Where to improve phono chain?

Shaq,
Great system there!
If I'm not mistaken, the cart you are referring to was made in the late 80's, early 90's for Jeff Rowland by Ikeda and they were unique in being cantirlever-less MC designs, correct?

I agree with you that you may want to start with your phono pre and cart.

Your AR amp/preamp combo, speakers, and TT are superb and most likely craving for a better cart and phono pre combo.

Not sure how much you're willing to spend but I'm a big fan of Lyra carts and they match extremely well with the likes of Manley Chinook, Graham Slee, and Parasound JC 3 amongst others.

Obviously it will be a matter of taste so do your own research and trust your ears!

Good luck.

There are so many possibilities.
1) I used the TE Microgroove and jolly good it was. I would'nt dismiss going up to the groove as well, it is a step up and there is an upgrade path with that, better power supplies I think. You need to fix on a cartridge first, if you are going to change it, as the groove is tailored to your cartridge.

Consider the K&K phono pre too, I use that myself now and I don't plan changing it.

2) cables from the turntable to the phono pre and to the pre are worth looking at, ? borrow some from the cable company, to save money.

3) Isolation is very important, my turntable, already on a good wall stand, perked up with Stillpoint Ultras

4) Bybee phono bullets, as a left field suggestion. They are supposed to be very good on the cable into the phono stage. Don't use them myself, but do use the speaker bullets, with very good results.

5) getting the set up confirmed, ensuring the table is quite level etc, the first thing to do.
6) Cartridge is always worth considering, but it depends on what sound you like and your budget. I am a fan of Benz Micro and Koetsu, after much experimenting, but that is just me

Have you tried a Herron VTPH-2 phono pre?

Since the Ikeda/Rowland cartridge works wonderfully in the damped SME arm, I would look else where. However:

How was your Complement before it was re-tipped - I mean, when it was performing correctly? Who did the work since Mr. Ikeda is the late Ikeda-san? Someone trained by him? The last version of Ikeda cartridges are not a Decca-type design but a conventional cantilever.

Try mounting your turntable in another room on structural studs. Put the phono preamp in that room and run lines from it into the preamp. If you can run balanced all the better.

I don't know anything about your Tom Evans or your speakers but I would contact ARC and see what they recommend. I personally would use a Pass Labs phono pre-amp since they have the least noise compared to tubes. You might find using the Pass into the ARC a quiet revelation. Oh, and get a VPI or other record cleaning machine!

I looked into the Tom Evans design. I appreciate his insistence on proper low noise mains regulation. I'm glad it is solid state.

His design has too many stages for me. The Pass uses a patented balanced very simple topology to cancel out noise, as well as discrete devices, great regulation, balanced/SE outputs and loading flexibility. I'd audition some other options before dumping the cartridge.