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
I just want to clarify, my comments above were related to a novice, and upgrading cartridge 1st. After reaching a level of very good sounding cartridge, AND acquiring alignment tools/skills: it's time to upgrade the TT, and deal with the complications of a new arm, (especially acquiring my preference for a removable headshell, so many TT's come with fixed arms). After than, no longer a novice, and acquiring a successful phono stage, it's back to cartridge refinement. |
@OP - is your turntable a TT16 or 15 as I cannot find any references to a Marantz TT16 - perhaps you could post a picture which would allow a more precise response to be given. Answering generically - yes, a better turntable and arm can make a big difference. The Linn philosophy was taken to extremes, with people running LP12s with Ittok arms and cheap K9 cartridges and getting pretty poor sound from a large investment. However, with due regard to upgrading a system in a balanced way, better turntables do make a difference - more resolution, better pitch stability, more bass extension, blacker backgrounds, better control of surface noise etc. |
@joshindc I should have pointed out that as each listening environment is unique in the way energy is transferred through it, there is not really a ubiquitous method to prevent the most harmful of these energies being transferred to the TT>TA>Cart', hence the suggestion to trial different devices, materials and configurations for these. A very expensive Sub-Support can be purchased, but the devices in use are not a surety that the usage is going to create anything that is noticeably a betterment over a design using an assembly of materials that have shown as a support structure the sonic has been tidied up and is a more attractive presentation for the end user. When it comes to the subject of working to create a structure that enables the Cartridge, especially the Styli's interface within the Vinyl Groove, to only send as a signal, the embedded data detected as a modulation is passed, there is not too much tinkering that can be done if the purest of signal is the desired goal to be sent on through the Signal Path of the System. If this aspect of using Vinyl as a source material is overlooked, the use of the trilogy of supporting ancillaries is most likely being substantially compromised, making their Value as a purchase seemingly a wasteful expense. As said, if something along these lines is undertaken, and benefits discovered will transfer through to any equipment changes made to the Supporting Trilogy for using Vinyl as a source.
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