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Advice on Equipment Upgrade

I need some help on what is making my system sound a little dull in the midbass snares toms ect. My system is in a 10.5 x 12 ft room open on the long end. I have Dynaudio Contour 3.0's with a REL B2 sub connected to a McIntosh MC352 solid state amp using a Prima Luna ProLogue Three Tube Preamp. My Source is now a Upgraded REGA P3/24 with a Nagaoka MP200 Cartridge MM. I'm using a Tiny Riaa Phono Input that was incuded on the Prima Luna. My Cables are Nordost SPM skr wire and a upgraded cable for the REL by Signal Cable. And 1 unbalanced 1 meter cable from Morrow audio (MA-3). SO my question is Where are the Drums ??? Do I need a Dynavetor cartridge? Is the Primaluna phono the culpret? Should I invest in a quality Phono Preamp and get a low output MC cartridge? I just want my kick back in my system Its too Warm. Note: I was listing to Digital but I really like the Vinyl sound better for the Jazz and Classic rock.I know these speakers and they can sound much better and its not my amp.Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

Matt
128x128mattmiller
acman3
4,250 posts
 
Hello Matt, I'm going to assume the digital was not to warm for you, so the problem is in your phono chain. The first thing I would do is get some way to adjust VTA and see if this solves your problem. The Rega uses shims for adjusting, but an after market product like the Pete Riggles vta adjuster would be better, IMO.

Others can help you more on your Prima Luna phono stage and Nagaoka as I have not heard them, but would get the VTA correct before changing anything.

Also get help if you need it, from a dealer or another audiophile. There is a lot you can get wrong on your own.
grinnell
1,099 posts
 
I had the primaluna phono stage on my PL2. It was okay but bettered easily by a number of other stages.

i tried these in order

parasound zphono
project tube box SE
Bottlehead seduction
Wright WPP 200C
Hagerman Cornet II

the last three were very good but the Cornet had it all.
Invest in a good phono stage and you will see a big difference
tls49's avatar
tls49
1,351 posts
 
Something that concerns me is the impedance match of preamp and power amp, 2.8k to 20k. I've always read that the power amp should be at least 10 times greater than the preamp. I did have a combination in the past that was less than 10 times, and I always thought it sounded dull. Maybe someone else will respond on this.
rrog
1,958 posts
 
Midbass, snares and toms covers quite a range. Usually the problem is reversed between digital and analogue since vinyl has better top end compared to CDs mostly due to the RIAA in my opinion. First of all your system does not match your room. You have a 10x12 room with a 3 way floor standing speaker AND a subwoofer? Come on! You would get better sound with a mini-monitor and no amount of room treatment will cure the problem. You can blame it on cables, phono stages, cartridges or whatever, but the truth is your room is too small. Anyone who encourages you with this system in this room is not doing you a favor.
acman3
4,250 posts
 
I missed the room size for sure, and as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Rrog is correct.
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