If you can stretch your budget just a couple hundred dollars more, you could do what I did. I bought a used Parasound JC-3, ($1600-$1800) and a Lyra Delos, (new $1650). One of the best combos that I have ever heard, Just superb.
How will you split $3000 between phono and cart ?
A jittery situation:
I am looking to buy a phonostage cartridge combination. Budget is $3k for both. I can buy preowned phonostage but cartridge has to be new. TT is a Nouvelle Platine Verdier and tonearm is SME 3012 S2.
Now, I can either go ahead and buy a very good phonostage and a entry-mid level MC cartridge or I buy a very good cartridge and a decent entry-mid level phono. I have listed the possible options:
Option 1:
Choose any of these phonostages:
1. Naim Superline - $2300
2. ZYX Artisan - $2000 (used)
3. 47 labs phonocube - $2500 (used)
Choose any of these cartridges:
1. Ortofon Rondo Red
2. Ortofon 2M Black
3. ZYX R50 Bloom
4. Sumiko Blue point Evo III
Option 2:
Choose any of these phonostages:
1. Lehmann Audio Black Cube SE ($1100)
2. Trigon Advance ($1300)
3. Ray Samuels Nighthawk ($1000)
4. PS Audio GCPH ($1200)
Choose any of these cartridges:
1. ZYX R100 Yatra
2. Ortofon Cadenza Red
3. 47 Labs McBee
You may suggest a combination that is not in this list. I would be happy to research it further. The situation is I have to compromise somewhere, but where ? My TT experience is very limited so is my exposure to analog gears so please help with your experience and suggest what would you pick if you were me.
I am looking to buy a phonostage cartridge combination. Budget is $3k for both. I can buy preowned phonostage but cartridge has to be new. TT is a Nouvelle Platine Verdier and tonearm is SME 3012 S2.
Now, I can either go ahead and buy a very good phonostage and a entry-mid level MC cartridge or I buy a very good cartridge and a decent entry-mid level phono. I have listed the possible options:
Option 1:
Choose any of these phonostages:
1. Naim Superline - $2300
2. ZYX Artisan - $2000 (used)
3. 47 labs phonocube - $2500 (used)
Choose any of these cartridges:
1. Ortofon Rondo Red
2. Ortofon 2M Black
3. ZYX R50 Bloom
4. Sumiko Blue point Evo III
Option 2:
Choose any of these phonostages:
1. Lehmann Audio Black Cube SE ($1100)
2. Trigon Advance ($1300)
3. Ray Samuels Nighthawk ($1000)
4. PS Audio GCPH ($1200)
Choose any of these cartridges:
1. ZYX R100 Yatra
2. Ortofon Cadenza Red
3. 47 Labs McBee
You may suggest a combination that is not in this list. I would be happy to research it further. The situation is I have to compromise somewhere, but where ? My TT experience is very limited so is my exposure to analog gears so please help with your experience and suggest what would you pick if you were me.
- ...
- 27 posts total
03-31-12: Pani Really? It's been widely reviewed and in glowing terms in both the online and paper mags. It would certainly be top of my list in that price bracket. http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0411/parasound_jc3_phonostage.htm |
As someone who appreciates the timing, tone, & timbre virtues of Naim, I suspect you'd greatly appreciate the same virtues evident in the RCM Sensor. The Parasound and RCM both operate in that category of (sorry for the overused, tired phrase) "punching above their weight class." The Parasound offers much higher name recognition, more handsome casework, and convenience of a single chassis. The RCM offers many more adjustments of impedance and gain, a separate power supply, and less appealing looks to my eye. In the end, I chose function over form and went with the RCM. http://www.rcmaudio.pl/testy/rcm_sensor_review_kilian.pdf |
- 27 posts total