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Forum admiration and requested guidance

My day starts by reading the top post on this site while drinking my morning coffee. I have been a audio enthusiast since the early 1970’s, with my mother playing Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and The Supremes on vinyl every Saturday morning while growing up.

I’ve always had an analog system to play, and cherish my vinyl collection. It started with my first purchase in 1975 with Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy and expanded over the years.
Advance 47 years later and I’m finally in a point of my life to splurge. My wife and I put three children thru college and she has given the approval to spend a little money for my love of the audio hobby.

Today I have the following system and looking for advice on going up the ladder of sound quality improvement.

- VPI Scout with JMW 9” arm and Hana SL cartridge 
- Elac PPA-2 phono preamp
- Vincent SA-32 preamp
- Parasound A23
- Q Aqoustics 3050i

some of the biggest improvements since building this system have been in the interconnects. I went with the Mogami 2549 interconnects and Canare 4S11 speaker cables. These really opened up the soundstage and appealed to my ears.

My music room is modest at 10 x 18 with 9 foot ceilings. Please don’t advise to enjoy and buy more vinyl. I truly look up to your advise and suggestions on next steps to improve. My budget today is $10k, with an additional $10k in mid 2022.

Thank in advance to feedback from this outstanding group.

128x128vette5451
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rauliruegas
13,103 posts
 
Dear @vette5451 : Looking your audio system your very first up-grade should be the preamps.

Stay away from tubes, people that are tube followers were all ( me included till I learned. ) deceived by the corrupted AHEE where all of us are members too.

This is the preamp to go:

https://www.vincent-tac.de/en/product-types/preamplifiers/sa-94.html

Change your cartridge for :

https://www.hanacartridges.com/products/hana-umami-red

and next year your speakers. All these system up-grades will improve severely your today quality level performance and when you buy the new speakers these up-graded system not only will shines but you have to up-grade nothing else but maybe to check the treatment room/system and maybe too a second subwoofer.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.


nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
The young people which I have in mind (those that don't
already have kids) should ask chakster for advice and
not Raul. chakaster somehow menage to own decent
system(s) with modest means. 
vette5451's avatar
vette5451 OP
66 posts
 

Thought I would provide an update on my journey, since I enjoy reading other forum members updates. As a reminder I have/had $10k to spend now and tentatively another $10k mid year 2022.

I took the advice and upgraded speakers first. I decided on the Dynaudio Evoke 30. I also upgraded my amp to the Parasound A21+ since I knew the Dynaudio’s were power hungry.

The improvement in listening enjoyment was well worth the upgrade. The Dynaudio’s are so life-like and composed. The tweeter design definitely smooths the highs and I personally have not experienced listening fatigue, even while they were breaking-in. Very happy with this purchase.

The Parasound upgrade was another improvement with the dynamics and broadened soundstage.

i believe I’ll take the remaining $3,500 and invest in the Decware ZTPRE to replace the Vincent hybrid tube preamp.

For those interested in the journey, I’ll post an update once I decide on an upgraded tube preamp. I’m always open to suggestions as well and appreciate this forum.

Jim

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