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Does a record player make that much of a difference??

Question for all you Audionerds - in your experience, how much of a difference does one record player make over the next compared with the differences that a cartridge, phone pre-amp, and separate head amp make in the signal chain?

Reason I ask: I just upgraded from a MM cart to a MC cart (Dynavector 20x2-low output). Huge difference - the Dynavector sounds much more alive and detailed compared with the MM. I find my current record player (a Marantz TT16) to be a real pain to work with - I have to manually move the belt on the motor hub to change speeds, and the arm is not very adjustable or easy to do so. But, aside from that, it's not terrible. How much of a difference can I really expect if I upgrade to a better record spinner vs the change I heard from upgrading to a better cart? 

My next acquisition is a separate head amp to feed the phono stage.

Thanks for all your insights!

Josh

128x128joshindc
eryoung2k
89 posts
 

Well my Mofi Deck came today, got it all hooked up and I can 100% say that it sounds So much Better than my ATLP120usb!! Night and day, I have listened to The Doors Alive She Cried (1st pressing) and Led Zeppelin lll (1st pressing) and I swear I heard things i’ve never heard before. Just fuller sound. Just Amazing!  Incredible build quality as well!  Will break it in better Friday and Saturday night with some proper beverages (I will be careful!!!)

inna
7,296 posts
 

Tonearm/cartridge unit.. 

So how exactly can one find the best possible tonearm/cartridge match to create that perfect unit ?

tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,950 posts
 

Part science, black art, and luck…. along with an exploratory spirit

inna
7,296 posts
 

That's a great answer. About one million or so possibilities.

puptent's avatar
puptent
194 posts
 

I'm wondering if your phono pre-amp and turntable and arm aren't playing catch up with the new cartridge? I went the other way, improving TT, then arm, then in a position to invest in cart and pre. My second and third system are more "generic", but the main system has been upgraded a piece at at time for a very long time. The "better" the TT, it seems, the more intricate proper set up becomes, and the more critical the set-up becomes. At a certain level, and 2K plus TT's are getting close, the improvements are incremental, and require more attention. And the chance things go sideways increases (how I discovered the importance of tracking angle and MC carts). BTW an interchangeable head shell systems can be an error factory.. When I change a headshell/cart I still do full align (I align the cantilever)....just to be sure.    never assume. Just one of the reasons I have dedicated Mono and Stereo TT's.

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