Am I getting it all?


I have a VPI Scout, Dynavector XX2MKII cart, PS Audio GCPH, going into a Sonic Euphoria passive pre. The sound is quite good, but compared to what is, IMHO, a superb sounding digital front-end, is generally not in the same league. Only on exceptional recordings does my analog front end seem to equal or at times, best my digital gear. I will say, though, that the most intense musical experience I've had on on my system, came while listening to a Tacet lp, Tube Only, of piano and violin. I feel my cartridge set-up is quite good. Does it sound like it's time to go to a better turntable to make any improvement in what I'm hearing? Thanks for the help, Dan
Ag insider logo xs@2xislandmandan
Just a little reality check; you're not even close to getting it all, so you can put your question to rest. Of course, there's always enjoying the music...
I guess I should re-phrase that previous statement, Piedpiper. I mean I must be close to getting all that my analog front end, such as it is, can give me. That is, however, a very long way from the best the format is capable of delivering, but so are the funds to purchse the means to that end. We do the best with what we have.

Dan
Just a footnote to my previous reply. Like speakers, all turntables & arms are a compromise. Only one company (Nakamichi) madea a TT that would compensate for eccentric records (just about all) and give you pitch stability approaching what digital has naturally. And only one (that I know of) offers arm damping at the stylus end of the arm (Townshend) which is uniquely beneficial. Then all others have their own good (and not so good) points. So, you just have to decide what qualities are most important to you and then see if your budget will allow you to acquire them.
Maplenoll has an oil trough at the cartridge end. Lloyd Walker insists that it sounds better to do it on the other end. Before putting together his own table he was the Maplenoll distributor before Bob Dilger stopped making them.