Got A Turntable...What Next?

Raul, that PS Audio GCPH is an excellent sounding unit so I don't think that's the problem. But Restock's point about a possible arm/cartridge mismatch may be valid.

I owned the Shelter 501 at one time and it did not sound that optimal in my Wilson Benesch Act 0.5 arm. I like the Benz cartridges much better. Perhaps a new Glider or Gullwing Benz would work better. But the GCPH will be noisy with low-output MC cartridges under about 0.4mV, so keep that in mind as well.

Dear Plato: I'm not saying that the PS Audio is not a good unit I'm only saying that he can get a better quality performance with a better phono stage unit and I already posted that " other what already posted "....

The 502 deserve that and through those Altec he can enjoy it, other advantage is that a better phonolinepreamp can/could give him the alternative that in the future he could change its cartridge for one of the " stellar " ones with out change in the Phonolinepreamp but where he can from today enjoy that quality sound performance, well at least this is my advise.

Rgeards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

add if you wish to, but don't sell anything.

No the first answer is absolutley true. I can... drive La scalas with the 1.5 watt amplifier to loud levels but you will never ever hear how good the speaker is until you put some real power into.

Don't sell your speakers. Those are unique. However, they, like most Altec home furniture cabinets, suffer from a choked bass and a clipped upper end. The cabinets are just too small for the 15 inch bass drivers. And there are two of them in each of these cabinets. You could swap the 803A (I'm assuming it's an A) for 416s through, which might help the bottom end. Great Plains Audio sells them.

There are lots of great compression drivers that go much higher than Altec compression drivers, too, but I don't think that's your problem. My guess is old capacitors and inductors with a low crossover point. FWIW, I use BMS compression drivers in my Valencias (a truly underachieving cabinet design), along with a modded crossover and much more substantial internal cabinet bracing. I've no problems, but then a lot of Altec fans would burn me at the stake for what I've done. On the other hand, my speakers sound great with my turntable.

As mentioned, you're going to need some power to push those drivers and the crossover. Perhaps you could spend a little money and try biamping with an active crossover?