Need advice for upgrading my analog setup


Hello,

I got into records 2 years ago and have been using ProJect Carbon Debut Evo with a Sumiko Rainier cartridge. It has served me great as my first table and a way to see if I would enjoy playing records. Well I do enjoy records. And my dad gave me all of his records too (he's a CD guy but never abandoned his collection when vinyl fell out of vogue).

Anyway, I'm planning to upgrade my entire analog setup and I'm very much a buy once , cry once kind of person. I'm looking at a SOTA Sapphire, Origin Live Zephyr tonearm, and a Soundsmith Zephyr Mk.III cartridge. Is this a good combination? Are there any other combinations of gear in the $6k range I should consider? I try to buy American as much as I can. I've looked at VPI but I like the look of SOTA much more.

Oh and I'm using a Darlington Labs MP-7 phono preamp that I'm happy with and don't plan on replacing.

Thanks for reading and helping me out.

thefrator

Oh, j.

As was stated in a previous thread, you are merely a mildly amusing, irrelevant distraction. You shall continue to be so until you are mature enough in your reading comprehension skills to understand basic facts lying within English language sentence parameters.

Now, in the spirit of not derailing this thread, I shall rid myself of any thought of you.

As an older dude, recommending something to a younger dude. I would spring for the better phono stage before investing in the expensive turntable. 
 

This way, when you make a change you get to hear it. 

@ghdprentice Is it possible that his existing phono stage may benefit from a better performing table setup? I ask because your suggestion would indicate that you believe his current preamp is “maxed” out and is incapable of sounding better if fed a cleaner signal. (Ignoring that he likes his phononstage and prefers to save that upgrade for down the road.)