2. analog
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Need to re-discover analog - please help

Like the short-sighted, lazy, modern moron that I am, I threw away all my LPs and turntable when I got hooked on my first decent CDP, a Kinergetics Platinum KD-40, 15 years ago. Because it was easier to take care of CDs. Now, my mother who was a musician, and had a classical collection of about 200 really absolutely great recordings, collected from the 1940s til the 80s, has left me her collection. They just have to be preserved, played and savored. I need an analog set-up that will a) do them justice and b) not sound noticeably "worse" compared to the digital set-up I am now used to. My analog set-up that I discarded (I know, I know.........please dont rub it in, what's done is done.) was a Denon 103D and Sony PS-800 linear tracking TT and also a Kenwood marble platter with SME tone-arm and also Denon 103 D cartridge and circa 1980 PS Audio MC phono stage.
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).

I tried MM cartridges before - Dynavector,Ortofon,Shure V15 iv - but only liked the MC Denon 103D - so would prefer that MC "sound".

I have not kept up with the analog market, nor new equipment, and am totally ignorant about the components but would greatly appreciate input as to what TT, tone-arm, cartridge and phono preamp to get that would neither bankrupt me nor do the wonderful collection my mother left me a disservice, nor my ear that is now spoiled by the pretty "good" digital, ancillary set-up I have. Nor, obviously, sound "inferior" to the CDs:)

What sort of a budget am I looking at to keep the system within the overall quality of the associated equipment that I have, without going crazy, since i will still mostly be listening to CDs (unless i get totally hooked and go bonkers..........)?

I listen to classical 90% of the time and 95% of her collection is classical.

As always, I appreciate your advice.
springbok10
springbok10 OP
711 posts
 

Thanks for the Rhea suggestion,, Rush. I will call Larry and Mehran on Monday. The Rhea sounds ideal, but, unfortunately, takes up a large amount of real estate (18" deep) which is not available in my set-up. Too bad, as there is a barely used one on A'gon. WAF will not allow for a new piece of furniture, nor will the budget, which, from the suggestions above, will probably mean getting rid of a whole smaller ancillary digital system in another room. But you vinyl guys obviously think that's OK - and I'll let you know in a few months if you were right:)
By the way, to all of you, to whom I am very grateful, I want simple, so no air pumps or Linn Sondek type "difficult to set up" arrangements - less fussing the better. No exceptional tweaky units - I want instant or semi-instant vinyl voodoo! And my TT and tonearm should be less than $3K, cartridge less than $2K and phono stage about the same. Total of about $7-8K, I guess.
How about VPI Aries Scoutmaster + JMW-9 toneram,ZYX, + a phono preamp to be determined. I need more suggestions of balanced outs that would mate with the MP-1 and a ZYX cartridge, please, for about $2K?
rushton's avatar
rushton
2,445 posts
 
Springbok10, if space is at a premium thereby excluding the Rhea, you really might want to consider sending your Atma-Sphere MP-1 back to Ralph for him to add the phono section. Ralph is very much a vinyl guy. Scott Markwell was pretty complimentary of the MP-1's phono section when he awarded it a 2002 Golden Ear Award in TAS, saying:
"It also handily surpasses the Jadis [JP80 MC preamplifier] in frequency extension at both extremes and has even greater dynamic wallop, with the best 3-D soundstaging I have heard. To me, the MP-1 Mk II is a glorified phono section with the bonus of line-input capability." http://www.atma-sphere.com/reviews/tas/m60mp1/index.html
The Jadis JP80 to which he's comparing is a pretty doggone good full function preamp with an excllent phono stage. Updating the MP-1 might be your most cost effective option, too.
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springbok10 OP
711 posts
 
Add phonostage to MP-1 - that's exactly what Larry at Hollywood Sound said and didn't even want to debate the issue: synergy, less cables, no more searching. I was impressed that as far as he was concerned that was so obvious as to exclude any discussion. No-nonsense, upfront guy, Larry. I was speaking more of my innate reluctance to entrust any equipment to the vagaries of our national carriers - FedEx and UPS. I'll persuade Bax Global - they rarely mess up. Ok, one down, thanks, Rush. He (Larry) suggested Nottingham and Helicon (Lyra). Both he and another Vinyl Dealer thought I would be underwhelmed by the Scoutmaster. Origin Live with an Illustrious/Encounter tonearms the other suggestion.
Comments?
rushton's avatar
rushton
2,445 posts
 
Another shipping option might be Adcom Worldwide, regularly used by Atma-Sphere.

I'll stand by my VPI Scoutmaster suggestion for anywhere near the same investment. For resolution of complex orchestral music, it does a very good job.
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nsgarch's avatar
nsgarch
2,524 posts
 
Springbok10 -- I'm glad someone else suggested a Helicon, and I suggest you compare it to the only other (current) cartridge that can match it technologically, the Transfiguration Temper W. In fact you can read an excellent review of those two plus the Audio Techne in the June 2003 Stereophile.

I think adding a phonostage to the MP-1 is a terrific idea, however, can it be a high gain MC phonostage, or will you need a step-up transformer as well?
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