It seems like Arwp is very perceptive and wants to get the most out of his plunge into vinyl and is willing to devote ample resources to get it done. Although $30K sure is a lot of money, it would be quite easy to go through a majority of it if you were to shoot for high performing rig that includes phono stage, cartridge, isolation, cleaning, and table/arm. Go for it.
Best Turntable/arm/cartridge system for $30k
I have finally decided to take the plunge into the Analog world. My current source is Accuphase Transport/DAC 100/101. This combo is the best player money can buy when playing SACD but a letdown when playing CDs. I have yet to come across a CD player that can make CDs sound musical and involving. Not even the latest DCS or Emmlab gears can achieve that. I will probably stop buying CDs altogether and focus on LPs collection instead. Any recommendations?
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I agree with Tom (as I already said) about not taking the plunge right away, but I do not agree with his suggestions, which, although excellent, are beyond what I would consider quality entry level ;-) I was thinking more along the lines of any complete system under $3K on these pages: http://www.musicdirect.com/category/21 If one is going to "go for it" it takes lots of information and personal experience (along with "ample resources" ;-) Otherwise you are going to wind up buying someone else's dream! . |
Arwp, It's not clear to me from the inforamtion you provided in your post alone that the digital source is the reason your system does not sound musical or involving to you. It could be anything from room acoustics to overall system synergy to some component in the pipeline not performing up to specs for some reason. I'd make sure, if you are not already, all the ducks in your current system are in order before looking to an expensive vinyl system as the solution. It may in fact be one solution, but not necessarily the only one. |
Dear ARWP: Money always help!!!!, but if this is really your first time with analog the first thing that you have to know is that analog source ( like a whole source ) is not ( far from there ) a plug-and-play source like the digital one. So you have to learn ( very quick ) or to have someone ( audio dealer with the right know-how or an audio friend )to help you on the right whole set-up. The second point is to have " software " ( LPs ) to play with. If you don't have it then you have to start to buy and develop a good collection with the kind of music you like. Third point can be to conform your analog source and my advise is to go not with an entry level one but with something better. Thinking on TTs: Galibier, Acoustic Signature, Raven, SME are some names that comes to my mind. Tonearm/cartridge: I like the Dynavector XV-1s ( but other people likes other cartridges too ) and you can mate it with a Triplanar or a Phantom tonearm but you can choose the MM cartridge alternative too where there are several cartridge options ( like the MC alternative ). If you choose ( example ) for the XV-1s that is a low output MC cartridge IMHO it will be best " served " for an active high gain Phonolinepreamp ( no step-up transformers ) that you have to buy too. Here ( like you say ) try to find the " best " because is in the phono stage where the cartridge signal pass to a " severe " process that makes a degradation to the cartridge signal. So, you want to add the less and lose the less on that cartridge signal to be nearer /truer to the recording. Regards and enjoy the music. Raul. |
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