$800 Cartridge Shootout and Upgrade Path

Chris,

My upgrade path has been a long, but determined one. It’s not easy scraping up the money to buy the next component despite my comfortable salary and lifestyle. Audio is damn expensive, but is only eclipsed by cars and jewelry. Thank God my wife exercises considerable control when it comes to buying jewelry for herself in the same way I exercise restraint with all things audio.

Your friend will need to find a good integrated amp to replace that receiver. How much is he willing to spend? Plinius makes an outstanding integrated that’s not to absurdly expensive, but then again, one cannot beat the sound of a Jolida, which I would recommend highly.

You’re right about the addiction. Most people show considerable restraint when it comes to buying audio gear. Usually they buy the cheapest component that will get the job done, and no more. I seem to be the opposite: I dream about the best possible sound for the money, and then I stretch my budget even further until my head is in the clouds, but my bank account is in the dregs, so to speak. I reach for the highest rung, but it’s really amazing how high and costly that rung has become. One would have to be a multimillionaire to be able to afford many of the components reviewed in Stereophile these days.

I am going to give some of the Black Diamond products a try to see if they improve the sound of my system to any appreciable degree. But I remain a little skeptical.

>>And yes, I feel that I am totally insane to be thinking of spending this much on audio.<<

I agree totally, so much so, that I am rethinking my analog decision. Spending $6,000 on an analog front end is too much and I don’t feel too comfortable about it even though I can afford it. I also need to buy a phono stage and two or more amps for my system. As I was adding up the cost, the price was starting to creep upwards of $20,000 in additional expenditures! Wow! So I took a long cold shower.

So what will be my new choices? Well, I started looking at the VPI Scoutmaster with the Origin Live Encounter tonearm or the Thorens TD 850BC with the same arm. But I think the Scoutmaster will need a special arm board for the OL tonearm, and the Thorens looks cheap to me. So then I went back to the Teres 160, and that’s what I will buy. My analog front end will now have a Teres 160 turntable ($2,250), an Origin Live Encounter arm ($1,500), and a Shelter 501 II cartridge ($800). The total price will be $4,550, only $50 over my original budget. I think I can live with that!

In all likelihood, I would not be able to tell the difference between the Teres 160 and the 255. The only difference between the two is the hardwood used in the plinth; everything else is the same. Not only that, if Dsiggia uses a Teres 160 (and his system is great!), then it ought to be good enough for me!

That’s my very latest thinking. Now I will have enough money to finish the rest of my system by June or July of 2005! Whoopee!

According to Twl, who should know, an Encounter is barely better than a HIFI-modded Silver, which sells for nearly $600 less. In your present circumstnces that seems like an even more reasonable solution.

Artar, thanks for the kind system compliment. I think you'll be ecstatic with your front end. I will also add that you can place a want ad on the Gon for a OL Silver Mk I (easier to add the TWL mod) & purchase this arm used for about $600-$650, another significant decrease in cost. You won't lose a penny if you decide to re-sell this arm.

I may have missed it earlier in the thread, but what's your budget for a phono preamp? What are you considering?

Dsiggia,

In regards to the phono preamp, I am willing to spend up to $2,000. In a previous post I mentioned some of the phono stages that have caught my eye. To this list I have added a few more:

1. GSP ERA Gold V with either the GSP Elevator, or Bent Audio Mu step-us transformer ($1,750 to $1,952)

2. K&K Audio SE Stereo Phono Kit ($1,500)

3. Wright Sound Company WWP 200C with the WMT 100 Step-up Transformer, or Bent Audio Mu step-us transformer ($1,100 to $1,650)

4. AcousTech PH-1 Premium ($1,500)

5. Klyne phono board added to my current line stage ($2,000)

The K&K is very popular; both 4yanx and Ozzy62 use one in their systems. Amandarae uses the Wright Sound Company phono stage and seems to like it very much. The Klyne was reviewed by Larry Kay in Fi Magazine.

(http://www.klyne.com/pages/reviews.html)

Both the GSP and AcousTech are rated “Class A” in Stereophile for what it’s worth.

I appreciate any input you might have on this topic.

Thanks.

Hi Doug,

If I go with an OL arm, it will be an Encounter or higher. I will pass on the Silver.