Need to re-discover analog - please help

"The present system, to which must now obligatorily be added a turntable: EMM DCC2/CDSD; Atma-Sphere Line-stage MP-1 MkII, Atma-Sphere MA 2.2 modified (27 tubes each); Kharma 3.2; Indra Stealth i/cs; PAD Dominus i/cs and S/Cs (Rev C & B)."

1.) Well, you've spilled the beans and you're not gettin' away for just a couple thousand bucks!
2.) And, if you DO spend the money necessary to add analog components commensurate with the quality of the rest of your system, you WILL
3.) "get totally hooked and go bonkers.........."
4.) and just who do you think you're kidding calling your digital set-up "ancillary"?

OK

TURNTABLE: Rockport Sirius, Goldmund Reference (if you can find one), and if you want to "cheap out," then the big SME, VPI, Simon Yorke or Walker Procenium.

TONEARM: (depending on TT of course) SME V, TriPlanar, Air Tangent or Eminent Technology (if you like messing with air pumps -- might as well get an aquarium while you're at it!) the Graham 2.2 (or new Phantom), Morch. Unipivot TA's are fine but in my opinion they limit your choice of cartridges (and I know that remark will raise a stink!)

CARTRIDGES: (in no particular order) Allaerts Finish, Transfiguration W (I own one) vdH Colibri or Black Beauty Special x, Magic Diamond (this years' darling), ZYX Universe, Lyra Titan. The Lyra and Transfig have the most advanced motor-generator design. Either from personal experience, or review, these are all snappy cartridges and would bring out the best in your existing system.

PHONO CABLES: PAD, definitely! I can only afford Venustas, but you obviously have a Dominus budget!

PHONO PREAMP: That's a toughie. You're already toobed-out, so it wouldn't hurt to get a really great SS step up device. I guess you'd have to work this choice back and forth with your choice of cartridge. I don't recommend step up transformers though. They were fine once upon a time, but now cartridges have improved beyond the ability of a transformer to keep up with their (the cartridges') transient response. (Some may disagree with me.) I have a Mark Levinson 25s, and I'm not tellin' ya where I live! BTW if your preamp has XLR inputs, I'd definitely suggest getting a phono preamp with XLR ins and outs. Phono cartridges are inherently balanced output devices, so why not!? (and PAD can make you some really nice XLR phono cables.) Of current offerings, well, let's not discuss the Boulder. I'm sure it's great but I never heard one, and besides, you WERE planning to buy a few more records in addition to the ones your Mom left, no? I would check out the Manley, Tom Evans Groove or EAR for starters, and if one of those doesn't do it for you, try the other Stereophile Class A units.

AUTOMATIC VACUUM RECORD CLEANING MACHINE: You pick one.

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Thanks, Lugnut. After only a few hours of scanning the fora, I thought the ZYX too. Which one? Any suggestions for phono preamp? Stupid question if you dont mind: What depth must I allow for the turntable (I cant move the existing cabinet and have 17". Is that enough?)

You guys never disappoint! Thanks a whole lot, Nsgarch! I now have a primer to go after, but I haven't tallied the budget of what you suggest. My Dominus budget has dried up, besides which, I never bought Dominus new, but was lucky to find used. I hope I dont end up having to sell my EMM gear and all the CDs:)

for phono i recommend the aesthetix io signature (which i own). can't get too many toobes. on the cartridge: your love of classical music should, in my experience, compel your audition of the upper range of koestu's.

Springbox10 the Denon DL-103 is still available and has something of a cult following. I find it quite special in that it performs better than it should for the price ($180).

Of course you can spend much more on a cartridge if you wish - Patrick's recommendation of Zyx is sound - the RS100 Yatra or Fuji (high output versions) are great at around $750 -$1100 if you source in Asia (ask off list for supplier info). Also consider the Shelter 501.

For a tonearm, the leading candidates are Expressimo's modified Rega RB250 ($650), the Morch DP-6 ($1490) and the Schroeder Model 2 ($2250).

If you have a turntable that delivers speed stability and is non-resonant then a high quality tonearm will really help your cartridge sing. A Schroeder/DL-103 combo is very synergistic.

Teres have a phenomenal reputation, although I haven't heard one yet. If you are mechanically competent you can pick up an old Lenco L75 (see the "Building high end 'tables cheap at Home Despot" thread here) or a Thorens TD150/125 and do some tweaks that are well documented on the net.

Other tables to consider if they are sold in your country are the Amazon One and the dps.

If you're not into collecting brand names or bragging about price tags, a DL-103/Expressimo/Lenco could be yours for around $1000 including the wood to build a solid plinth.