Advice for a new analog system

Dear @ftrot  : Why 34K for a TT' makes no sense to me when there are a way lower price units that could outperforms your thread choice or choices coming from other gentelmans. 

 

My take is to put money accpording what the market best offers you on each audio item.

I know that the Agoners that know me could be " tired " with my TT option that in this thread was named only one time.

M.Fremer reviewed the SAT DD XD-1 turntable with SAT tonearm where the whole package set you back almost 300K and cartridges where the Lyra Atlas Lambda SL and Ortofon Century and he posted there:

 

" The XD1 shares some sonic characteristics with Rega's revolutionary RP 10 turntable: ultrafast, clean transients throughout the audible frequency range; tight, fast bass; revealing midrange transparency; and overall sonic stability and focus. All these characteristics result, apparently, from careful attention paid to structural rigidity and the removal or prevention of unwanted vibrational energy. "

 

in other reviews the Rega had mounted that Lyra too. Well including own excellent Rega tonearm ( not 12" tonearm that's a " myth " an error to own it. ) you pay less than 6K. You have in the Rega package two excellent audio items: TT and tonearm for the same price.

 

Cj or AR phonopreamps?, please don't waist your money. Remember your thread premise:

" I prefer the short cut of a single investment for life. "

 

You can go for one of this options: SimsAudio, Channel D , DSA or the phonolinepreamp Dartzeel ( phono and line preamp in one unit for 40K ). No tube phono stage can " touch " or stays " near " of those SS units and for very good reasons.

You need invest for the best you can in the phonolinepreamp because this unit is the one that must handled the cartridge critical and sensitive recorded signal and the unit not only has to amplify that extremely low output signal but has to do it with extremely low noise and low developed distortions. Additional to that in the phono stage the cartridge signal must pass through a heavy equalization with the inverse RIAA eq.curve that " manipulates " the cartridge signal from around -20db to +20db, this is a 40db swing ! ! ! and that RIAA eq. implementation must be designed  with a frequency response deviation inside no more than 0.1db. This figure is critical.

Cartridge? I agree with @mijostyn  and My Sonic Lab , Ortofon and I could add low output Colibri by VDH ( no more than 0.35mv output level. ), yes could be other options.

 

Well , that's my tak but at the end is up to you.

 

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.

 

 

So many you can choose from that price range , be sure you want stay longer in that game. Go check dealer and talk to them ,sure they will want to help and make business with you even can bring to you to Audition it . VPI ,Basis ,Kuzma at my fav. 
Either DD ,belt or even idler vintage is your choice. Good luck at your journey

@edgyhassle 

 

Thanks, man.  I've found one can put together an end-game vinyl system without spending the kind of money you would spend on an automobile.  I really like the Rega P8 and P10 -- insanely good turntables.

@ftrot  : If you want another excellent " price no object " audio item as the RP-10 then you can look for the PS Audio Stellar phono stage that indeed is Stellar. 

Stereophile reviewed and compared against the top Swiss CH that comes with a price tag over 70+K when the Stellar is lower than 3K and yes this one is " price no object ". Read it the review and please read to the measurements that several audiophiles diminish always:

 

PS Audio Stellar Phono phono preamplifier | Stereophile.com

 

R.

I think at times @ftrot many contributors to posts are not appreciative that questions are posed by people who are high net worth individuals who do not have the time to through a lengthy process of going up through various turntables over the years to find out (fun though it is for a less flush guy like me)

I can see your heart appears set, but apply the same budget on very strict terms and see what else is available and factor in the price of a good record cleaning machine (your cartridge would thank you for it - mine do)

At your price point you are getting into some seriously juicy turntables both new and second hand (don't dismiss it because ultra expensive audio takes the biggest price drop and they are never trashed from what I have seen).