My digital front end outdoes my analog.....

NsGarch- you wrote: ET, don't take my word for it; just look up the MC vs. MM gain specifications for any preamp with a built-in MM/MC phono section, or any phono preamp that accomodates both MM and MC, and you will see what I'm talking about.

But I'm using a passive linestage! This changes everything. I do need tons of gain even with my high output MM.

ET

'troid, I do understand you're position. I just think your thread title doesn't accurately describe your situation. I still think for the ~$3K investment you have made in SACD that you can better/equal it. But I don't think it is worth futzing with the table/arm/cart (as a combo) that you have now. The passive pre you have chosen could be an impediment to a better analog front end, but I'll admit to a biased thinking here. I understand passive as a better solution for digital sources. I'll also admit that I don't have extensive hands-on exerience with passive and digital. It just seems that you've chosen a solution that works pretty well for digital but that may work against getting enjoyment from analog. Hopefully, someone with more experience in this area will chime in.

I am in agreement with trying to keep up with new releases and the available formats. Again, this is a different issue than what the thread title would have the reader believe. Myself, I would look to CD first and then DVD-A. I have heard some very good SACD but nothing that improves on redbook to even the slightest degree.

You're asking how can I still love vinyl because I can't get all new releases in that format. No disrespect, but to even ask that question proves you don't appreciate that which is available now on vinyl, even used vinyl. If this is the point you're after then I accuse you of falsely stating your premise for this thread. For example, I could ask you how can you genuinely love SACD since there is so much beautiful music available not that format?

I don't care much for SACD and have only 15-20 discs. Don't get me wrong it does sound better than the same title on redbook its just that so little of it appeals to me titlewise. I bought the player for its superior redbook playback. My favorite sonding recordings on CD have a top ten where there are only 2 SACD's. I prefer good/creative engineering to slighlty better fidelity anyday. I tried the buy some of the same releases I have in vinyl/redbook etc. on SACD, Mostly a waste IMO, Kind of Blue is still best on vinyl by a mile to my ears. I got a rec for a phono pre with appropriate gain but its a $500 pre. I have always auditioned gear before buying and will start that soon. I do want to improve my vinyl playback, especially image/soundstage.....this is why I started the post. Thanks for your input!

ET

I do want to improve my vinyl playback, especially image/soundstage.....this is why I started the post.

Matching or beating CD for imaging, soundstaging (and bass) is possible. This is true whether your CDP cost $1K, $5K or even $15K.

As has been posted already, starting with Nsgarch, your TT, arm and cartridge are inadequate to meet these goals. No phono stage in the world will change this. Even new, the TD125 was not one of Thorens best tables. The SL8E was nobody's idea of a great arm (I owned two of them, and still own an ST-8). I could name a hundred modern cartridges that will image and soundstage better than any Grado.

I prefer good/creative engineering to slighlty better fidelity anyday.

A lot of good, creative engineering has been applied to LP playback components since yours were designed. The result is not "slightly" better fidelity, it is massively better fidelity.

Visit someone with a decent high end rig of recent manufacture. Assuming proper component matching and setup, what you will hear is a level of performance that no amount of tweaking, wire upgrading or phono stage matching will ever pull from your existing rig.

You do have some difficult decisions to make. Hopefully you won't make too many wrong turns as you try to find a path that works for you.

Doug, thanks for playing the "heavy" this time ;-)

N

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