Advice for a new analog system

Can I just say there are some other great decks at ur price:

Dohmann Helix 2

SME model 30 and the SME Anniversary (it may come with a Nagra phono stage but don’t quote me on that)

Technics Sl1000R - direct drive - remember they were one of the first DD designers and I recall the original VPI designer Harry Weisfield saying that to reproduce such a motor with the requisite tooling would cost about $30k

That’s just 3 beauties

@thoft I understand and appreciate your position on buying good quality equipment the first time around. This approach will likely save you money and definitely save you time. Some people enjoy the audio journey and others just want to get to their destination system. How each one of us gets there is as unique as the system we end up with. No right or wrong way. Doing research is a smart way forward and good first step either way.

Being in the audio business for over a couple of decades, we have been fortunate to sample lots of equipment, some great and some not so much.

The VPI Avenger Direct is an excellent TT and a great choice if you decide to buy one. High quality DD turntables provide a strong stable foundation for the rest of your future analog setup. The Avenger Direct is very well made and will provide you that stable foundation for many years. I am not affiliated with VPI in any way.

I suggest looking into something a bit different for a cartridge/phono preamp combo. The DS Audio Optical cartridge system and the Sound-smith Strain Gauge system. Both are excellent and top performers. Besides their great SQ they offer another benefit that you might appreciate, they both have their own electronics with line level outputs. The electronics are designed specifically for their cartridges. No need to worry about cartridge phono-preamp compatibility. We find that it takes a considerably larger investment to equal these system in performance with cartridge/phono-preamp combos.

Mike

Again I want to thank you for all your comments, they have enriched me tremendously. I am taking my time before moving my chips, I will certainly tell you and share with you my decisions and the system acquired.

@ftrot Please let us know how any demonstrations received from a Particular Permutation of TT>Tonearm>Cart', especially how the presentation from the Vinyl System was perceived, and whether it was a attraction or detraction to your unique preference.

A Few Demo's of the few different Set Ups may help steer you toward, the presentation you prefer. A design of a Phonostage will also be a critical factor in the experiencing of a replay that is to be assessed as extremely satisfying to yourself and wanted to be maintained to such a standard.

The Discovering the Devices that create the most attractive presentation for you, may be a little more of a future find, but will be well worth the extended period of search when the most attractive experiences for yourself are discovered.   

I would caution that while I would agree largely with @rauliruegas with both his recommendations on Simaudio and the PS Audio Stellar Phono, the performance is relative to their price points. The Stellar Phono is one of the best solid state phono stages at its price point, but in my experience a number of phono stages in the $3K+ range easily bested it. For a solid state phono, I found it neither to be the quietest nor the most exciting, but it was still very good. In my experience, the Simaudio 610LP or even better, the 810LP, are leagues above in performance, albeit at exponentially higher price points.