SEEKING ADVICE: Which component would you upgrade first?

Hello, You are good. I would build up the money. I like the idea of a steamer but would buy an older BlueSound node 2i for $250. Here is the problem. The services will be more money unless you have an Amazon Prime account or a Spotify account already. My fear about you going to the NAD c3050 is I don’t think you will like the phono stage as much as your Pioneer. The cartridge and headshell idea is great but I would save up for at least a Hans SL. They do go on sale but does not include a headshell. I really doubt you will listen to your old cartridge once you go to the Hana. Save your money for now so you do not go down the rabbit hole. I think the cartridge will be first as long as your Pioneer can play moving coil cartridges. If not it does come as. Hana SH which will play in a moving magnet input. I hope this helped. What you should be asking a couple of these posters is what cheap tweaks can I do. Magester is a genius at this. There are guys here who have systems that don’t cost a lot but sound amazing according to them. I will take their word since I’m pretty sure they have heard expensive systems. 

Separate phono stage, in the +$500 range if you can swing it.

Isn't tap water anathema?

Record Spindle Spinner

grislybutter

2,064 posts

03-15-2024 at 12:36am 

@benanders 

the spindle spinner site is down. For $175 I found it a very costly deal compared to actual "standalone" mess and sink-free and vacuuming record cleaner

@grislybutter and @lukasread note the clarification: I was not suggesting that particular model as it’s absurdly (IMO) expensive. Please note note the suggestion I led with:

”…there are cheap, solid solutions from AliExpress and the like:”

They work excellent for less than $15-20 shipped, maybe more now as I haven’t checked in a while.

The link I provided was just for illustrative purposes as it was first up on a google image search. I didn’t look at the price of that particular model. I’m glad you brought up the link’s price @grislybutter , as I’d certainly not suggest paying more than a couple dozen bucks, at most, for such a simple and cheaply made device.

noromance

9,275 posts

03-15-2024 at 04:08am 

Isn't tap water anathema?

Record Spindle Spinner

@noromance that’s a fair query. Could be viewed that way, at least in hard water districts. If properly dried after a blast of water, I for one expect residual stuff should be insignificant. If it still feels unacceptable, but hundreds or thousands of dollars are not available for an automated approach, a tub and medium duty water pump could be devised on the cheap for use with recirculated distilled water.

I suggested [a cheap version of] that spindle disc + strong faucet as a solution that didn’t allocate OP’s whole upgrade budget to cleaning records, given the condition of the collection wasn’t disclosed. To me, learning people have LP’s and then suggesting a high cost cleaning solution is like telling people to add condiments to food they haven’t tasted: the advisor might feel need to do that him/herself and get enjoyment from it, but it probably won’t work best for everyone.
For most album collections I’ve seen, the pricey automated cleaners don’t seem like great investments (to me) based on a few factors.

Are jets of distilled water being used at LP pressing plants? Or is hard water being used from municipal taps, and that’s (part of) the reason some folks remark about poor QC in new pressings?

I doubt answers to those questions will be forthcoming. To me it’s just overthinking a useful-within-limits improvement process that shouldn’t cost much, if anything.

But I’ll reiterate that KORG device I mentioned (also available for cheaper in a more vintage-looking non-“R” version: KORG DS-DAC-10), or a self-rigged version with other gear + freeware described here and there online (if KORG’s software is not preferable) to digitize vinyl collections, could be a fun way to walk OP’s vintage kit into future playback opportunities.