up on sound quality they hardly ever mention it, is you actually use these things. Everything else you just push a button, turn a knob. Turntables you handle. The pleasure and satisfaction you get just looking at and handling it is priceless. Also a good one tends to be a keeper. My last one was 17 years. 

This is huge. Because you could do the phono stage first, but then only get the ear candy. Do the turntable first though and you get the ear candy and the eye candy and something you enjoy handling as well. 

The one thing you are worried about, will it sound better enough to be worth it, is a given. 

 

tsushima1
1,165 posts
 

🙄

best-groove's avatar
best-groove
844 posts
 

I'd rather upgrade the phono preamp first, and then the cartridge.

 

I fully agree with this solution



 

ozzy62's avatar
ozzy62
3,256 posts
 

@millercarbon 

As much as I like Decware products, they are made out of unobtanium now. I understand the situation Steve is faced with having several hundred on the waiting list, but I have emailed twice in two weeks asking to be put on the list with no response. If they are taking no new orders for the time being, they could at least respond and say so. Highly disappointing….

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 

Early last year I was thinking maybe this will be the year I finally reward myself with a new 911. Within seconds I discover their allocations sold out for the rest of the model year. In March. I could go on and on with examples. If by now after 2 years you don’t understand the world financial systems and supply chains are messed up, if after all that you still want to heap the blame for all that on one person or another, or second-guess experienced successful businessmen, probably no point any more trying to educate. I’m looking at the ZMA and if it gets to the point I order I will click the site and wait my turn and not whine about it- and certainly not say or do anything to tarnish the rep of any of the very rare audio gurus like Steve, without whom we would not just be waiting, we would have nothing- or almost as bad, be priced out of the market.

More to discover