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help guide a vinyl newbie

I am just getting back into vinyl for the first time since college and could use some expertise from this knowledgeable group.

My current setup:
McIntosh 275 Mk IV
ARC LS 5 Mk II
SF Cremona Auditors
Black Cube SE
Denon DP47F
Ayre CX7

I am going to be upgrading my turntable and phono preamp over the next couple of years, but as I am hoping to “do it right once”, I can not afford to do it all at one time. So my question is: should I upgrade the TT and cartridge first and then the phono preamp or vice versa?

Since it will be a couple of years between purchases, I am hoping to gain the biggest upgrade in sound first.

I am planning to buy the ARC PH7, Rega P9 and a cartridge to be determined later respectively if that helps.

Thanks in advance for the advice!
annika
slvrtravel
43 posts
 
hi- consider buying an arc ph5 used on audiogon for around $1500--it'll give you plenty of thrill and most of what you get from the ph7 and lots of leftover money for mo' better vinyl
annika OP
27 posts
 
slvtravel, funny that you mention that.... one of the thoughts that has been running through my head has been to buy a PH5 and use the remainder to upgrade my cartridge on my TT. The concerns that I have are that there may be a considerable difference between the PH5 and PH7 as well as am I putting "too much" cartridge on my existing TT. Did you compare the PH5 and PH7 before you purchased yours?
johnss
581 posts
 
Sidssp is correct. You may end up spending $$$ but get nothing out of it. I would see if the denon arm could be re wired with Cardas, then focus on a nice phono stage.
chashmal
605 posts
 
I disagree with the above posts. I would upgrade the TT, arm, and cartridge first. I think source resolution comes before amplification.

Then I would get a temporary (but good) phono preamp like the musical surroundings phenomena or similar priced phono stage (under $600, $250 used). That will certainly do you for a while.

Yep. I would dump the Denon first. I would get a used Linn LP12 without a Lingo and have it looked over by someone locally. I think that is the best deal for the $$$. That's just me.
opalchip
355 posts
 
I'm using a Denon DP-59L now, because it has the auto shut-off which I find very useful. Compared to my VPI HW-19 with SME 309 arm, though, the sound quality is admittedly somewhat lackluster. I suspect, as Johnss mentions, that the primary culprit is the arm wiring and or arm connectors. Also, the factory hardwired interconnects are substandard. Unfortunately, re-wiring these would be quite difficult - not really worth the trouble. But there are improvements you can make short of that. You can dampen the platter and plinth, and if you're handy with a soldering iron, install much improved interconnects.

The Dynavector is an excellent cartridge - you can spend a lot of money and get one that sounds different, but wildly better - I don't know about that.

Seems to me that the largest potential improvement is the phono amp.
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