Does a turntable make a DRAMATIC difference?
I purchased some analog gear in the hopes of making my analog side (a Sutherland 20 20 phono preamplifier and a Hana ML cartridge) at least the equal of my digital side. Although it has markedly improved the sound of my records it has not equaled the SQ of my digital sources. I know my turntable ( a heavily modified Rega RP3 with two power supplies and many other internal tweaks) is the weakest link. My question is, will a new improved turntable make a MAJOR difference, or just incrementally improve the sound. Or do I have to spend major bucks to achieve what I want.
Everyone's definition of "DRAMATIC" is going to be different. A "heavily modified" Rega will be left in the dust against a P8/10. I wouldn't bother with non Rega carts, since they're optimized for its own arm. If you didn't purchase the cart yet-Apheta. 3 screws and set tracking force-you're done. Rega is definitely a "just enjoy music on LPs" kinda table.
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Interesting question. At the surface, yes absolutely. Audiophile tables and associated gear are a real step up ($5K level is trounced by $10k level, which is trounced by the $20K level, which… you get the idea. But..
You should be getting very good performance out of what you have. While at the budget / mid-fi side of things, it should sound better. This is where vinyl really gives digital the run for the money. I agree mostly with @newbee. Initial setup needs to be done right. I disagree about maintenance. There should be no maintenance in between cartridges. Sounds like we agree on audio equipment. I don’t want to fiddle, just listen to music. That is what I do. I would not mod anything. I don’t touch it, except to use.
I recommend finding a competent dealer. Pay him to come out and optimize your system. I know the perfect guy if you live around Portland Oregon. I could see this being a “would you optimize”… “wow that sounds great”… “I’d like to upgrade”. My rule of thumb is 2x to 3x cost. If I were you I would upgrade table… I used to have a low level Rega. It did not last long in my system. I now have a Linn LP12. I love the sound and the fact that I can do incremental upgrades to bring it up to a high end $30K table (mine is close). My dealer loves turntables… he loves setting them up, and knows exactly what it should sound like. If I want an upgrade he comes out (spends the afternoon chatting with me) and brings it back with upgrades, verifies it sounds perfect. Did I mention it is a good thing to have a good relationship with your dealer?
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Unfortunately, there is a dearth of customer oriented dealers in my area (Long Island, NY). I get the feeling that all they want is your money. It’s a very major metropolitan area. You would think it would be different. I get envious reading here about dealers in smaller markets that are so solicitous. |
