critique my setup -- weak link? best way to improve?


I just put together my first turntable setup after many years of listening to CDs only. It sounds pretty good -- good enough that I'm curious how to make it better. (: What weak link(s) do you see in this system? Where is the best bang for the buck?

Between the two of us we listen to a wide range of styles (symphony, choral, folk, indie, dark wave, metal). The one constraint is that the speakers can't be larger than about 20" tall and need to stand on a wooden sideboard/console type thing.

The setup:

Pro-ject T1 with built in phono stage

Luminous Axiom passive preamp

Rotel RB-1070 power amp

Blue Jeans interconnects

Klipsch KG2.2 speakers

Amazon Basics 12Ga speaker wire, Monoprice banana connectors

matthijs

@matthijs with an OM10 you won’t get much benefit changing to something like a 2M Red. There are OM upgrades but I’ve never tried beyond a 10. When you change next time (if you like ortofon) it might be worth going to a 2M base. You can fit any of them (blue, bronze, black) to the base for a 2M red / Pro-ject Pick-it. I have even used a 2M black LVB on a red base, though you lose some sensitivity. I would go to at least a Bronze and then consider a LVB 2M Black (or later model) as the bronze gives the upgraded cartridge base.

In the phono stage / preamp. if you want to do multiple steps then as @emergingsoul said the Schiit are very good value. If you wanted to put in a phono stage for a large proportion of your first years budget but one which you wouldn’t need to change until you’d considered spending $4k+ on a turntable+cartridge and have $6k+ on amp and speakers. Then I would strongly suggest a Whest two.2 if you bought used directly from Whest (£1,150 / $1,500) . Is that a lot to spend? Yes, but it can make an OM10 / 2M red sing and will mean you get everything out of any cartridge upgrade until the levels noted above and even then will beat $2500 and above stages. I suggest you look at the testimonials on the Whest site against comparably priced and higher stages. You will find write-ups on all levels of stages, but having test from the one noted right through 30s 40SE’s to Titan and MC Ref Series all of the high end trickles into the entry level models.

There is also a Whest two.2 dual mono on US Audio Mart at the moment for $1195, that is the next one up and (always noting the risks of SH) is a great stage for that money.

@squared80 -

"Don’t listen to people telling you to "upgrade" those cables. They don’t believe in science and quantifiable facts. You’re 12AWG is way more than enough as long as it’s simple OFC. No cable will ever sound better."

     Yet another example of willful ignorance, or- just your ignorance of the truth/facts/science, gleaned since the 1800’s, regarding electricity?

                                  Either way: a SNORT (of derision)!

Seems most want to flaunt personal experiences rather than address the OP's question 

 

Other information that is not known, is how the TT is mounted?

Is the TT sharing the same structure as a seating the Speakers are seated on?

Speakers at 20"s Tall will usually be mounted on a Stand or Sub Plinth and Stand that is typically not much more than 24"s inches in height, but usually between 18" - 24" depending on the height that is ideal for the Tweeter. Usually the Tweeter is a little above ear level or on the same height level as the ear, when stands are being selected.

As a conjecture, is the Side Board 36"s ?

Are the Speakers Toed on the Longitudinal Plane if the Tweeter is too high, in conjunction with being Toed on the Lateral Plane? Getting this alignment correct will take a additional amount of tweaks, and Pads as footers on a Speaker are not offering the finesse of adjustments that may be required. A Sub Plinth under the Speakers will always being a improvement to how tidy a Cabinet Speaker End Sound is being perceived. In this case it can be suggested a Sub Plinth with Footers that offer a broad range of adjustment will be the best suited design. The Pads already in use will be useful for the Speaker on the Sub Plinth, but again I strongly suggest a suspension type footer for this role.

Getting the mounting method correct will be beneficial to any Speaker put in to service, the time spent will be future proofing.

The TT is much much more sensitive and getting the mounting structure correct for creating the environment the stylus function at it best will yield great rewards, again getting this correct for the environment the TT is set up in will be extremely beneficial if changes are made for a TT further down the road.

Both the above mounting methods are not going to cost much monies, there are DIY designs that are extremely effective, the main cost could be how it is appealing aesthetically. On a Cabinet, a method to keep costs down, I would suggest looking at Kiln Dried Sand Filled Plinths.       

Seems most want to flaunt personal experiences rather than address the OP's question

when is not the case? Not only that, people sometimes just post links to what they are selling. Still, if you post a focused question, you will get a lot of useful advice