I am enjoying my analog system, but what can I do to improve?

I think the AMG Viella 12 is a great bang for the buck TT at about 4X the price of a 1200G

"chungjh OP

Ok, let’s pose a hypothetical question regarding TTs. What would you says is a great bang for the buck TT above the 1200G level/quality? Let’s limit to TTs that one has actually heard and not just read about."

As many of you have suggested the weakness in my system is speakers and source. Changing those components may be expensive and will require a lot of research. I was thinking whether adding a TT isolation platform will be the biggest bang for the buck. What do you all think?

Dear @chungjh  : " the weakness in my system is speakers and source. "

That's a big misunderstood that you have because the speakers are not only good but hard to beat and are mated with a very good amplifier and certainly your source is not the weakness link and yes it needs a good plattform and the tonearm internal rewiring and all what is posted here around that source.

You have to remember that in any audio system the source is something we like to improve even if in reality is not the weak link.

The true/real weak link in your system is  that transformer coupled preamp that " destroy " the signal adding any kind of distortions that no matters what degrades the source audio signal as no other link in that system chain.

You can change the source or speakers and the sound will be different but not necessarily better because the audio signal must pass for that terrible preamp.

First change the preamp weak link and mate the amp with a Pass preamp and after this change and after a some 50-60 hours of play you can decide with better knowledge where in the room/system you need to make a change or maybe you don't need it at all.

Rigth now your evaluation of the weak system links is wrong and this is not a matters of opinions but common sense:

look which of the gentlemans in this thread or which true audiophile could be " happy "/satisfied or accepted that the audio signal pass through a coupled transformers in any preamp having way better option?

With all respect to you and for what your posts in the thread showed about your knowledge levels these levels unfortunatelly for you still are lower than what you think and not ready to take a decision about. Obviously is up to you and you can stay with that BS of preamp and change the source/speakers.

Obviously that the corrupted AHEE ( where all of us belong. ) is ready to " help " you with your source/phono.

R.

@clearthink  : so what?

I recently got the Benchmark LA4 preamp. It sounds punchier and more dynamic than Allnic, so I returned the Allnic. On some streaming music, LA4 sounds slightly more etched, however. I guess you have to live with some compromises.

Dear @chungjh  : At its prie tag your LA4  solid state preamp is really an achievement and a challenge for almost any preamp out there. Very carefully designed and with high knowledge and skills levels.

" 

Benchmark's LA4 is the widest-bandwidth, widest-dynamic-range, lowest-noise, lowest-distortion preamplifier I have encountered.—John Atkinson "

and the unit works in the analog domain.

Take enough play hours with in your system to " understand " the whole improvements and then play again with changes in your seat position and tyny changes in the speaker position. With what you have you need to fine tunning your room/system and then you will know if you need or want to try a " better " cartridge or the like. Enjoy what you have, enjoy MUSIC.

R.