Advice on next step for vinyl chain


Hi everyone. I have been listening to digital and working on my digital setup for a few years now. Recently I inherited an old Kenwood turntable and I have a pretty large record collection from earlier years. I have been trying to set up a vinyl chain. It has been a real joy - even liked the pops and scratches at first. Can I ask some advice about cartridge choice, or even whether a new cartridge is the way to go? The current chain is: Kenwood KD-5070, Ortofon Blue MM cartridge, Parasound JC3+ phono pre, ARC LS25 II preamp, McIntosh MC 462 power amp, either B and W 803 matrix II or Celestion 700 speakers. The B annd W are a bit sharp and fatiguing, so I will be looking to switch to other speakers before long, something with the upper end of the Celestions but with bass (Harbeth?). I listen to big classical, chamber, classic rock, jazz, opera…

The gain on the vinyl chain is high. Have to keep the pre almost all the way down. The ARC is marginally better than using a passive pre. Thinking a moving coil would be a real improvement. Is that the way to go? Which cartridge would be a match? Thanks a lot for your help. 

arhgef

Test. I am being blocked and wondering if it is the link I wanted to show you. 

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OP I have both SL and ML Hana . The SL is very musical and exciting to listen in my system.The ML is more refine.

Like you, I don't see a way to adjust arm height (which is how you adjust VTA). But, it's a nice TT.

When the stylus is down in the groove, IF the arm is parallel to the LP, that's generally good enough.

Cartridge body height/stylus suspension, can vary,

IF the arm slopes down at the front, shims can be used to lower the cartridge/raise the arm.

IF arm is high in the front, you can try to find a cartridge with smaller (total) playing height.

total height varies because some stylus/suspension combinations are 'low riders', the stylus just below the cartridge's body, little clearance; others, the stylus/suspension has more clearance while playing. 

Cartridge height variations are a big reason to have easy arm height adjustment.