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Do I buy an upscale TT?

I recently heard a $50K TT at a friend’s and was floored by the performance.


It was a sound from a system I have never heard.

I have a very nice Woodsong Garrard 301, Tri-Planar arm and Grado Epoch 3 cartridge. Going into an Atma-Sphere MP-1 pre wt phono.

Discovered an affordable TT based on the Legendary Commonwealth idler drive TT (said to be among the best). One is $8500 and the other more elaborate one is $15K.

And there is another highly modified brass Garrard 401 for $10K. (said to be as good as the Commonwealth)

The big question is whether or not I am going to be pleased with the improvement in sound? There will certainly be a lot of hassle to change TTs!

mglik
whart's avatar
whart
3,057 posts
 

@pennfootball71 - sounds like you met Bill Parish. :)

mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 

@fsonicsmith  A great tonearm with a great cartridge on a competent drive will do the trick. You have to consider the cartridge and tonearm as one unit.

The variation in the quality of cartridges is quite substantial. The more expensive cartridges are more carefully constructed with better components especially diamonds. Some cartridge companies like Lyra, MSL and Ortofon maintain their quality as you go down line, others most definitely do not like Audio Technica. I mention these companies because I have the most experience with them. 

clearthinker's avatar
clearthinker
1,582 posts
 

Audio Technica ART1000 is a great cartridge, possibly the best I have.  And I have three high end Ortofons, A95, Anna and Verismo. 

dadawada's avatar
dadawada
27 posts
 

Doesn't it really start with the stylus / cartridge?

pindac's avatar
pindac
2,864 posts
 

@clearthinker I am wed to Ortofon and have recently become quite interested in the Verismo, it is no longer a curiosity, I would like to experience.

I have a good recollection of a A95 in use and am very familiar with a Windfeld PR in use, but can't recall encountering the Anna.

The Verismo is the one I am now looking on as the cutting edge for the Ortofon Design, it does make it known newer materials are in use for parts that have a critical function.

I am also going to get myself a demonstration of a MSL Platinum and Mutech Hayabusa.

The Verismo and Hayabusa, are the two I suspect, that will the shortlist to be decided on. It would have been nice if more was available, but getting a demonstration of a Cart' comes with challenges.

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